Earlier in October 2018, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia, Nikola Dimitrov, signed the Convention, enabling Macedonia to participate in coproductions even with non-European countries. The signing of the Convention means that Macedonia no longer needs to make special bilateral contracts with countries that have already signed the Convention. In addition, it gives Macedonia the opportunity to participate actively in the creation of collaborations in the field of film in accordance with new financial mechanisms and audio-visual practices.

As stated in the official statement of the Ministry of Culture, the Convention also specifies the reduction of the minimum percentage of national participation in order for a project to be deemed a coproduction. For multilateral coproductions, this percentage was reduced from 20% to 10%, and it was reduced from 10% to 5% for bilateral coproductions.

“The signing of the revised Convention creates formal legal assumptions for greater accessibility of foreign film funds (Eurimages) to Macedonia, it will facilitate the process of involving in coproductions, and the exchange of foreign experiences will have a positive impact on the promotion and the development of the film industry in the Republic of Macedonia,” the Macedonian official statement noted.

There are ongoing activities for drafting a law for the implementation of the ratification of the revised Convention, which will be submitted to the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia for adoption.