The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) brought together screenwriters, directors, collective management organisations and MEPs on Tuesday to show off Europe's audiovisual creativity and stimulate the debate on how the European Parliament can ensure the best conditions for its creators and the continued development of the audiovisual sector.

So far, 5,000 directors, writers, technicians, producers, distributors, exhibitors across Europe have already expressed their concern about the cultural exception being called into question.

European filmmakers Stijn Coninx, Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Jaco Van Dormael, Jochen Greve, Michel Hazanavicius, Michael Roskam and Jan Theys met with European Commissioner for Trade, Karel De Gucht, on Monday 6th May in Brussels.

Eurocinema, Europa Cinemas, EuropaDistribution, Europa International, FIAD, SAA and UNIC welcome Commissioner De Gucht’s commitment to maintaining Europe’s cultural diversity and call for him to guarantee this formally in the negotiating mandate.

Eurocinema, Europa cinemas, EuropaDistribution, Europa International, FIAD, SAA and UNIC declare their support for a petition launched by European film-makers. The petition aims to exclude audiovisual and cinematographic services from the negotiation mandate of the European Commission for the trade negotiations between the USA and Europe.

Janine Lorente, the chair of the SAA board of directors presented SAA’s position on the collective rights management directive proposal on 18 March.

A delegation of SAA members and patrons met Commissioner Barnier on 22nd February ...

The undersigned European organisations of authors, performers and producers have taken note of the recommendations presented by Mr Antonio Vitorino, which mark the conclusion of the mediation process on private copying levies initiated by the European Commission.

Ahead of the 7-8 February Special Summit on the EU’s Multi-Annual Financial Framework, the European Platform on the potential of Cultural and Creative Industries (‘The Platform’) - a group of more than 40 organisations representing a wide range of cultural and creative sectors – calls on EU Member States to adopt a strong budget for ‘Creative Europe’, the 2014-2020 programme for the cultural and creative sectors.

Following the publication of Antonio Vitorino's recommendations, SAA has issued the following initial reaction.

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) today submitted a complaint to the European Commission against the recent adoption of new Spanish legislation on the private copying remuneration system.

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) welcomes the European Commission’s announcement today following its orientation debate on future copyright policy. Adopting a pragmatic approach and conducting a proper stakeholder dialogue is the best way of constructively resolving many of the issues. We are also reassured to hear that any future modifications of current copyright legislation will not be made until the necessary assessments and evaluations have been carried out.