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Report on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession

Free movement of goods

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made substantial progress in the field of free movement

of goods.

Free movement of persons

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made substantial progress in aligning with the acquis in

this area. It has provided a detailed timetable for the transposition of the measures needed

to achieve full harmonisation with the acquis.

Freedom to provide services

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made steady progress in most areas of the chapter, both

in terms of legislation and strengthening the administrative and regulatory infrastructure

required to supervise the financial services sector. Improvement has also been noted

regarding the right of establishment and freedom to provide services.

Free movement of capital

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made steady progress in aligning its legislation and

developing the necessary administrative structures.

Company law

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good legislative and administrative progress in the

field of company law, but its efforts in this area should continue.

Competition policy

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made steady progress in adopting anti-trust legislation,

developing the administrative capacity of the CPC and establishing an anti-trust

enforcement record.

Agriculture

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in this chapter.

Fisheries

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in this chapter.

Transport policy

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in alignment with the acquis and in

establishing the necessary administrative structures, in particular in the fields of road and

rail transport;

Taxation

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has achieved a good degree of alignment with the tax acquis,

particularly as regards VAT, but further alignment is needed in several areas.

Statistics

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has indeed made sustained efforts to progress further in the

area of statistics;

Social policy and employment

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good overall progress in aligning with the acquis

in all areas. Progress has been made in transposing the acquis in the sphere

of labour law and anti-discrimination.

Energy

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made continuous progress.

Progress is to be noted regarding energy sector restructuring including privatisation,

alignment and administrative capacity on oil stocks, the internal energy market

(electricity and gas), solid fuels and nuclear energy.

Industrial policy

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made progress with regard to privatisation and

restructuring, improving the business environment, consolidating the banking sector and

attracting foreign investments.

Small and medium-sized enterprises

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in stabilising the economic

environment, reducing and stabilising taxation, introducing more legislative certainty,

formulating SME policy, and improving the business environment.

Science and research

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made continuous progress and stepped up its cooperation

with the EU in this field.

Education and training

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has achieved steady progress, including with regard to its

participation in relevant Community programmes.

Telecommunications and information technologies

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in aligning with the acquis.

Culture and audiovisual policy

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made significant progress. Bulgaria’s legislation is in

line with the acquis and the necessary administrative structures are in place.

Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments

Since the Opinion Bulgaria made progress notably with regard to the legal and

institutional framework as well as with regard to budget.

Environment

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in aligning its legislation with the

acquis in most of the environment sectors and in preparing for its implementation.

Consumers and health protection

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has continued to make good progress.

Co-operation in the field of justice and home affairs

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made substantial progress in strengthening the relevant

institutions and in aligning with the acquis. The level of approximation achieved so far is encouraging.

Customs union

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made steady progress and has achieved a high degree of

legislative alignment. The administrative and operational capacity of the National

Customs Agency improved considerably, although at a slower pace, especially as regards

implementation and enforcement.

External relations

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made steady progress and has achieved a reasonable

level of alignment with the acquis.

Common foreign and security policy

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made steady progress in aligning with the CFSP acquis,

and its alignment is, overall, satisfactory at this stage.

Financial control

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made considerable progress towards adequate financial

control.

Financial and budgetary provisions

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made substantial progress in these areas. Overall

preparations are progressing thanks to an acceleration of preparations in 2004 and the

setting up of an adequate coordination mechanism.

General evaluation

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in adopting the acquis and more

recently, has also made progress in gradually building up the administrative capacity to

implement and effectively enforce the acquis.

Conclusion

Since the Opinion Bulgaria has made good progress in adopting the acquis and more

recently, has also made progress in gradually building up the administrative capacity to

implement and effectively enforce the acquis.

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