EC opens three new infringement proceedings against Bulgaria

The European Commission said on March 28 that it opened three infringement proceedings against Bulgaria as part of a package meant to address the failure of EU member states to notify measures taken to transpose EU directives into national law.

In total, 25 member states failed to communicate what was being done to implement one or more of six EU directives in the fields of environment, internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs, migration, home affairs, security union and justice, the Commission said in a statement.

The first case against Bulgaria concerns the transposition of updated Directive (EU) 2020/2184, known as the Drinking Water Directive, which includes updated safety standards, new provisions on improving and maintaining access to drinking water for all, and aims to address water leakages in the distribution process.

The second case concerns Directive (EU) 2015/2436, or the Trade Mark Directive, which brings “significant substantial changes in EU trademark law” and also includes new provisions to harmonise trade mark procedures across the European Union, the Commission said.

The third case is regarding Directive (EU) 2019/2121, which introduced new rules to help companies move across borders, making it easier for companies to merge, divide or move within the EU single market.

The letters of formal notice give Bulgaria two months to respond, or the Commission could escalate the case by sending a reasoned opinion, the second stage in the infringement proceedings.

(European Commission headquarters Berlaymont building. Photo: JLogan)

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