August 7, 2025 – Sofia
Bulgaria’s Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) has launched a sector-wide investigation into the market for managing waste from electrical and electronic equipment, citing concerns over potential anti-competitive practices and sharp increases in eco-taxes.
The probe will cover the entire supply chain — from the sale of electrical goods to the collection, recycling, and recovery of waste — in a bid to assess whether market participants are acting in ways that distort competition.
The decision follows a preliminary inquiry triggered by a complaint from the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, which alleged possible coordinated actions among licensed recovery organisations. The association claimed these actions resulted in simultaneous hikes in eco-taxes, in some cases by eight to ten times, raising concerns about knock-on effects on appliance prices.
Mixed Signals from Authorities and Industry
During the initial fact-finding phase, the CPC gathered information from the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Bulgarian Recycling Association, and reviewed both national and EU regulatory frameworks.
Authorities disputed the association’s claims, noting that Bulgaria’s product fee for electrical appliances has remained unchanged since 2008 and is among the lowest in the EU. They also stressed that license fees paid to recovery organisations are designed to meet national waste management targets, and that Bulgaria’s fees are comparatively modest by European standards.
These conflicting statements, combined with the market’s complexity, led the CPC to conclude that a deeper investigation was necessary.
Focus of the Sector Analysis
The full-scale market study will:
- Examine the formation of royalties and their impact on consumer prices.
- Analyse market behaviour at all levels — from equipment sales to waste recovery.
- Evaluate the structure and functioning of the market, including competitive dynamics.
- Identify the drivers behind recent royalty increases.
The CPC said the findings will determine whether further measures are needed to “restore or promote effective competition” in the sector.
The full decision is available in the Commission’s public electronic register at reg.cpc.bg.
Source: https://www.cpc.bg/news-432
