Bulgarian exports to Australia have risen by more than 141% over the past decade, Deputy Foreign Minister Hristo Polendakov said at a business forum on Wednesday.
Bilateral trade had grown steadily over the past 10 years, with Bulgarian exports reaching USD 60 million in 2025, up from just USD 25 million in 2015, he said. Polendakov was speaking at the EU-Australia FTA: What It Means for Bulgarian Business forum at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. He said the growth was encouraging but much remained to be done.
Bulgarian producers already supply pharmaceuticals, machinery, dairy and agricultural products to Australia, but there is scope to expand exports of medicines, engines, electrical appliances, medical instruments, machinery, essential oils, sunflower seeds, food products, chemicals and other goods, he said. He identified renewable energy, clean technologies, high technology, the space industry, sustainable agriculture, research and innovation as sectors in Bulgaria with strong potential for bilateral projects.
Bulgaria’s relations with Australia had never been stronger or more important, Polendakov said. The two countries’ expanding cooperation helped address global challenges and offered opportunities for national development through closer trade and economic ties and sectoral cooperation. He welcomed progress in negotiations on a bilateral double taxation agreement as a step towards facilitating trade and investment between Bulgaria and Australia. Innovative Bulgarian companies were already looking to Australia for business development and investment opportunities, he added.
Bulgaria is establishing itself as a strategic hub and European gateway linking Asia and Central Asia to the EU market, Polendakov said. Sofia would host a regional connectivity summit in 2027. Bulgaria plays a strategic role as a land and sea gateway to the European Union, he added.
Accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is a key foreign policy priority for Bulgaria, he said. Membership is seen as a means of advancing structural reforms, improving transparency and aligning governance with the highest global standards. Bulgaria greatly values and relies on Australia’s continued support for its accession, Polendakov added.
Bulgarian Exports to Australia Rise by over 141% in a Decade 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-07 09:43:13
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