Pulling together a swathe of public and private European film bodies, the nucleus for a single agency representing the Continent's interests in the digital era was formed last week under the banner of the European Digital Cinema Forum.

The forum is to act as a consultative body for governments and the European Commission, liasing with parties around the world in establishing global standards for digital cinema. Part of its mandate will be to help establish European user requirements for standards for the e- and d-cinema chains - respectively the transmission of films digitally to cinemas using satellite technology and the use of digital copies of films.

Based initially in London, the forum was outlined after a meeting in Stockholm last week of 30 representatives from such pan-European bodies as film institutes, governments and industrial companies.

The meeting decided on three areas for further development. Peter Wilson, of the UK's Snell & Wilcox, will spearhead technical concerns, while Renaud Di Francesco, of the French arm of Sony Digital Cinema, will oversee commercial matters. Ase Kleveland, managing director of the Swedish Film Institute, heads content issues.

Also on the forum's agenda is launching a so-called European Digital Cinema Laboratory as a joint venture between London, Paris and Stockholm.