Plans for a new"European Film Commissions Network" (EFCN) are to be unveiled at aone-day symposium of film commissions from all over Europe on the eve of theforthcoming Berlinale on February 9.

Hosted by the German FilmCommissions, the "2nd European Encounter of Film Commissions"symposium will be opened by Berlin's Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit andBerlinale festival director Dieter Kosslick and is expected to have VivianeReding, EU commissioner for Education and Culture, attending as a guest of honour.

Conceived and developedduring previous meetings in Malaga and Cannes, the ECFN is intended as aplatform through which the international film industry can most effectivelyaccess all of the various European film commissions.

The aims are to make the searchfor locations and the organisation of film shoots in Europe considerably easierfor producers and to use the network to consolidate the European filmcommissions in face of huge competition.