Bulgaria is third in the European Union in copper production and our country should take advantage of its strategic position. This was said by the Minister of Economy and Industry at the opening of the International Conference Automotive & Battery Forum 2023.
‘The automotive sector is undergoing key transformations that will mark the future of the sector in the coming decades,’ Minister Stojanov said. He stressed that on the one hand, European companies are currently looking for opportunities to bring back key production from Asia to the Old Continent, and on the other, the growing importance of battery production and the development of electric mobility. In his words, Bulgaria has a lot to offer to European companies to respond to both transformations in the sector. ‘We are an EU member state with a key geographic position — both for the Balkans and for the Middle East. Along with this, we are also among the leading countries in the extraction of a number of metals that are key to the automotive industry and in particular the production of batteries,’ he added.
The Minister of Economy recalled that together with the Chamber of Mining and Geology an investment map for the re-industrialisation of Bulgaria is being developed, which will show a clear picture of the minerals mined in the country and the economic specialisation of each of the regions. Nikola Stojanov pointed out that along with this, the development of state industrial zones continues, ‘because these are the locations that can offer the most to companies looking for nearshoring’.
The event was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister for EU funds management Atanas Pekanov. The conference is organized by Automotive Cluster Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Investment Agency and takes place in the period 25—27 April 2023. Over 150 leaders and experts from the global automotive industry will discuss topics related to decarbonisation of the sector, latest breakthroughs in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems, digital transformation and innovation in manufacturing, etc.