Spain's culture secretary, Miguel Angel Cortes, and German culture minister, Michael Naumann, have announced that they will sign a German-Spanish co-production agreement tomorrow (Feb 11) at the Berlin Film Festival.

The accord replaces and expands on an existing agreement which the two countries signed in 1956. It aims to encourage German-Spanish co-productions by making cast and crew participation requirements more flexible.

Spain produced 82 feature films in 1999, 38 of which were co-productions with other countries. The accord forms part of the state policy, executed by the Education and Culture Ministry, to help develop a pan-European audiovisual industry.

Spain boasts a strong presence at this year's Berlin festival with screenings of feature films The Sea (El Mar) in competition, children's film Manolito Gafotas in Kinderfilmfest, and several titles in Panorama including Asphalt (Asfalto), Second Skin (Segunda Piel), To Die Or Not (Morir O No), I Know Who You Are (Se Quien Eres) and documentary The Spoils Of War (Botin De Guerra).