Bulgaria
Bulgaria ratified the Revised European Social Charter on 07/06/2000. Bulgaria has accepted 70 of the 98 Charter paragraphs, as well as the system of collective complaints.
Declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints: not made yet.
The Charter in domestic law
Automatic incorporation based on the Constitution, Article 5(4): “Any international instruments which have been ratified by the constitutionally established procedure, promulgated, and come into force with respect to the Republic of Bulgaria, shall be considered part of the domestic legislation of the country. They shall supersede any domestic legislation stipulating otherwise.”
Table of accepted and non-accepted provisions by Bulgaria
Grey = Accepted provisions
| 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 3.1 |
| 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 5 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.3 |
| 6.4 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.10 | 8.1 |
| 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 9 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 10.3a | 10.4 | 10.5 | 11.1 | 11.2 |
| 11.3 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 13.1 | 13.2 | 13.3 | 13.4 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 15.1 |
| 15.2 | 15.3 | 16 | 17.1 | 17.2 | 18.1 | 18.2 | 18.3 | 18.4 | 19.1 | 19.2 | 19.3 |
| 19.4 | 19.5 | 19.6 | 19.7 | 19.8 | 19.9 | 19.10 | 19.11 | 19.12 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26.1 | 26.2 | 27.1 | 27.2 | 27.3 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31.1 |
| 31.2 | 31.3 | ||||||||||
Country factsheets
The country factsheets include detailed information on the findings of the European Committee of Social Rights when monitoring the application of the Charter at national level, as well as examples of progress in the implementation of the rights protected by the Charter.
Latest national report by Bulgaria
- National Report submitted by Bulgaria, 29 December 2025
- Annex to the national report
Latest Ad hoc report by Bulgaria
See previous reports in respect of Bulgaria
Latest conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2022 concerning Bulgaria (Thematic group Labour rights)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2021 concerning Bulgaria (Thematic group Health, social security and social protection) (Findings adopted)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2020 concerning Bulgaria (Thematic group Employment, training and equal opportunities) (Findings adopted)
- Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights 2019 concerning Bulgaria (Thematic group Children, families and migrants)
See previous all conclusions in respect of Bulgaria (HUDOC)
Meetings and reports on non-accepted provisions
- ECSR reports
- 1st Report on non-accepted provisions of the European Social Charter by Bulgaria, 2005
- 2nd Report on non-accepted provisions of the European Social Charter by Bulgaria, 2012
- 3rd Report on non-accepted provisions of the European Social Charter by Bulgaria, 2016
- 4th Report on non-accepted provisions of the European Social Charter by Bulgaria, 2020
- Rapports nationaux
- National report on non-accepted provisions, presented by Bulgaria - 2025
Collective complaints procedure
Bulgaria accepted the system of collective complaints. Declaration enabling national NGOs to submit collective complaints: not made yet.
Latest findings of the European Committee of Social Rights
Findings 2019 of the European Committee of Social Rights on the follow-up to decisions on the merits in collective complaints in respect of Bulgaria.
The complaint was registered on 25 January 2022. It concerns Articles 11 (the right to the protection of health) and Article E (non-discrimination) in conjunction with this provision of the revised European Social Charter. OSEPI alleges that, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, Bulgaria has failed to protect the right to protection of health of older adults and persons with underlying medical conditions, by not providing them with a priority and effective access to Covid-19 vaccines, by failing to develop a communication campaign and strategy about Covid-19 vaccines and by failing to provide guidance and training to health care staff in breach of the above-mentioned provisions of the Charter. OSEPI further requests the Committee to indicate to the Bulgarian Government immediate measures in order to avoid the irreparable harm or injury of having a significant additional number of old persons and people with health conditions in Bulgaria dying or contracting serious disease because of Covid-19 without having been vaccinated.
Case-document No. 1, Complaint registered on 25 January 2022
Case-document No. 3, Submissions by the Government on the merits
Case-document No. 4, Response from OSEPI to the Government's submissions on the merits
Case-document No. 5, Reply from the Government to OSEPI's response on the merits
The European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible on 18 October 2022 and unanimously decided that it was not necessary to indicate immediate measures to the Government
Decision on admissibility and immediate measures relating to the Complaint No. 204/2022
Decision on the merits of the Complaint No. 204/2022
Previous national reports by Bulgaria
- 21st National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by Bulgaria, 21 December 2022
Comments submitted by the group of NGOs - 20th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by Bulgaria, 05 January 2022
- 19th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2017 -31/12/2020)
Appendix to the 19th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2016 -31/12/2019) - 18th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2015 -31/12/2018). Conclusions published in 2020
- 17th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2014 -31/12/2017). Conclusions published in 2019
- 16th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2013 - 31/12/2016). Conclusions published in 2018
- 15th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2012 - 31/12/2015). Conclusions published in 2017
- 14th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2011 - 31/12/2014). Conclusions published in 2016
- 13th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2010 - 31/12/2013). Conclusions published in 2015
- 12th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2009 - 31/12/2012). Conclusions published in 2014
- 11th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2008 - 31/12/2011). Conclusions published in 2013
- 10th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2007 - 31/12/2010). Conclusions published in 2012
10th report. Reply on Article 1§2 - 9th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2005- 31/12/2009). Conclusions published in 2011
- 8th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2008). Conclusions published in 2010
- 7th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2007). Conclusions published in 2009
- 6th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2006). Conclusions published in 2008
- 5th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2005 - 31/12/2006). Conclusions published in 2007
- 4th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter submitted by the government of Bulgaria (Reference Period: 01/01/2003 - 31/12/2004). Conclusions published in 2006
4th report, replies to questions