Bulgaria
Where your packaging falls in Bulgaria
Packaging EPR in Bulgaria is the country's flagship waste stream. The public register of packaged-goods producers (ЗУО чл. 45, ал. 1, т. 13) has been in force since 1 June 2021.
Registration runs through НИСО, and a separate register covers polymer carrier bags.
The thing a generic page overstates is a deposit-return system. No operational DRS for beverage packaging was confirmed on an official Bulgarian source, so this page does not assert one.
Some packaging also falls under single-use plastics, which means a single product can trigger two schemes.
Does Bulgarian packaging EPR apply to you
The duty falls on the first business to place packaged products on the Bulgarian market. There is no volume threshold.
- You manufacture packaged products in Bulgaria and sell them domestically.
- You import packaged products into Bulgaria for sale or distribution.
- You sell packaged products into Bulgaria from another EU state.
A producer of polymer carrier bags registers separately in the dedicated НИСО register. Both registers carry the same compliance choice: join a recovery organisation or meet the duty individually with a product fee.
The compliance choice in Bulgaria
Bulgaria makes you declare your compliance route at registration. You either join a recovery organisation (организация по оползотворяване) and pay its tariff, or meet the duty individually with a product fee (продуктова такса).
The choice goes onto the form and determines how you meet the recovery and recycling targets going forward. No official per-unit fee amount was grounded on a public source.
Getting your Bulgarian registration in place
Registration is electronic through НИСО with a qualified electronic signature (КЕП), filed within one month of starting the activity.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Obtain a КЕП | Get a qualified electronic signature from a Bulgarian-accredited provider |
| Log in to НИСО | Open the packaged-goods-producer registration form (ЗУО чл. 45, ал. 1, т. 13) |
| Declare compliance route | Choose between a recovery organisation and individual compliance |
| Submit | ExEA publishes your entry in the public register on the ИАОС site |
A foreign producer established in another EU state may appoint an authorised representative under ЗУО чл. 14а, though this is optional rather than a blanket requirement.
The Bulgarian reporting rhythm for packaging
Reporting is annual. You file through НИСО for the preceding calendar year, signed with a КЕП, by 31 March of the following year. That cadence covers the annual waste report under Наредба № 1/2014.
The placed-on-market producer reporting may follow a different calendar set by the packaging ordinance. No official per-unit fee amount was grounded on a public source.
The road ahead for packaging in Bulgaria
The biggest change is European rather than domestic. The EU packaging regulation starts applying directly in 2026 and begins to reshape packaging design, so a Bulgarian packaging producer should track it alongside the national register-and-fee duties.
Enforcement of the current rules runs through ЗУО administrative sanctions. The wider picture across all streams sits on EPR in Bulgaria.
Frequently asked questions about packaging EPR in Bulgaria
The questions packaging producers ask most about the Bulgarian rules.
Who has to register for packaging EPR in Bulgaria?
The first business to place packaged products on the Bulgarian market. Polymer carrier bags have their own НИСО register. There is no volume threshold.
How much does packaging EPR cost in Bulgaria?
There is no registration fee. The compliance cost depends on whether you join a recovery organisation or comply individually with a product fee. No official per-unit figure is published.
Do foreign or online sellers need an authorised representative in Bulgaria?
An authorised representative is available under ЗУО чл. 14а for EU-established producers, but it is optional. Whether a non-EU distance seller must appoint one has not been confirmed for packaging.
When are packaging reports due in Bulgaria?
The annual НИСО report for the preceding calendar year is due by 31 March, filed with a qualified electronic signature (КЕП).
What changes next for packaging EPR in Bulgaria?
The PPWR (Reg (EU) 2025/40) applies directly from 12 August 2026, adding recyclability, recycled-content and reuse requirements that change the packaging itself.
