DECLARATION
of the national representative organizations
of employers and trade unions in the Republic of Bulgaria
FOR THE PROTECTION OF BULGARIAN INDUSTRY:
FOR A PREDICTABLE AND FAIR CLIMATE POLICY IN EUROPE
We, the national representative organizations of employers and trade unions in the Republic of Bulgaria, express our serious concern about the growing risks to the competitiveness of European and Bulgarian industry, arising from the increasing regulatory burden, high energy costs and the instability of the carbon market.
In the face of increased global competition and accelerated industrial transformation, European industry needs policies that create a predictable regulatory environment, encourage investment and protect production chains and jobs in the European Union.
In this regard, we support the joint initiative of the Ministers of Industry of Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain to take decisive action to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry and to ensure a more balanced and investment-oriented regulatory approach. The initiative is a continuation of the Berlin Declaration of 03.11.2025 within the framework of the "Friends of Industry" initiative, supported and adopted with the signature of Bulgaria .
Bulgaria should be among the most active countries in such initiatives – any European decision that leads to an additional increase in production costs in industry has a stronger impact on Bulgaria than the EU average. The share of industry in the Bulgarian economy is above the comparable European average . Bulgarian industry is integrated into European supply chains and is the backbone of the country’s foreign trade and employment. [1] Therefore, any sustained decline in industry automatically becomes a social risk and is a direct blow to Bulgaria’s exports, balance of payments and fiscal position. Therefore, we consider it important for our country to participate actively and consistently in shaping the regulatory and energy agenda of the European Union and to advocate for measures that preserve the competitiveness of industry.
We share the clearly stated position that the decarbonisation of industry cannot and should not be achieved through deindustrialisation , closures and job losses in Europe. European policies should guarantee real conditions for the competitiveness of European enterprises in global markets.
Of particular concern are the trends related to the functioning of the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which are the main cause of significantly higher energy prices in the European Union, creating a risk of excessive price volatility, limited market liquidity and additional pressure on industrial enterprises. High carbon prices, combined with prohibitive energy prices, call into question the survival of entire sectors such as energy, transport, fertilizer production, cement, steel, aluminum, chemicals, etc. The upcoming revision of the system should ensure greater predictability, stability, effective mechanisms for protection against carbon leakage and energy and resource independence, and should not lead to the displacement of production outside the EU, but to a real transformation based on innovation and investment.
In this regard , we urge the Bulgarian government to take active action and clearly state the position of the Republic of Bulgaria within the European Union , by:
- Officially supported the initiative of the Member States , insisting on strengthening the competitiveness of European industry and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses.
- Stand behind the need for a reform of the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to ensure a competitive European industry, market predictability, limiting price volatility and effective protection against carbon leakage.
- Protect the interests of Bulgarian industry and its workers by pushing for policies that combine climate goals with competitive energy, economic sustainability, and development of the industrial base.
- Support the acceleration of industrial investment procedures , the reduction of administrative barriers and the creation of a favorable environment for the development of industrial value chains in the European Union.
- Involve social partners in the process of forming Bulgaria's national position on key European industrial and climate policies.
We emphasize that Bulgaria's lack of an active and timely position on these issues creates a real risk of loss of industrial potential, investments and jobs , as well as of deepening economic disparities between the Member States of the European Union.
We insist that the social partners be included as equal partners in the process of forming the national position and declare our readiness for an active and constructive dialogue with the government to develop solutions that protect the long-term interests of Bulgarian industry, economy and employment.
THIS DECLARATION IS SUPPORTED BY:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB)
Confederation of Labor "Podkrepa" (LC "Podkrepa")
Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA)
Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA)
Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)
Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG)
