Internationally Controlled Trade and Security

The Directorate “Internationally Controlled Trade and Security” has the following functions:

• Provides and supports the expert, informational and administrative activities of the Interministerial Commission for Export Control and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction to the Minister of Economy and Industry (ICECNPWMD), including its activities as a national authority for coordinating the work and monitoring the implementation by the Republic of Bulgaria of the Convention on prohibition the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their destruction;
• Ensures the fulfillment of the obligations of the Republic of Bulgaria within the competences of the Ministry and coordinates the Ministry’s participation in international agreements (treaties, conventions, the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Australian Group, the Zangger Committee, the Prohibition Convention of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxic Weapons and on Their Destruction), memoranda of understanding, agreements and others on disarmament, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and control of trade in defense-related products and dual-use items and technologies (DUIT);
• Provides and supports the expert, informational and administrative activities of the Interministerial Commission under Art. 19 of the Law on Weapons, Ammunition, Explosives and Pyrotechnic Articles (LWAEPA);
• Develops, participates in the development on drafts of national legislation referring to the control of the arms trade and with DUIT and the non-proliferation of WMD;
• Participates in specialized working groups at the Council of the EU and in the Coordination Group at the European Commission, established pursuant to Art. 24 of under Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items; Committee established pursuant to Art. 4.3 and 13 of Directive 2009/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 6, 2009 to simplify the terms and conditions for the transfer of defense-related products within the Community; Anti-Torture Coordination Group pursuant to Art. 31 of Regulation 2019/125 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 January 2019 concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and prepares proposals for the relevant amendments and additions to the Bulgarian legislation;
• Prepares and issues certificates, permits, certificates and other documents according to the Law on the Export Control of Defense-Related Products and Dual-Use Items and Technologies (LECDREDUIT), the regulations for its implementation, certificates according to the Law on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and for control of toxic chemical substances and their precursors and permits under the Act implementing Regulation 2019/125 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 January 2019 concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
• Prepares and issues permits, certificates and alphanumeric code according to Art. 15, 17 and 18 of LWAEPA;
• Prepares statements on the classification of products under the List of defense-related products and the List of DUIT in response to inquiries from companies, individuals and state institutions;
• Exchanges information and coordinates with international organizations and bodies of other countries in the field of non-proliferation of WMD and control of trade in defense-related products and with DUIT, including prepares and provides notifications and reports on transfers or denials of transfers of defense-related products and to DUIT under the European Union, the UN Register of Conventional Weapons, the Wassenaar Arrangement, the OSCE, the Conventions on the Prohibition of Chemical and Biological Weapons and others;
• Maintains databases for the issued permits, certificates and registrations and for the submitted declarations according to the LECDREDUIT and for the issued permits and certificates according to the LWAEPA;
• Participates in the development and implementation of the economic aspects of the state policy for the participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in NATO, in EU security and defense structures and in other international organizations and initiatives in the field of security and defense;
• Carry out the tasks assigned to the Ministry as National representation in NATO structures responsible for the industrial aspects of cooperation, ensuring Bulgarian participation in regular plenary meetings and the implementation of the resulting commitments, in working sessions, seminars, trainings and other forums and initiatives with an industrial focus;
• Participates in EU working groups and initiatives for economic and industrial cooperation and in the performs the Ministry’s functions and tasks in the implementing European policies and initiatives to promote the development of the security and defense industry;
• Participates in the development, coordination and implementation of national procedures, mechanisms, legislation and policies to enhance national capacity for cooperation within NATO and European security and defense structures, by preparing analyses, opinions, proposals for optimization, etc.;
• In coordination with the competent authorities, takes part in ensuring the participation of Bulgarian legal entities in NATO and EU defense industry initiatives;
• Acts as National Focal Point for the European Defence Fund. Organizes the participation of Bulgarian companies in NATO international tenders – maintains a database of potential candidates, announces upcoming tenders, issues declarations of eligibility for nomination of candidates, supports and advises companies in their participation;
• Ensures, promotes and coordinates the participation of the Bulgarian business, industry and research organizations in studies, projects, programs, conferences, exhibitions and in NATO industrial cooperation activities and initiatives;
• Participates in activities related to the bilateral industrial cooperation in defense – represents the Ministry and the Bulgarian business in bilateral security and defense cooperation structures and in intergovernmental economic cooperation committees, assists the companies in their participation in international exhibitions;
• Participates in the development of the Ministry’s forecasts and draft budget, as well as in the implementation of the programs of the Ministry’s programmed budget, in the frame of its functional competences.