SOFIA, March 20, 2026 — Bulgaria’s competition authority has requested information from EU counterparts as part of an ongoing sector inquiry into competition conditions in the market for managing waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), including the role of environmental product fees.
The Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) said it has sent questionnaires to national competition authorities across the European Union through the European Competition Network to gather detailed information on regulatory frameworks and market practices in the sector.
The inquiry focuses on the entire value chain of electronic waste management—from the placement of electrical and electronic equipment on the market to the collection, recycling and recovery of related waste.
The CPC launched the sector study following a preliminary review triggered by a complaint from the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria. As part of the investigation, the authority has already collected and is analysing market data, including information from the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Bulgarian Recycling Association.
Through its requests to EU authorities, the CPC is seeking information on the legal and institutional frameworks governing electronic waste management in other member states, including the responsibilities of competent institutions and recycling organisations, as well as the mechanisms used to collect and administer product or environmental fees.
The authority is also examining how prices or fees for waste management services are determined, including the methodologies used to calculate product or eco-fees.
In addition, the CPC is gathering information on factors that may affect competition in the sector, such as barriers to entry or expansion, market concentration, contractual arrangements with producers or importers, coordinated pricing practices, exclusive agreements and possible information exchanges between market participants.
The findings of the sector inquiry will be used to determine whether further measures are needed to restore or promote effective competition in the electronic waste management market.
Source: https://www.cpc.bg/news-487
