site.btaNon-Food Traders Association Slams Proposed Price Control Legislation Changes as Rushed and Harmful

The Non-Food Traders Association (NFTA) has strongly criticized proposed amendments to Bulgaria’s Consumer Protection and Competition Protection acts, arguing they are being rushed through parliament without proper public debate or impact assessment, the Association said in a position Thursday.

The draft amendments, submitted by Progressive Bulgaria, would ban unjustified price increases until August 2027, double fines, and introduce new legal concepts such as “collective dominant position” and “excessively high prices.” Businesses would also bear the burden of proving they have not violated the rules, NFTA argued. 

The Association warns that the measures effectively presume guilt on the part of companies, shift responsibility onto businesses, and risk significant negative effects on the economy if adopted quickly without consultation. 

The bills are scheduled for first-reading debate in Parliament and also extend some price-control provisions originally linked to the euro adoption framework. 

The parliamentary ad hoc budget committee on Tuesday adopted two bills, submitted by Progressive Bulgaria MPs, aimed to contain prices and end unfair trade practices. 

Amendments to the Protection of Competition Act provide for a ban on "excessively high selling prices". The bill also provides for the establishment of a central electronic register for traceability along the supply chain of agricultural and food products and raw materials, as well as other products at the wholesale trade stage, from business operators to distribution to the end consumer. 

A second bill to amend the Consumer Protection Act transfers provisions from the Euro Adoption Act and extends their application by one year beyond the initially planned deadline. The amendments will remain in effect until August 9, 2027.