Mapping the market: Bulgaria’s new Competition Commission administration signals bold shift in competition enforcement ahead of Euro adoption

After nearly nine years, Bulgaria’s Commission for Protection of Competition (the CPC) has a new board of commissioners. The newly appointed leadership has launched its mandate with a sweeping agenda of reforms, intensified enforcement and strong focus on Bulgaria’s upcoming euro adoption. With Bulgaria set to adopt the euro on 1 January 2026, the CPC has begun operations under the concern that some businesses may exploit the currency transition to unjustifiably raise prices. Despite lacking any new powers under the Euro Introduction Act, the CPC is aiming to use the full competition toolbox to safeguard the currency change process from unjustified price increases and to advocate for the extension of its powers. These efforts are intended to demonstrate to consumers that they are being protected during this significant economic shift.

Strategic priorities of the new CPC

Within the first two months of the new appointment, the CPC has unveiled a series of initiatives that mark a decisive shift towards new enforcement strategy of proactive and comprehensive oversight of markets deemed critical to the national economy, including vigilant monitoring of prices, especially during the currency change. To this end the key developments centre around:

1. Sectoral enquiries and intensified market surveillance

The CPC is deploying a new approach of conducting “quick” sectoral enquiries to assess market dynamics. Initial reviews have already begun in three sectors – food, pharmaceuticals and electrical and electronic equipment – with upcoming proceedings planned in the telecommunications and financial services sectors. While presented as quick, the actions taken under the enquires reveal that they are very thorough and extensive, covering entire supply chains and aiming to draw a complete map of Bulgaria’s competitive environment in the respective sectors. An example of the scope and breadth comes from the food sector enquiry where the CPC is collecting granular data from 50 major food retailers in the country, covering nearly 500 outlets for the mapping of pricing structures, supplier relationships and profit margins. This effort builds on data collected during joint inspections with the National Revenue Agency (NRA) and the Consumer Protection Commission, which audited retail locations in 30 cities during the first two weeks of June.

2. Institutional cooperation

To support the enquiries into market practices and euro adoption oversight, the CPC is reaching out to several key public enforcement bodies to not only create a united front but also to set up workable cooperation mechanisms that will provide for coordinated enforcement actions and extended data gathering and exchange. Initial strategic partnerships have been established with the NRA, the Consumer Protection Commission and the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC). In support of these efforts, the CPC has also announced plans to engage with the Financial Supervision Commission, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission and the Bulgarian National Bank, with several cooperation initiatives already underway:

• Aiming to increase efficiency and achieve a more rapid institutional response, the CPC signed a Cooperation agreement with the NRA and the Consumer Protection Commission. The agreement enables data exchange, including in real time and thus provides for a form of synchronised inspections. The new cooperation was already put to use in the food sector enquiry, where inspections have reached an unprecedented scale. The three institutions have audited over 160 retail outlets across 30 cities, with plans to expand the scope further.
• The CPC also supported the national information campaign led by the Consumer Protection Commission, which covered 300 locations in 30 days and aimed to educate citizens and businesses about the euro transition.
• Another cooperation agreement was signed with the CRC and the Consumer Protection Commission to enhance oversight of telecom services. To this end, the CRC has also taken action and secured commitments from telecom providers, postal operators and couriers to support transparency. As part of the initiative, mobile service prices will be published in the Unified Consumer Portal, giving citizens clearer access to pricing information. The portal is expected to expand with data collected from other institutions.

3. Institutional reform and stakeholder engagement

Alongside the newly undertaken enforcement efforts, the CPC has launched a set of internal initiatives reflecting the strategic priorities of its new chair. These reforms focus on public accountability, stakeholder dialogue and expansion of the Commission’s powers for the benefit of improved procedural efficiency. Key developments include the following:

• A new Public Council – to strengthen public accountability and increase transparency, the CPC initiated the setup of a new consultative body – the Public Council. The Council comprises employer organisations, trade unions and consumer associations. It is intended to facilitate active communication and advise the CPC on enforcement priorities, policy and price stabilisation strategies, especially in the lead-up to euro adoption.
• Enhanced protection of confidential business information – The CPC has introduced a new additional system of safeguards for handling sensitive business data. This includes the establishment of restricted-access zones under constant video surveillance, special offline infrastructure for the processing of this data and strict access protocols limited to designated senior officials.
• A more public-facing approach – The new CPC management has also adopted a more public-facing approach, with frequent media appearances and commitments to publish enforcement outcomes and name infringers.

Implications for businesses

Companies operating in Bulgaria, especially in regulated or consumer-facing sectors should prepare for:

• heightened scrutiny of pricing and supply chain practices;
• increased risk of dawn raids and requests for information;
• stronger market grip of the Commission created by interinstitutional cooperation and more active data exchange;
• greater reputational exposure due to the CPC’s media-forward approach; and
• legislative amendments possibly affecting the competition compliance landscape.