Fiera Milano International (FMI) has signed a contract to run Mifed for the next 15 years and is committing to investing in improved services

'We want to make the market more modern and functional,' said Massimo Viviani, Managing Director of FMI, the market's new owners. 'We have been meeting our clients in Cannes and next week we will be travelling to meet international distributors and discuss their needs.'

Improvements at the 2003 market, which runs from November 9th-13th, include clearer signposting to stalls, simpler contracts for exhibitors, an increased number of daily passes available for visitors of exhibitors, and generally less red tape.

Pre-screenings will be held on Saturday 8th November.

'We want to have better relations with clients, and remove any doubts they might have. As such, we are already sending out information to clients about Mifed on a daily basis,' FMI general division director Carlo Bassi said.

Initiatives planned for the future include a special tour of Milan's fashion houses and top restaurants for Mifed clients. As such, FMI is currently in talks with Milan's Camera della Moda.

FMI is also evaluating the possibility of adding evening screenings to Mifed's schedule.

FMI is a joint venture between Fiera Milano Exhibitions and British multinational Reed Exhibitions.