Balgarianovinite.com Undertakings in a monopoly, dominant or collective dominant position were barred from quoting excessively high prices, Bulgaria’s Parliament resolved on Thursday, passing conclusively amendments to the Protection of Competition Act moved by Progressive Bulgaria.
The revisions define “exceedingly high price” as “a price which substantially exceeds the economically justified costs of production, acquisition and sales, including a reasonable profit margin, and is unfair per se or vis-à-vis comparable products and services”.
The Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC) will be competent to impose a pecuniary penalty amounting to up to 10% of the total turnover for the preceding financial year of an undertaking violating the prohibition.
Dominant position will be the existence of economic interdependence or other factors between two or more undertakings enabling them to act jointly irrespective of competitors, suppliers or buyers and to restirct market competition. An undertaking with a market share of at least 50% will be required to prove that it does not abuse its dominant position. Undertakings which hold jointly a market share of at least 60% will be under a burden of proof that they do not abuse their collective dominant position.
The amending law establishes a central electronic register for traceability of the supply chain for agricultural and food products, inputs and other goods at the wholesale stage until they reach end consumers.
The Debate
CPC Chairperson Rosen Karadimov: The amended law introduces clear criteria that are needed in order to ascertain the existence of collective dominance and a link between undertakings. Collective dominance provides protection and clarity to business. The CPC proves the collectiveness of undertakings, which is not at all easy to prove and should not be underestimated. According to the CPC activity report, which will be submitted next week, the Commission has issued 1,200 decisions and has conducted as many proceedings. The supply chain and pricing are heavily distorted, and the CPC will not be turned into a bludgeon.
Martin Dimitrov MP of Democratic Bulgaria: The CPC is vested with unseen and unheard-of powers. If the Commission does not implement the law in good faith, we may lapse into the other extreme. When business comes under such pressure, it may see itself compelled to raise prices rather than lowe them, which is what we aim. For this reason, we cannot second the motion.
Nadejda Iordanova MP of Democratic Bulgaria: Undertakings are presumed guilty until otherwise proven. Economic actors must prove that they are innocent instead of the other way round.
Konstantin Prodanov MP of Progressive Bulgaria: Guilt is not imputed. An objective economic situation is ascertained. The law is necessary so as to bring to light pricing because price components are among the most closely guarded business secrets. Regarding collective dominance, we have consulted the practice of Austria, Germany and Estonia. The CPC must prove that the prices have been increased and must enable those concerned to justify them.
Assen Vassilev MP of Continue the Change: We do not think that the dominance status is properly defined. If several unrelated companies jointly account for a 60% market share, you say that they are in a collective dominant position, but you do not specify how many companies are supposed to form this share. Here is where the presumption of guilt comes in.
Ayten Sabri MP of Movement for Rights and Freedoms: We will back the provisions as moved because we concur on the purpose of curbing the market distortion, enhancing transparency down the supply chain, and more effectively safeguarding consumers against inflation volatility.
Tsoncho Ganev MP of Vazrazhdane: The bill is touted as something new, but at the same time the CPC is proposed as a bludgeon against the retail chains. Monopoly Undertakings May Not Quote Excessively High Prices, Parliament Resolves 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-11 13:09:06 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law