MPAA president Jack Valenti reiterated his anti-piracy campaign in Berlin, when he addressed the opening of the European Film Finance Forum and also met German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to discuss the issue.

"There is a menace in this world that threatens not only the Americans but every creative community ...and that's digital piracy", said Valenti. He added that: "we lose about Euros 3.5bn in the USA each year from piracy. In fact, today, in the USA, 400,000-600,000 movies are downloaded illegally every day and that will become millions by 2006".

At the same time Valenti declared himself "confident" and "optimistic" that the film industry will solve this. "Technology causes the problem but technology will also solve the problem, and we are working with the best minds to develop and devise technology to be a barrier against piracy and keep it to acceptable levels."