The scramble for Africa was on! European powers were itching to expand their territories and spheres of influence, and the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 was the perfect opportunity to hash out the details. Representatives from 14 European countries, plus the United States, gathered to regulate the colonization and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period. The conference, orchestrated by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, aimed to prevent conflicts between European powers and establish rules for colonizing the continent. The General Act, signed on February 26, 1885, recognized the Congo Free State as a neutral entity, established the principle of effective occupation, and set the stage for the partition of Africa among European powers.