Bulgaria: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 83 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Bulgaria.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Bulgaria in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Bulgaria may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

83 entries on the official lists name Bulgaria — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	80	80	—	—
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List	3	3	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Bulgaria recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Bulgaria: logistics and trade

EU transit hub on the Black Sea / corridor hub for Southeast Europe

Bulgaria (BG) is an EU, Schengen and, since 1 January 2026, eurozone member on the Black Sea and a key transit country on the TEN-T Orient/East-Mediterranean corridor linking Central Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. The EU customs union and the Union Customs Code apply; the National Customs Agency clears goods electronically via its e-portal (import H1/H7, export AES), and import VAT is 20 percent (reduced rate 9 percent). The main gateways are the Black Sea ports of Varna and Burgas, Sofia Airport (SOF) for air cargo, and the Danube ports of Ruse, Lom and Vidin. Key axes are the A1 Trakia motorway Sofia-Burgas, the Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad route towards Turkey with the Kapitan Andreevo crossing — one of the world's busiest freight border points — and the Ruse-Giurgiu Danube bridge to Romania. Main traded goods are machinery, chemicals, metals and agricultural products; leading partners are Germany, Italy, Romania, Turkey and Greece.

Capital: Sofia
Population: 6,423,207
Area: 110,879 km²
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Continent: Europe
Region: Southeast Europe / Balkans
Economic area: EU / Eurozone / Schengen
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Road · Rail · Sea · Air · Inland waterway

Current situation: Record summer traffic at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing (BG-TR): long waiting times for trucks, high utilisation expected until the end of August 2026, followed by a return wave towards Bulgaria. Bulgaria and Turkey have agreed a new border crossing next to Kapitan Andreevo-Kapikule (medium-term relief). Euro since 1.1.2026; full Schengen member since 1.1.2025. (As of 2026-07-21)
Seasonal conditions: Continental winters can affect road and rail traffic in the interior; the Black Sea coast has a Mediterranean climate. Summer heat and occasional heavy rain possible.

Main seaports

Varna
Varna (BG VAR), Bulgaria's largest Black Sea port: about 285,000 TEU in 2024. Containers via Varna West, bulk and ro-ro via Varna East. Constanța the larger alternative.
Burgas
Burgas (BG BOJ): Bulgaria's largest Black Sea port. New 2025 ACT container terminal (15.5 m, deepest berth), ~19 Mt in 2024, Rosenets oil terminal. EU customs.

Main cargo airports

Sofia AirportSOF
Sofia Airport (SOF/LBSF): ~21,900 t cargo and a record 8.41m passengers in 2025. DHL sorting hub, new Swissport warehouse, Compass Cargo, express focus.
Plovdiv International AirportPDV
Plovdiv/Krumovo (PDV/LBPD): ski charters for Bansko/Rhodopes, Ryanair to London, aviation museum. No regular freight – Sofia (SOF, approx. 140 km).
Varna AirportVAR
Varna (VAR/LBWN): seasonal Black Sea holiday airport, 1.8m passengers in 2025 but only 195 t of cargo; airfreight trucks to Sofia, sea freight via Varna port.
Burgas AirportBOJ
Burgas (BOJ/LBBG): 3.7m passengers with Varna in 2025 (+10.4%), renovated runway, 70+ destinations for summer 2026. Small cargo centre; airfreight via Sofia or Istanbul.

Road corridors

TEN-T Orient/Eastern Mediterranean Corridor
A1 Trakia (Sofia-Burgas)
Kapitan Andreevo border crossing (BG-TR)
Ruse-Giurgiu border crossing (BG-RO)

Rail corridors

TEN-T Orient/Eastern Mediterranean Corridor
Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad (towards Turkey)
Sofia-Ruse (towards Romania)

Inland ports

Port of Ruse (Danube)
Port of Lom (Danube)
Port of Vidin (Danube)

Main trade lanes

DE-BG
BG-TR
BG-IT
BG-RO
BG-GR

Customs and import

Customs authority Agentur Zoll (National Customs Agency / Agentsiya Mitnitsi)Official website ↗

Import customs system: EU customs union (Union Customs Code UCC). National processing is electronic via the e-portal of the Agentur Zoll (import system H1/H7). Full Schengen membership since 2025.
Export customs system: EU export procedure via the national export system (AES) of the Agentur Zoll; electronic export declaration, connected to the EU Export Control System.
Import VAT: Import VAT 20 percent (standard rate); reduced rate 9 percent for certain goods. Administered by the National Revenue Agency (NRA).
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: As an EU member, EU free trade agreements apply. Preference proofs via EUR.1, origin declaration by a registered exporter (REX) and supplier declaration.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Prohibitions/restrictions under EU law: weapons, dual-use goods, certain agricultural and animal products, cultural goods, waste, and excise goods (alcohol, tobacco, energy).

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document (CMR/B/L/AWB)
Customs declaration
Proof of origin
if applicable, import licences

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export declaration (AES)
Transport document (CMR/B/L/AWB)
Preference proof EUR.1/REX
if applicable, export authorisation

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Low
Port congestion: Low to medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Medium

Trade

Top import partners

Germany Russia Italy Romania Türkiye

Top export partners

Germany Italy Romania Türkiye Greece

Top import goods

Crude oil
Machinery
Vehicles
Chemicals
Natural gas

Top export goods

Machinery
Chemicals
Food
Metals
Textiles

Typical cargo

Machinery
Chemicals
Metals
Grain and agricultural goods
Mineral oil products
Consumer goods

Upcoming public holidays

Christmas EveThu, 24 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Second Day of ChristmasSat, 26 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Liberation DayWed, 3 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
Good Friday (Orthodox)Fri, 30 Apr 2027 · businesses closed
Labour Day / Holy Saturday (Orthodox)Sat, 1 May 2027 · businesses closed
Orthodox Easter SundaySun, 2 May 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

High Diesel Prices: IRU Calls for Targeted Support for Transport Operators2 Nov 2026
The IRU demands relief measures due to high diesel prices. An association's demand does not yet replace a government decision on state aid.
EU Parliament Wants to Relieve Small Businesses of Packaging Representative Obligations28 Oct 2026
The EU Parliament wants to relieve certain small companies of the authorized representative requirement. The position is not yet a valid exception.
EU Parliament Approves New Limits for Truck Toll Discounts14 Oct 2026
The EU Parliament approves new rules for truck toll discounts. Fleets should factor in the threshold as of July 2031 in long-term billing.
ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) Becomes a Billion-Euro Project: EU Names Up to €85 Billion12 Oct 2026
ERTMS is intended to standardize European rail transport. To date, only around 10 percent of the TEN-T network has been equipped. Further expansion will be costly.
EU Customs Reform in Effect: What Freight Forwarders Really Need to Know7 Oct 2026
The EU customs reform has been decided and is now in force. For freight forwarders, not everything will change immediately, but customs clearance will gradually become more centralized and data-driven.

Logistics questions

Which currency applies in Bulgaria?

Since 1 January 2026 the euro has been the official means of payment. The Bulgarian lev was replaced at the fixed rate of 1.95583 BGN per euro.

Are there border controls for transport to Bulgaria?

Since 1 January 2025 Bulgaria has been a full Schengen member. Systematic person and goods checks at internal borders with other Schengen states have been abolished, which speeds up EU transit.

What is the import VAT rate in Bulgaria?

The standard VAT rate is 20 percent, and the reduced rate is 9 percent for certain goods. The tax is administered by the National Revenue Agency (NRA).

What are Bulgaria's main seaports?

The main seaports are Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea. They handle most of the international sea trade and serve container, bulk and general cargo.

Which customs authority is responsible in Bulgaria?

The responsible authority is the Agentur Zoll (National Customs Agency) under the Minister of Finance. The EU customs union and the Union Customs Code apply; processing is carried out electronically via the customs e-portal.

Which transport corridors are important for land transport?

The central route is the TEN-T Orient/Eastern Mediterranean corridor. Important routes run from Sofia via Plovdiv to Svilengrad towards Turkey, and via Ruse to Romania.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗