Joint Statement from IMAGO about the EU XXL proposal

The represented Societies in the International Cinematographers Conference in Budapest (Nov. 17th to 19th 2010) are aware that the European Union has given creativity and innovation greater importance on the Agenda for the coming decade. There is an unacceptable lack of political lobbying on the European level regarding the massive problems cinematographers and other creatives in the audiovisual sector are facing today.

IMAGO agreed that it should be part of and support a common initiative together with the other relevant European umbrella organizations like FERA, FSE, ECSA, FFACE, ECA to improve the lobbying for all creatives of audiovisual works and increase the flow of communication and information between these organizations and the EU institutions.

IMAGO proposes this common initiative to be carried out and managed by EU XXL FILM in Vienna, due to its fundamental knowledge about the structures of the EU legislation processes and its experience in political networking.

IMAGO supports the efforts of EU XXL FILM to discuss and promote the idea of this common initiative with other umbrella organizations within the audiovisual creative community. The aims of these efforts we unanimously define as to install a lobby platform by democratic legitimation and participation of each umbrella organization.

Nigel Walters BSC
President of IMAGO

Budapest, November 17th 2010

www.imago.org