Foreign Economic and Trade Policy

Functions of the Foreign Economic and Trade Policy Directorate

1. Participates in the development and implementation of the foreign trade policy of the Republic of Bulgaria.
2. Participates in the process of elaboration, adoption and implementation of the European Union’s Common Commercial Policy, coordinates matters covered by EU’s Common Commercial Policy and participates in meetings of the Trade Policy Committee and other working groups and formats of the Council of the EU and the European Commission, as well as in the comitology process on matters pertaining to the Common Commercial Policy.
3. Coordinates the preparation of positions and the participation of Bulgaria in EU’s Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) meetings; prepares instructions on matters falling within the scope of the Common Commercial Policy for meetings of the EU’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER); prepares information and proposals for positions for meetings of other formats of the Council of the EU on matters falling within the Directorate’s competence.
4. Coordinates the preparation of Bulgaria’s positions on EU trade negotiations, the implementation of obligations under the EU trade agreements and in connection with reviews or investigations carried out by third countries which affect the trade and political status of Bulgaria; participates in the development and implementation of EU legislation in the field of EU’s Common Commercial Policy.
5. Coordinates the implementation of Bulgaria’s obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and prepares notifications under the WTO agreements; ensures the participation of Bulgaria as a EU Member State in meetings of WTO bodies, in the WTO reform process, in the preparation and conduct of WTO ministerial conferences, trade negotiations and WTO accession negotiations.
6. Coordinates the Ministry’s activities in connection with the accession of Bulgaria to the OECD, the preparation and implementation of the National Roadmap of Cooperation Activities between Bulgaria and the OECD; prepares the participation in meetings of the Interagency Coordination Mechanism for Bulgaria’s Accession to the OECD and the participation of the Ministry in OECD Ministerial Council meetings.
7. Manages and organises the activities of interagency working groups on the implementation of Bulgaria’s obligations in the conduct of technical reviews by the OECD Trade Committee and the OECD Steel Committee; prepares and participates in technical reviews, meetings of the above OECD bodies and the OECD Trade Committee subsidiary bodies.
8. Participates in the process of negotiations on agreements for mutual protection and promotion of investments by providing opinions on the compatibility of draft bilateral investment agreements with third countries with EU law and by monitoring the implementation of Bulgaria’s obligations under Regulation (EU) № 1219/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2012 establishing transitional arrangements for bilateral investment agreements between Member States and third countries (OJ, L 351/40 of 20 December 2012).
9. Prepares information on EU’s Common Commercial Policy implementation, including in relation to bilateral visits and meetings at state and governmental level with EU Member States and third countries, and coordinates the preparation of positions on EU trade relations.
10. Provides opinions on compatibility with the EU’s Common Commercial Policy and with the World Trade Organization rules of draft economic cooperation agreements and arrangements developed by other agencies and in the preparation of inter-state and inter-ministerial agreements, programmes, protocols and non-governmental agreements in the field of trade policy, as well as in their implementation and/or renegotiation.
11. Prepares information on EU legislation in the field of trade policy, import and export measures and EU trade arrangements.
12. Organizes and manages the activities of Working Group No. 25 on Trade and Foreign Economic Policy in accordance with Council of Ministers Decree No. 85 of 2007 on Coordination on EU Matters, drafts framework positions on dossiers pertaining to EU trade policy, opinions on the compliance of draft legal acts with EU law in the field of trade policy and participates in the preparation of analyses, opinions, positions and instructions in relation to Bulgaria’s participation in the work of EU institutions.
13. Participates with its representatives in the work of other working groups of the Council for European Affairs, established by Council of Ministers Decree No. 85 of 2007 on Coordination on EU Matters, and other interagency working groups in connection with the implementation of Bulgaria’s obligations within the EU and the preparation for OECD accession.
14. Participates in the dialogue with non-governmental organizations on trade policy matters; coordinates opinions and positions, including on the implementation and application of EU legislation.
15. Prepares opinions and instructions with respect to Bulgaria’s participation in other international economic organizations and initiatives (UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNECE, ECOSOC, UNCITRAL, etc.) on multilateral trade and economic policy matters, and coordinates the implementation of tasks related to the activities of these organizations by other Ministry directorates.
16. Analyses the foreign trade developments with respect to goods subject to trade defence measures or other trade barriers, develops proposals and participates in the implementation of trade policy with regard to the national market.
17. Cooperates with the Bulgarian Export Insurance Agency by participating in and supporting the implementation of the procedures under Articles 9, 10 and 13 of the Export Insurance Act.
18. Performs the duties of a national competent authority pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (OJ L 130/1 of 19 May 2017).
19. Assists the Minister in the development and implementation of the state policy on production and trade in tobacco and related products by:
    а) preparing draft regulations at national level on activities in the field of manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products;
    b) transposing into national law the requirements of EU law in the field of tobacco and related products;
    c) expressing opinions on draft legislative acts of the EU and of another EU Member State on tobacco and related products.
20. Participates in the preparation of forecasts and draft budgets of the Ministry, as well as in the implementation of the Ministry’s budget programmes as per functional competence.