Germany's adoption of a UK-style sale and leaseback (S&L) fundingmodel has come one big step closer after a meeting between German filmproducers and Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder yesterday morning.

According to one of the producers attending, a working group will becreated to draft a concept for a sale and leaseback structure by April 2005.

This could come into the statute books before the Bundestag's summerrecess.