We are pleased to announce that the International Comparative Legal Guide – Environment & Climate Change Law 2026 has been published, featuring DGKV’s contribution on the Bulgarian legal and regulatory framework.

DGKV’s Partner Milan Pandev, together with Yana Obreshkova from the firm’s Energy & Utilities Practice and Georgi Gruev from the Real Estate & Construction Practice, authored the Bulgaria chapter, providing a comprehensive, practice-oriented analysis of environmental protection and climate change law in Bulgaria. The chapter examines the national legal and regulatory framework in the context of EU environmental policies, offering insights into the authorities responsible for environmental enforcement, the public’s right to access environmental information, and the permitting regimes required for activities that may impact the environment, including environmental impact assessments and complex operational permits.

It also explores the management of waste and contaminated land, addressing obligations for hazardous and non-hazardous waste, extended producer responsibility, remediation duties, and the implications of environmental liabilities in corporate transactions. The chapter discusses civil, administrative, and criminal liabilities, as well as emerging EU legislation, including the new environmental criminal law directive, and highlights the evolving role of environmental insurance in risk management for high-risk operations.

In addition, it provides a thorough review of climate change regulation and emissions trading, covering Bulgaria’s implementation of the Climate Change Mitigation Act, participation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, and reporting obligations under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). It considers the interaction of environmental regulation with key sectors, such as energy and infrastructure, and offers forward-looking analysis on decarbonisation, ESG compliance, sustainability strategies, and upcoming trends, including new EU and national legislation on green claims, corporate sustainability due diligence, and waste management initiatives.

Published by Global Legal Group, the ICLG – Environment & Climate Change Law guide is a leading comparative resource relied upon by companies, investors, and legal professionals worldwide to navigate complex cross-border regulatory frameworks. The Bulgaria chapter is freely accessible online.

You can read the full Bulgarian chapter here:
https://iclg.com/practice-areas/environment-and-climate-change-laws-and-regulations/bulgaria

This contribution was first published by Global Legal Group (GLG) in the International Comparative Legal Guide – Environment & Climate Change Law 2026.