European Commission takes Bulgaria to ECJ over electricity, hired vehicles rules
The European Commission said on October 1 that it has decided to refer Bulgaria to the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) in two ongoing infringement proceedings as part of its latest infringements package.
In the first case, the EC said that Bulgaria failed to transpose almost all measures of the Hired Vehicles Directive (Directive (EU) 2022/738), which sets minimum standards for the use of rented vehicles hired without drivers for transporting goods.
The Commission’s second referral was for failing to fully transpose Directive (EU) 2019/944 on common rules for the internal market for electricity, which aims to create “integrated, competitive, consumer-centered, flexible, fair and transparent electricity markets across the EU.”
This takes the number of ECJ referrals of infringement cases against Bulgaria to three this year. Last year saw seven referrals, compared to six in 2024 and seven in 2023.
In its October infringements package, the Commission also said that it was sending a reasoned opinion, the second stage of the infringement process, in two ongoing cases, regarding the transposition of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU as amended by Directive 2024/884/EU) and the Directive on credit agreements for consumers (Directive (EU) 2023/2225).
The EC also expanded one case by sending an additional letter of formal notice regarding Bulgaria’s failure to comply with the Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065).
It said that Bulgaria has only implemented only parts of the regulation and even then, and even then wrongfully in regards to the powers to sanction foreseen by the regulation.
The EC also sent an additional reasoned opinion in an infringement case opened 2015, regarding restrictions on the acquisition of Bulgarian agricultural land by non-residents, which breach the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
If Bulgaria fails to bring its national legislation in line with EU law within two months, the Commission said it may decide to refer this matter to the Court of Justice of the EU.
(Entrance to the Berlaymont building, headquarters of the European Commission. Photo: EU Audiovisual Service)
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