In a letter to the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Energy and Foreign Affairs, a group of business organizations issued a joint position on the need for urgent national measures to compensate for high electricity prices for industry.
The position states the following:
In connection with the decisions of the European Council of 19 March 2026, as well as the statements made by the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council on the impact of the energy crisis on the European economy, we call for urgent action at national level.
The European Council clearly underlines that while the energy transition is the strategic solution to reduce prices and increase energy independence in the long term, targeted measures are needed in the short term to address price shocks. This is essential for industries with a high risk of outsourcing. The current geopolitical situation, including the escalation in the Middle East and its direct impact, reflection on the prices on the gas and electricity , additionally sharpen the crisis .
In this context, the European Commission explicitly encourages Member States to develop national mechanisms to compensate for the impact of high energy prices, including through flexible application of State aid rules. In parallel, Bulgaria joined the joint initiative of Member States to review key elements of the ETS in order to limit price volatility and pressure on industry, which requires consistent action also at national level. The need for effective implementation of the CBAM also remains.
The Bulgarian energy-intensive industry accounts for approximately 26% of the gross domestic product and plays a key role in employment, regional development and strategic chains. In the current environment of high and volatile energy prices, the lack of adequate compensatory mechanisms creates a real risk of loss of competitiveness, limitation of production and displacement of investments outside the country and the European Union. The lack of a timely response will have a direct and immediate impact on economic activity in the country, including through production cuts, job losses and displacement of investments outside Bulgaria.
At the same time, the European framework already provides the necessary tools for action, including through the Clean Industrial State Aid Framework (CISAF), which allows for targeted support for the industry. Bulgarian industry expects a quick notification of the mechanism in order to actually receive the necessary compensation. It is unknown why this notification has been delayed for 6 months. The sizing of this mechanism is already insufficient and should be updated to the full volume of compensation for 50% of the consumed electricity at a lower threshold of 50 EUR/ MWh , not 63.9 EUR/ MWh .
Moreover, Germany, Italy and other leading economies are discussing a 50 euro/ MWh threshold for all consumption of energy-intensive industry as a final price including all taxes!
In this regard, we categorically insist that all obstacles to energy-intensive enterprises in Bulgaria be removed and that the available European instruments be fully implemented, and we propose:
- Immediate action for accelerated notification of the industry support mechanism with an updated compensation amount for 50% of the consumed electricity at a lower threshold of 50 EUR/ MWh (instead of 63.9 EUR/ MWh ).
- Bulgaria to take an active and consistent position in the upcoming European discussions related to changes to the ETS, CBAM, network charges and the tax framework, as well as to ensure effective coordination between institutions and industry in the development of applicable solutions.
We are convinced that timely and well-targeted actions will allow the Bulgarian industry not only to overcome the current price pressure, but also to remain a sustainable and competitive participant in the green transition and industrial transformation of Europe.
We remain available for expert dialogue and assistance in developing the necessary measures.
The position is signed by:
Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA)
Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIB)
Bulgarian Association of the Metallurgical Industry (BAMI)
Bulgarian Association of the Cement Industry (BACI)
Bulgarian Chamber of Chemical Industry (BCCI)
Bulgarian Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers (BFIEK)
