There are provided methods and apparatus for multi-view video coding. A video encoder includes an encoder for encoding a block in a picture by choosing between temporal prediction and cross-view prediction to enable a prediction for the block. The picture is one of a set of pictures corresponding to multi-view video content and having different view points with respect to a same or similar scene. The picture represents one of the different view points. A high-level syntax is used to indicate the use of cross-view prediction for the block.