Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA)

The members of the National Council of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) held a meeting with the team of the Ministry of Economy and Industry (MEI), led by Deputy Minister Doncho Barbalov. The main highlights of the conversation were the development of the National Industrial Strategy and Bulgaria's new foreign trade agreements.
The National Industrial Strategy is already in the process of being prepared and is expected to be finalized in the second half of 2026. It will cover key areas such as industrial development, the extractive industry, industrial infrastructure and the creation of an investment portal. An important part of the strategy will be the integration of regulations on critical raw materials and net-zero emission technologies.
The MEI's goal is to propose effective measures to increase the competitiveness of Bulgarian enterprises and achieve climate neutrality. Business will be a key partner in this process, through upcoming consultations on the measures.
The foreign trade agreements that the European Union is negotiating with a number of countries and regions, including MERCOSUR (the largest interstate association in South America), India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf countries, were also discussed.
Deputy Minister Barbalov also drew attention to the upcoming annual meeting of trade representatives of Bulgaria from 70 countries with business structures in our country, which will take place in the last week of July.
"I congratulate you on your efforts and achievements - Bulgaria is already in the eurozone, and from January 1, 2026, the euro will be our currency. The next important step is our membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which I believe will become a fact in 2026," said Barbalov.
During the meeting, the members of the National Council also discussed the development of negotiations between the social partners on the mechanism for determining the minimum wage.