Ten Bulgarian companies will set up joint ventures with Italian partners by the end of the year. They will be financed with DEM 2 million under a joint project of the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) and Itally's largest financial institution for foreign investments, SIMEST. The local companies, which are expected to start joint production with Italian partners, include the producer of automobile radiators Mayak, the producer of prostheses Bulfix and the commercial partnership Rafaelo, dealing with garden plastic furniture. BIA will implement a project for promoting the food industry, financed by the European Union. Its duration is two years, and the funding amounts to EUR 4 million. It is supported by the European Federation of Food Industry. The project will facilitate the direct contacts of Bulgarian companies with European partners