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Statistics - Bulgaria

Updated 09/2011

Legal requirements

The collection, processing and use of statistics is subject to the Statistics Act (ZS).

Statistics authorities

The main statistics authorities are the National Statistics Institute and various ministerial departments and other central and regional government authorities which collect statistics.

Types of statistics

The national statistics system comprises of the National Statistics Institute, statistics authorities and the Bulgarian National Bank. The Bulgarian National Bank draws up the balance of payments and keeps monetary and interest-rate statistics, as well as figures regarding the country's finances.

Mandatory national statistics

Company managers are obliged to submit reliable data to the statistics authorities on all the activities of their company, branch, department or section.

These data are used for mandatory surveys conducted by the National Statistical Surveys Programme. Every year, the Council of Ministers verifies this programme on the recommendation of the head of the National Statistics Institute and publishes it in the State Gazette.

The programme includes:

  • regular statistical surveys in key areas of public interest;
  • other statistical surveys for set periods, such as population censuses and economic surveys on specific issues and statistical studies of international obligations taken on by Bulgaria.

Personal data collected in the surveys remain confidential and can only be used for statistical purposes.

Intrastat

Statistics on goods traded within the EU are regulated by the Intra-EC Trade in Goods Statistics Act (ZSVTS).          

  • Intra-EC Trade in Goods Statistics Law (ZSVTS)български

Persons required   to submit Intrastat declarations - are operators registered under the VAT Act (ZDDS) trading goods within the EU at annual volumes exceeding the declarations threshold of Article 18( 1, separately   for each flow of goods - outgoing or incoming.

The National Revenue Agency draws up and maintains a register of Intrastat operators, including authorised persons subject to Article 16( 1.

 

Administrative procedures

Submitting statistics

Mandatory national statistics

Your obligation to submit statistics includes the submission of an annual business report with a statistical summary and accounting documents.

If you fail to submit the data by the submission deadline, refuse to give data to the statistics authorities or give false information, you could be fined from BGN 200 to 2 000. For a second infringement, the fine ranges from BGN 2 000 to 6 000.

Annual reports may be submitted to the National Statistics Institute electronically. You can do so by simply filling in the online forms.

  • Online forms български  Online government service

Intrastat returns

Operators subject to Intrastat must submit Intrastat returns and all necessary documents online, signed with a universal e-signature. If they are technically unable to do so according to Article 19(1) of Regulation 4 on the implementation of the Intrastat system, operators or authorised representatives must lodge the returns on electronic media with a covering letter explaining the technical problem.

Intrastat operators are required   to submit Intrastat returns by the 10th of the month following the relevant reference period.

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Legal texts

    • Bulgarian Statistics Act (ZS)български
    • Population, Housing and Farms Census in the Republic of Bulgaria in 2011 Act (ZPNZhFZSRB).български
    • Statistics on Intra-EC Trade in Goods in Bulgaria Act (ZSVTS)български
    • Value Added Tax Act (ZDDS)български

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