Bulgaria amends VAT Law to combat fraud

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Bulgaria amends VAT Law to combat fraud

intl-updates-small.jpg

A recent amendment to the Bulgarian VAT Law introduces a new obligation for traders that aims to tackle fraud.

varbanov.jpg

Petar Varbanov

The changes to the VAT Act introduce a mechanism whereby liquid fuel traders will have to provide the competent territorial directorate of the National Revenue Agency collateral in cash, government securities or an unconditional and irrevocable bank guarantee, each of which is valid for a period of one year. The types of liquid fuels for which such collateral is required include natural gas, gasoline, heavy fuel oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons.

According to Art. 176c, para 1 of the VAT Act, the obligation to provide collateral arises when the taxable person has made in the current tax period taxable supplies of liquid fuels, as follows:

1) Supplied liquid fuels exceeding BGN 25,000 ($14,000) per month;

2) Has performed an intra-community acquisition of liquid fuels, which are not intended for consumption by the person that has performed the acquisition, with a total value exceeding BGN 25,000; and

3) Has received liquid fuels, released for consumption under Art. 20, para 2, pt 1 of the Excise Duties and Tax Warehouses Act ( EDTWA ) worth over BGN 25,000, if no basis has arisen for collateral on other grounds. In this case, it is irrelevant whether the received liquid fuels are intended for consumption by the receiver.

The collateral, which must equal 20% of the VAT base of the supplies, but not less than BGN 50,000, can be provided by taxpayers as:

  • Collateral in cash;

  • Collateral in government securities; or

  • Collateral in an unconditional and irrevocable bank guarantee.

The collaterals are provided by filing an application in the respective tax office as per the registration of the company. The application, depending on the type of collateral, should be accompanied by various documents. Failure to provide the collateral will lead to sanctions with penalties.

Petar Varbanov (petar.varbanov@eurofast.eu)

Eurofast Bulgaria Office

Direct tel: +359 2 988 69 75

Website: www.eurofast.eu

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

The firm’s eye-catching UK launch is a major statement of intent, but it will face stern opposition in its quest to be the top global tax player
The postponement came after industry representatives flagged implementation issues with the registration regime; in other news, firms made key tax partner additions
Despite the increased yield, the time taken to resolve enquiries was at a six-year high, new HMRC statistics have revealed
The High Court’s dismissal of barrister Setu Kamal’s legal challenge represents the first successful strike-out under a new law on SLAPPs
IP lawyers, who say they are encouraging clients to build up ‘tariff resilience’, should treat the risks posed by recent orders as a core consideration in cross-border licensing
As Coca-Cola awaits a crucial 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decision this year, its multibillion-dollar tax dispute could have profound implications for investors, cash flow, and corporate transparency
However, women in tax face greater career obstacles than their male counterparts, an exclusive ITR survey of more than 100 women tax leaders revealed
Under Jeff Soar’s leadership, WTS UK aims to scale to 100 partners within five years and challenge the big four
As the firm embarks on a major shakeup of its EMEA partnerships, some staff will be watching nervously
The buyout of Hucke and Associates continues Ryan’s streak of firm acquisitions; in other news, a UK appeal against VAT on private school fees was dismissed
Gift this article