A method of encoding a sequence of images into a bitstream, at least one image portion of the images being encoded by motion compensation with respect to a reference image portion, the method comprising: obtaining at least one or more motion information predictor candidates each associated with an image portion having a predetermined spatial or temporal relationship with an image portion to be encoded, the number of motion information predictor candidates obtained being not greater than a target number; removing one or more duplicate motion information predictor candidates from the one or more obtained motion information predictor candidates; after the one or more duplicate motion information predictor candidates are removed, comparing a target number with the number of remaining motion information predictor candidates, which have not been removed; if the number of remaining motion information predictor candidates is lower than the target number, adding one or more additional motion information predictors as candidates until the target number of motion information predictor candidates for the image portion to be encoded are generated; and selecting one of the motion information predictor candidates as a motion information predictor to be used to encode motion information associated with the image portion to be encoded, wherein the one or more motion information predictor candidates obtained at the obtaining step are actual motion information predictors, having motion vectors obtained from predetermined image portions of said image being encoded or of a reference image, and characterized in that at least one additional motion information predictor added as a candidate is a virtual motion information predictor not having a motion vector obtained from the predetermined image portions of said image being encoded or of a reference image. obtaining at least one or more motion information predictor candidates each associated with an image portion having a predetermined spatial or temporal relationship with an image portion to be encoded, the number of motion information predictor candidates obtained being not greater than a target number; removing one or more duplicate motion information predictor candidates from the one or more obtained motion information predictor candidates; after the one or more duplicate motion information predictor candidates are removed, comparing a target number with the number of remaining motion information predictor candidates, which have not been removed; if the number of remaining motion information predictor candidates is lower than the target number, adding one or more additional motion information predictors as candidates until the target number of motion information predictor candidates for the image portion to be encoded are generated; and selecting one of the motion information predictor candidates as a motion information predictor to be used to encode motion information associated with the image portion to be encoded, wherein the one or more motion information predictor candidates obtained at the obtaining step are actual motion information predictors, having motion vectors obtained from predetermined image portions of said image being encoded or of a reference image, and characterized in that at least one additional motion information predictor added as a candidate is a virtual motion information predictor not having a motion vector obtained from the predetermined image portions of said image being encoded or of a reference image.