European Commission takes Bulgaria to European Court of Justice over non-performing loans
The European Commission said on February 12 that it has decided to refer Bulgaria to the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) over its failure to transpose Directive(EU) 2021/2167 on non-performing loans.
The EC said that Bulgaria is yet to notify its national implementing measures for the directive, which is meant to foster the development of a well-functioning secondary market for non-performing loans by establishing rules for the authorisation and supervision of credit purchasers and servicers.
This is the first infringement case involving Bulgaria that the EC referred to the ECJ in 2025, following six other cases referred to the court last year and seven more referred to the ECJ in 2023.
As part of its February infringements package, the Commission sent a reasoned opinion in two existing cases, the second stage in infringement proceedings, concerning Bulgaria’s failure to complete the transposition of amendments to Directive 2014/59/EU on bank recovery and resolution, as well as Directive (EU) 2023/2413 on accelerating permitting procedures for renewable energy projects.
Should Bulgaria fail to address the Commission’s concerns laid out in the reasoned opinion in the next two months, the EC can choose to refer the case to the ECJ.
(Entrance to the Berlaymont building, headquarters of the European Commission. Photo: EU Audiovisual Service)
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