Bulgaria

The OECD Centre of Government Scan of Bulgaria assesses the functioning and organisation of the centre of government (CoG) in Bulgaria. It focuses on three main areas: 1) the functions and mandates of the CoG to perform a strategic and steering role, 2) the CoG’s supportive role in decision- and policy-making systems, and 3) strategic planning and the CoG’s ability to define government priorities across government and translate them into measurable objectives. The Scan forms part of the project 'Driving Public Administration Reform Forward in Bulgaria' which aims to support the implementation of Bulgaria’s reform priorities. Together with the Public Integrity Scan and Regulatory Policy Scan this policy paper forms part of the governance scan series carried out with the financial support from the European Union via the European Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support.

The policy paper provides an overview of the institutional landscape on public integrity in Bulgaria, focusing on its key co-operation mechanism – the National Council on Anti-Corruption Policy – and the way it can best serve the implementation of Bulgaria’s main strategic anticorruption document, the National Strategy for Preventing and Countering Corruption. It also addresses the institutional arrangements for integrity within entities of the executive branch and elaborates on how they can be best strengthened and supported by national integrity actors. Together with the Centre of Government Scan and Regulatory Policy Scan this policy paper is a part of the governance scan series drafted in the framework of the 'Driving Public Administration Reform Forward' project funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support.

The Regulatory Policy Scan of Bulgaria assesses the country’s regulatory management capacity by taking stock of regulatory policies, institutions and tools, describing trends and recent developments, and identifying gaps in relation to good practices. Improving the entire regulatory policy cycle will ensure that regulations are developed on a foundation of solid evidence and public participation and designed to enhance citizens' security, health and wellbeing at a reasonable cost. Together with the Centre of Government Scan and Public Integrity Scan this policy paper is a part of the governance scan series drafted in the framework of the 'Driving Public Administration Reform Forward' project funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support.

This review assesses the climate for domestic and foreign investment in Bulgaria and discusses the challenges and opportunities faced by the government of Bulgaria in its reform efforts. Capitalising on the OECD Policy Framework for Investment, the review includes chapters on trends in foreign investment and their socio-economic benefits, foreign investor entry and operations, the legal and institutional framework for investment protection, investment promotion and facilitation, public governance, and policies to promote and enable responsible business conduct. The review then highlights potential reform priorities to help Bulgaria fulfil development ambitions that align with its commitment to comply with the principles of openness, transparency and non-discrimination as a new Adherent to the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises.

This report analyses Bulgaria's legal framework for administrative penalties. Administrative penalties are crucial for ensuring accountability in the public administration. The report assesses the subjective scope of their application, the typologies and levels of administrative penalties, and the proceedings for applying them. The report highlights relevant good practices from other EU Member States, and provides recommendations on how to address key challenges as well as legislative proposals for building a comprehensive legal framework.

Over the past three decades, Bulgaria has carried out important structural reforms which have helped the country reach higher levels of socio-economic development. However, long-standing social disparities and income inequalities remain and Bulgaria’s overall productivity gains have not fully translated into sustainable and inclusive growth. In this context, the country holds education as key to improve the nation’s future economic potential and increase the quality of life of its population. For example, the national development strategy, Bulgaria 2030, sets out an ambitious reform plan that identifies the importance of raising learning outcomes and addressing inequities in order to sustain socioeconomic growth. This review provides recommendations on how evaluation and assessment in Bulgaria’s education system can support the country in reaching its goals.

This report on Bulgaria is the eighth country study published in a series of reports looking into how policies connect people with jobs. It provides a detailed analysis of Bulgaria’s inactive and unemployed population and identifies groups of people who would benefit from measures and services provided by Bulgaria’s Public Employment Service. In addition, the report assesses Bulgaria’s labour market policies to reach out to inactive people and help them integrate in the labour market, and offers recommendations for improvement.

Around one-third of the European Union’s budget is dedicated to cohesion policy, which promotes and supports the overall harmonious development of its Member States and regions. The success of this investment relies on effective partnerships among governments, stakeholders, and citizens. Citizens have a key role to play in shaping decisions on public investment, as well as in making public authorities more transparent and accountable. From July 2020-December 2021, the European Commission and the OECD partnered to explore how five authorities across Europe could place citizens at the centre of their investment decisions. This report summarises lessons learned throughout this project and, particularly, the results of applying innovative citizen participation methods to cohesion policy more broadly.