Dispute Resolution

In the past year we have witnessed what may be called a major reform of the Bulgarian civil procedure framework. It started with the significant changes to the Bulgarian Civil Procedure Code (“CPC”) effectuated in late October 2017 by virtue of the Act for Amendment and Supplement to the CPC, promulgated in issue 86 of 27 October 2017 of the State Gazette (“SG”) (“2017 Amendment Law”), which affected nearly all aspects covered by the CPC. 
Most notably, the 2017 Amendment Law introduced major changes to the rules dealing with cassation proceedings, order for payment proceedings and enforcement proceedings. Thereafter, in May 2018, by way of the Act for Amendment and Supplement to the CPC, promulgated in issue 42 of 22 May 2018 (“May 2018 Amendment Law”), the national legislator, inter alia, introduced amendments to the CPC in order to ensure compliance of the Bulgarian procedural framework with the rules of Regulation (EC) No 861/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 establishing a European Small Claims Procedure (“Regulation 861/2007”). 
The most recent amendments to the CPC took effect mid August 2018 when the Act for Amendment and Supplement to the CPC, promulgated in issue 65 of 7 August 2018 (“August 2018 Amendment Law”) came into force, which altered the territorial court jurisdiction applying to consumers disputes and compensation claims of harmed parties under the Insurance Code against insurance companies, the Insurance Guarantee Fund (“IGF”) and the National Bureau of Automobile Insurers (“NBAI”). 
Read more: Procedural Framework Amendments Overview 2017-2018