Thousands of cinema professionals, including prominent directors, screenwriters, actors and industry leaders from across Europe and beyond, have united around one message: Europe needs cinema. Cinema needs Europe.

The SAA signed an open letter to the EU and Member States demanding support for the cultural and creative sectors during the COVID-19 crisis, initiated by Niklas Nienaß and Salima Yenbou, Members of the European Parliament. 

Ahead of the deadline for amendments of 12th April in the lead committee of the European Parliament, audiovisual authors call for a concrete measure to turn the positive rhetoric on the need for authors to be fairly remunerated into reality.

The Council will vote on the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and the US (TTIP) on 14th June. We need to let them know that the cultural exception needs to be maintained and excluded from the negotiation mandate. Sign the petition!

On 28th of November we launched a petition.  We were hoping to get 5,000 signatures within a week as the college of Commissioners was meeting on Wednesday 5th December to decide on their future approach on copyright.  The meeting was the culmination of months of evident discord within the college of Commissioners on the best approach for Europe to fully take advantage of one of its key assets – its creative industries – in the digital world.  President Barroso sought to set things straight and work out

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.

The College of the 27 European Commissioners is meeting on 5th December 2012 to decide on the future of European copyright. To answer attacks against copyright, European creators are using this petition to remind decision-makers that their authors’ rights are essential for them to be able to create. Authors’ rights are the best engine for a sustainable creative Europe. Support authors’ rights.

Screenwriters and Directors organisations are coming together across Europe to try to save one of the key sites of Europe’s cinematographic heritage.