At the beginning of February 2026, the Bulgarian State Gazette published the Act for Amendment and Supplementation of the Consumer Protection Act.
This act introduces the requirements of Directive (EU) 2020/1828 on representative actions and ensures the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety. The act was adopted under an expedited procedure due to an infringement proceeding initiated against Bulgaria for delayed transposition and provides for immediate entry into force upon publication. The proposed amendments update the mechanism for collective consumer protection so that it aligns with the European standards for representative actions.
The national framework for collective consumer protection has proven ineffective due to its limited scope, slow proceedings, weak sanctions, and limitation periods that expire before consumers are able to seek compensation. This enables traders to continue their infringements and results in the loss of consumer rights, particularly in cross border cases. The Act for Amendment and Supplementation of the Consumer Protection Act aims to address these issues by introducing a new special regime for representative actions, expanding the material scope, and ensuring full alignment with Directive (EU) 2020/1828.
The amendments broaden the range of qualified entities that may bring representative actions, introduce uniform criteria for their recognition, and provide for the suspension of limitation periods for consumers during court proceedings. Decisions of courts and administrative authorities from other Member States will have binding effect in Bulgaria, and a new procedure is introduced in the Civil Procedure Code, including conflict of interest controls and the possibility for early dismissal of manifestly unfounded claims. The act also defines the types of legal remedies available to consumers – compensation, repair, replacement, price reduction, or reimbursement.
Regulation (EU) 2023/988 introduces harmonised rules on product safety, including for internet connected products and digital components, and significantly expands the obligations of economic operators by requiring the presence of a responsible person in the EU for all products falling outside harmonised legislation. It grants enhanced powers to market surveillance authorities in relation to online trade – including the withdrawal and blocking of dangerous products – and extends the scope of surveillance to both harmonised and non harmonised products sold online. The Regulation establishes a unified framework for online sales, online platforms, the Safety Gate system, and the withdrawal of dangerous goods, introducing specific obligations for providers of online marketplaces.
The Consumer Protection Act contains rules on the general safety of goods, but dangerous products continue to appear on the market, and the existing framework does not address the challenges posed by new technologies and online commerce. The previous rules on the withdrawal and recall of dangerous products applied only to non harmonised goods and did not provide effective mechanisms for consumer compensation, nor did they meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2023/988. As a result, the national framework was incompatible with the new European standards, as it lacked safety requirements for online sales, effective recall procedures, and legal remedies covering both harmonised and non harmonised products.
The Act for Amendment and Supplementation of the Consumer Protection Act introduces the full set of requirements under Regulation (EU) 2023/988, establishes obligations for economic operators and online platforms, expands the powers of market surveillance authorities, and creates a single national contact point for the Safety Gate system. It provides mandatory rules for the recall of dangerous products and effective consumer remedies, including repair, replacement, or reimbursement of the amount paid.