site.btaThree Regulators Sign Coordination Rules for Implementing Digital Services Act

The heads of Bulgaria's Communications Regulation Commission (CRC), Council for Electronic Media (CEM) and Commission for Personal Data Protection (CPDP) signed on Wednesday an instruction setting out the terms and procedures for coordinating their activities in implementing the Digital Services Act.

The document, signed at the CRC headquarters, establishes a practical framework for cooperation, information exchange and coordinated action in areas where the responsibilities of the three regulators overlap.

CRC Chair Ivan Dimitrov said the Digital Services Act places significant requirements on EU Member States and national regulators by establishing a common European framework for a safer and more transparent digital environment and greater protection for people using and working online.

Effective implementation requires not only clearly defined powers but also good coordination between institutions, Dimitrov said. He described the instruction as an important step towards more effective and consistent implementation of the Digital Services Act in Bulgaria and a basis for continued institutional cooperation.

CEM Chair Gabriela Naplatanova said the agreement would help make Bulgaria's online environment more transparent and secure. She highlighted the protection of children and other vulnerable internet users as a particular priority for the media regulator.

Under the instruction, CEM will exchange information with the CRC, which serves as Bulgaria's lead regulator and Digital Services Coordinator under the Digital Services Act.

Naplatanova said CEM is the competent authority for video-sharing platform providers, including matters concerning illegal content or content harmful to users under the age of 18.

She also said another video-sharing platform similar to Vbox7 is due to be registered. The number of such platforms is increasing across Europe, she noted, adding that many operate across borders and issues concerning them frequently fall within the remit of more than one regulator.

CPDP Chair Borislav Bozhinov said the instruction establishes mechanisms for effective cooperation, information exchange and coordination and forms part of Bulgaria's commitments concerning implementation of the Digital Services Act.

He highlighted the Commission's responsibility for protecting individuals' rights as data subjects, including in relation to automated processing of personal data, with particular attention to both adults and minors.

Bozhinov also stressed that regulators need sufficient financial resources to conduct proceedings and investigations involving major digital companies. "You can imagine the financial power we are talking about, and in order to conduct these proceedings, we need to have the appropriate resources provided by the State," he said.

He added that adequate resources are also needed to train staff and develop the Commission's expert capacity.