site.btaEuropean Commission Closes Air Quality Infringement Case against Bulgaria

The European Commission (EC) has closed infringement proceedings against Bulgaria regarding air quality, the EC Representation in Sofia said in a Bulgarian-language press release on Friday.

The decision follows measures taken by the country in response to exceedances of the limit values for sulphur dioxide (SO2) set out in the Ambient Air Quality Directive.

The case was opened in 2009 to ensure that Bulgaria reduced SO2 levels in ambient air — a pollutant from industrial installations that can cause respiratory problems and aggravate cardiovascular diseases.

In July 2019, the Commission brought an action against Bulgaria before the Court of the EU. The Court’s decision of May 12, 2022, confirmed that the limit values for SO2 in Bulgaria's southeastern region had been systematically exceeded for several years after the nation joined the EU, and that Bulgaria had not taken appropriate measures to minimize the duration of these exceedances, the press release recalled.

Following the Court’s 2022 ruling, Bulgarian authorities implemented measures to reduce emissions in the southeastern zone, where the country’s four largest thermal power plants are located. In January 2023, Bulgaria also amended national legislation to provide for real-time data reporting.

After the EU Court decision, Bulgarian authorities also introduced other preventive measures, including enhanced monitoring and instructions to reduce emissions in cases of recorded exceedances and adverse meteorological conditions.

Verified air quality data reported by Bulgaria show that the country has complied with the daily and hourly SO2 limit values for three consecutive years — 2022, 2023 and 2024.

This outcome, together with the measures taken to achieve it, has led the Commission to conclude that Bulgaria has appropriately addressed the concerns identified by the EU Court in May 2022.