All markets

Bulgaria

No agreement yet · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-09-26

65 screening rules

• Labeling: 28 rules — 24 blocking, 3 conditional, 1 advisory
• Additives: 8 rules — 6 blocking, 0 conditional, 2 advisory
• Contaminants & residue limits: 17 rules — 16 blocking, 0 conditional, 1 advisory
• Import & registration: 12 rules — 6 blocking, 6 conditional, 0 advisory

Market profile

Main food law

Food Act (2020, SG 52/2020; amended 2025) + EU 178/2002 (shared)

Labeling regulation

EU 1169/2011 (shared); Ordinance on food information to consumers (2021, amended 2025)

Additives and residue limits

EU 1333/2008; EU 2023/915; EU 396/2005 (shared)

Import requirements

EU 2017/625 official controls (shared); BFSA

National standards body

BIS (BDS standards) — paywalled

Latest USDA FAIRS report

2025

Certificates required

Set at EU level — the same list applies in every member state.

• Health certificate (food export, fit for human consumption) — Mandatory (Applies to: Composite products, food of non-animal origin under Reg. 2019/1793 (e.g. aflatoxin-risk nuts, spices))
• Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Products of animal origin from EU-listed countries & establishments)
• Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Plants & plant products listed in Reg. 2019/2072)
• EU TRACES CHED (Common Health Entry Document) — Mandatory (Applies to: Animals, POAO, FNAO under increased checks, plants)
• EU organic certificate (Reg. (EU) 2018/848) & e-COI — Mandatory (Applies to: Products labelled organic)
• EUR.1 / EUR-MED movement certificate — Mandatory (Applies to: Goods claiming FTA preference)
• GSP Form A / REX statement on origin — Mandatory (Applies to: GSP beneficiary goods claiming preference)
• Certificate of analysis (CoA) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Products under increased official controls (aflatoxin, pesticides, ethylene oxide))
• BRCGS Food Safety — Commonly requested (Applies to: Retail private label)
• IFS Food — Commonly requested (Applies to: German/French/Italian retail)
• FSSC 22000 — Commonly requested (Applies to: Manufacturers & ingredients)
• GLOBALG.A.P. IFA — Commonly requested (Applies to: Fresh produce & aquaculture)
• Rainforest Alliance certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Cocoa, coffee, tea, bananas)
• Fairtrade certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Coffee, cocoa, bananas, sugar)
• MSC Chain of Custody (and fishery) certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Wild seafood)
• ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Farmed seafood)
• SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Retail suppliers)
• V-Label (vegan/vegetarian) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Vegan/vegetarian claims)

Import and export

Documents to import

• Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
• Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Conditional
• Bill of lading / air waybill / CMR — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
• Customs import declaration (SAD/H1 under UCC) — Issued by: Bulgarian Customs Agency — Mandatory
• EORI number registration — Issued by: Bulgarian Customs Agency — Mandatory
• Proof of preferential origin (EUR.1 / statement on origin / REX) — Issued by: Exporting-country customs or exporter — Conditional
• CHED-P + official veterinary health certificate (TRACES-NT) — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) at border control post — Conditional (mandatory for POAO)
• CHED-D + official certificate and lab results (TRACES-NT) — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) at border control post — Conditional
• Phytosanitary certificate + CHED-PP — Issued by: Exporting-country NPPO; checked by national plant health service — Conditional
• Private attestation for composite products — Issued by: Importer/producer — Conditional
• Catch certificate (IUU) — Issued by: Flag-state authority — Conditional
• Food business operator registration of importer — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) — Mandatory
• Notification of food supplements / foods for special groups — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) — Conditional
• Labelling in national language (Reg 1169/2011) — Issued by: Importer (self-compliance, no pre-approval) — Mandatory
• Organic certificate of inspection (COI) — Issued by: Control body — Conditional

Documents to export

• Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
• Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Conditional
• Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
• Export customs declaration (ECS/AES) — Issued by: Bulgarian Customs Agency — Mandatory
• Non-preferential certificate of origin — Issued by: Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) — Conditional
• EUR.1 / EUR-MED movement certificate or statement on origin — Issued by: Bulgarian Customs Agency — Conditional
• Export veterinary / health certificate — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) — Conditional
• Phytosanitary certificate for export — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) (plant health service) — Conditional
• Free sale / health certificate for processed food — Issued by: BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) — Conditional
• Legalisation / apostille / embassy attestation — Issued by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs; destination embassy — Conditional
• Halal certificate — Issued by: Private/religious certifier recognised by destination — Conditional

Government fees

• Official control fee at border control post (POAO / composite) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• Official control fee for HRFNAO (CHED-D) checks (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• BFSA border control fee - POAO / food consignments (Import) — 55.22 (up to 6 t) + 9.20 per tonne over 6 t EUR
• VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• Phytosanitary certificate (Export) — 21.00 EUR

Customs single window: BICIS + TRACES-NT

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Sources of the rules inherited from the European Union (shared bloc rules)

• Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 — General Food Law (consolidated 2026-01-01) (2002) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — Food Information to Consumers (consolidated 2025-04-01) (2011) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — Food Additives (consolidated 2026-02-18, incl. Annex II union list) (2008) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) 2023/915 — Maximum Levels for Contaminants in Food (consolidated 2025-10-08) (2023) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 — Hygiene of Foodstuffs (consolidated 2021-03-24) (2004) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 — Hygiene Rules for Food of Animal Origin (consolidated 2026-01-27) (2004) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) 2017/625 — Official Controls (consolidated 2025-01-05) (2017) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 — Food Contact Materials (consolidated 2021-03-27) (2004) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 — Novel Foods (2015) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 — Pesticide MRLs in Food and Feed (2005) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 — GM Food and Feed (2003) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 — Nutrition and Health Claims (2006) Open the source
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 — Model Official Certificates (animal-origin/composite imports) (2020) Open the source
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630 — Composite Products Exempt from Border Controls (2021) Open the source
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775 — Origin of the Primary Ingredient (Art 26(3) FIC) (2018) Open the source
• EU Food Additives Database (Annex II Reg 1333/2008, searchable) (2026) Open the source
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 — Temporary Increase of Controls on Certain High-Risk Non-Animal Foods (2019) Open the source
• USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — European Union (2024) (2024) Open the source
• USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — European Union (2025) (2025) Open the source

Reference documents

• USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Bulgaria (BU2025-0025) (2026) Open the source
• USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual — European Union (E42025-0026) (2025) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) 2023/915 — Maximum levels for contaminants (shared) (2023) Open the source
• USDA GAIN — Bulgaria Passes New Food Act (State Gazette 52/2020) (2020) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) 2017/625 — Official controls (shared) (2017) Open the source
• Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 — Food information to consumers (shared) (2011) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 — Food additives (shared) (2008) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) 396/2005 — Pesticide MRLs (shared) (2005) Open the source
• Regulation (EC) 178/2002 — General Food Law (shared) (2002) Open the source
• BDS national standards (Bulgarian Institute for Standardization) Open the source

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.