In the run-up to the European Union's enlargement eastwards, the Brussels-based animation initiative CARTOON has been hired by the European Commission to organise a two-day audiovisual conference in Warsaw from March 19-20, 2004.

CARTOON managing director Marc Vandenweyer told ScreenDaily.com that the event will aim to foster a greater exchange of information between the East and West European film and television industries as well as looking at the potential for financial partnerships and co-production in the larger Europe.

This conference will come less than a week after the 6th CARTOON Movie financing market for animation feature films is held in Potsdam-Babelsberg for the sixth time from March 11-13.

Before that, the challenges posed by the EU enlargement will also be the subject of a series of events being held in Germany over the next two months.

The German lobby group film20 will hold the second part of its "EU-Expansion and the Film Industry" conference in Berlin from October 20-21, while this year's Munich Media Days will be staging a European Film Summit on October 22 to address such issues as new financing models, cultural identity and European cooperation. Panelists confirmed for the Munich event include European Commissioner Viviane Reding, the UK's Alan Parker, producer Cedomir Kolar (No Man's Land), Oscar-winning director Caroline Link (Nowhere In Africa) and Bavaria Film managing director Thilo Kleine.