TerraLex AI Guide

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Ac) (“AI Act”). applies directly in Bulgaria. Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide.

No additional national laws or regulations have been adopted in Bulgaria to regulate artificial intelligence in this country.

Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide.

Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide.

Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide.

Personal data protection legislation Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide. The Bulgarian Personal Data Protection Act is also applicable.

Copyright The EU Directive (EU) 2019/790 on copyright and related rights in the Digital Single Market was fully transposed by amendments to the Bulgarian Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, making text and data mining exceptions and related copyright obligations directly applicable at the national level and therefore integral to the legal framework governing AI development in Bulgaria.

Access to data Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Act) and Regulation (EU) 2022/868 on European data governance (Data Governance Act) regulate access to data which is relevant to AI development. Directive (EU) 2019/1024 on open data and the re-use of public sector information was transposed by the Bulgarian Access to Public Information Act, which ensures the re-use of data held by public sector bodies.

Competition law The Bulgarian Competition Protection Act prohibits agreements that restrict competition and the abuse of a dominant market position in markets for AI products and services. Competition law can influence AI systems development by prohibiting features or practices that may restrict competition.

Specific Product Safety Laws.

The AI Act and national legislation apply in the entire territory of Bulgaria.

Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide.

Competent national AI Act supervisory authorities in Bulgaria have yet to be determined.

The competition authority in Bulgaria is the Commission for Protection of Competition, which will receive annual reports from market surveillance authorities.

The Bulgarian Council of Ministers (the Bulgarian central government) designated the national authorities for the protection of fundamental rights, including the right to non-discrimination:

• Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria
• Central Election Commission
• Commission for Protection from Discrimination
• Commission for Personal Data Protection
• Consumer Protection Commission:
• Agency for Child Protection
• Executive Agency "General Labor Inspectorate"

Please refer to the EU chapter of this AI Guide.

As of the date posted, no national laws establishing sanctions and enforcement procedures at the national level are in effect in Bulgaria.