Under the new Law on investment promotion as of August 2004 the Bulgarian Investment Agency provides informational services and individual administrative services.
Services to investors are performed after the issuance of a certificate for investment category by the Agency or other selected administrative body at the investor’s request in accordance to the amount of the investments.
1. First Class - investment over BGN 70 million
( over EUR 36 million )
2. Second Class - investment from BGN 40 million to BGN 70 million
( from EUR 20 million to EUR 36 million )
3. Third Class - investment from BGN 10 million to BGN 40 million
( from EUR 5 million to EUR 20 million )
General preference applied to all classes of investment is shortening the time limits for provision of administrative services to certified investors for realization of their investment plans. On presentation of a certificate for investment class, central and territorial executive authorities, and local self-government authorities shall provide administrative services within time limits by one third shorter than the ones provided for in the legislation.
For 1st-class investment, the InvestBulgaria Agency assists investors as follows:
l individual informational and administrative services
l assistance with real estate “titling” issues
l infrastructure building support
On the request of the 1st-category investor the Agency may propose to the corresponding authorities to transfer ownership rights or establish a limited ownership right over real estate (private - state or municipal property) without a tender or free of charge.
Where the technical infrastructure networks and facilities of the transport, water-supply, sewerage, communication, and other systems are public property, their construction will be financed from the state budget, or by the corresponding municipality on a decision by the Municipal Council; in all other cases they shall be on account of the managing operation company.
For 2nd-class investment InvestBulgaria Agency provides investors with:
l information services as mentioned above;
l individual administrative servicing with respect to all central and regional bodies of the Executive.
Investors have the opportunity to authorize officials of the Agency to obtain from the corresponding competent bodies on investors’ behalf and on investors’ account any documents necessary for implementation of the particular investment project as may be required under the existing legislation.
For 3rd-class investment InvestBulgaria Agency provides information services to investors as follows:
l pre-developed information materials;
l information about potential partners in the country;
l information about all administrative procedures concerning the implementation of the investment project.