In Bulgaria, general provisions of criminal procedure apply to the investigation and prosecution of intellectual property crimes. These crimes fall under the general rules of jurisdiction.
Verified in October 2023
Country fiches: Bulgaria
National legislation
National legislation on intellectual property crimes
Copyright violations
Articles 172a, 173 and 174 of the Bulgarian Criminal Code
Criminal Code: Lex.bg - Закони, правилници, конституция, кодекси, държавен вестник, правилници по прилагане
Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act: Contact the IPC Project team for a copy of the legislation
Counterfeiting of trademark
Article 172b of the Bulgarian Criminal Code
Criminal Code: Lex.bg - Закони, правилници, конституция, кодекси, държавен вестник, правилници по прилагане
Marks and Geographical Indications Act: Contact the IPC Project team for a copy of the legislation
Patent violations
Articles 172b and 174 of the Bulgarian Criminal Code
Criminal Code: Lex.bg - Закони, правилници, конституция, кодекси, държавен вестник, правилници по прилагане
Patents and Utility Models Registration Act: Contact the IPC Project team for a copy of the legislation
Industrial design violations
Article 172b and article 174 of the Bulgarian Criminal Code
Criminal Code:
Lex.bg - Закони, правилници, конституция, кодекси, държавен вестник, правилници по прилагане
Industrial Designs Act: only available in pdf
Violations of plant variety rights
Article 172b of the Bulgarian Criminal Code
Criminal Code: Lex.bg - Закони, правилници, конституция, кодекси, държавен вестник, правилници по прилагане
Protection of new Plant Varieties and Animal Breeds Act: Contact the IPC Project team for a copy of the legislation
Trade Secrets violations
Violations of trade secrets do not constitute a criminal offence under Bulgarian national law and are dealt with by Civil Law.
National contacts
National contacts
Law Enforcement Agencies
IP criminal offences are investigated by the General Directorate National Police (GDNP). There is no unit specialised in investigating IP crimes. In case the criminal offences are committed in the cyber space, the investigations are conducted by the Sector on Illegal Content on the Internet at the Cybercrime Department of the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDCOC).
General Directorate National Police (GDNP)
1715 Blvd. 1 Aleksandar Malinov Str., 1715 Sofia
Sector on Illegal Content on the Internet at the Cybercrime Department of the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDCOC)
+359 2 982 83 63
Bull. 133A Tsarigradsko Shose Str., 1784 Sofia
Prosecution
The General Prosecutor’s Offices are responsible for prosecuting IP crimes. There is no unit specialised in prosecuting IP crimes.
General Prosecutor’s Office
+359 2 982 83 63
2 Vitosha Blvd., 1061 Sofia
Judiciary
There are no courts specialised in IP crimes. This type of crime falls under the general court system. The general courts are organised in a four-tier system:
- District Courts;
- Provincial Courts;
- Courts of Appeal;
- The Supreme Court of Cassation.
There are also Specialised Criminal Court and Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal (for criminal offences committed by organised groups).
Bulgarian Courts
Bulgarian justice portal with contact details of each court: Единен портал за електронно правосъдие
Judicial libraries
Judicial libraries
ВИСШ СЪДЕБЕН СЪВЕТ (SUPREME JUDICIAL COUNCIL)
Public and free database. No registration is required.
Access to judgments from:
- District Courts (1st instance)
- Administrative Courts (1st instance)
- Military Courts (1st instance)
- Regional Courts (1st and 2nd instance)
- Courts of Appeal (2nd instance)
- Military Courts of Appeal (2nd instance)
- Court of Cassation (3rd instance)
- Supreme Administrative Court
Конституционен съд на Република България (CONSTITUTIONAL COURT)
Public and free database. No registration is required.
Access to judgments (since 1990) from:
- Constitutional Court of Bulgaria
Върховен касационен съд (SUPREME COURT OF CASSATION)
Public and free database. No registration is required.
Access to judgments (since 2002) from:
- Supreme Court of Cassation (3rd instance)
APIS
Private and paid database. Registration required.
Access to judgments from:
- Court of Cassation (3rd instance)
- Supreme Administrative Court
- Constitutional Court
- Arbitration Court at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Other available resources:
- Case-law of the European Court of Human Rights
Eurojust is an agency of the European Union