The government has officially approved a draft project aimed at amending the Ordinance on the Procedure and Amount of Product Fees, the cabinet's press office reported. The key change in the document provides for a significant reduction in the existing fees charged for the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment.

The administration's main objective is to ensure a more predictable, sustainable, and competitive environment for business development. The official statement emphasizes that this move does not compromise environmental standards or the international commitments undertaken by Bulgaria in this field.

The calculations for the new fee levels are aligned with average European benchmarks. They were prepared through a precise analysis of actual costs, including:

  • waste collection;
  • transportation;
  • pre-treatment;
  • recycling of different categories of electrical and electronic equipment.

To achieve these results, a comparative analysis of practices in other European Union member states was conducted. The determination of financial parameters was based on principles of transparency, proportionality, and economic efficiency, while taking into account local conditions and separately analyzing the revenue and expenses for each waste category.

It is important to note that the reduction of fees does not lead to changes in environmental requirements or in the legally mandated targets for separate collection, take-back, recycling, and recovery. The change only affects the financial instrument, with the goal of making it more effective and comparable to best European practices, which will reduce the burden on businesses and increase the transparency of obligations.

President Rumen Radev announced today that product fees for electrical and electronic equipment will be reduced by an average of four times. According to him, through this decision, the cabinet is putting an end to a long-established flawed practice where waste management problems were solved solely by imposing higher fees and increasing the financial burden on both businesses and ordinary citizens.