“Bulgaria in Figures®” 2026: Bulgaria at a Glance

For the 17th consecutive year, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), WTC Sofia AF, has prepared its traditional English-language publication “Bulgaria in Figures®” 2026, designed to provide up-to-date information to international partners, investors and businesses interested in Bulgaria as an investment and business destination.

The publication has established itself as a valuable reference source for state institutions, partner organisations and the business community, providing a concise overview of Bulgaria’s economic environment and key developments.

Key economic indicators

“Bulgaria in Figures®” 2026 presents major macroeconomic indicators for the past five years, covering areas such as:

• investment environment;
• tourism;
• foreign trade and imports and exports;
• education;
• labour market;
• other key aspects of the Bulgarian economy.

Particular attention is given to Bulgaria’s performance in international rankings and rating reports, which provide useful benchmarks for investors and international partners. The publication also highlights areas in which Bulgaria’s position remains challenging, providing a useful basis for identifying priorities and measures to improve the country’s international standing.

Positive effects of Schengen and the Eurozone on tourism and the economy

A special focus of the 2026 edition is the positive impact of Bulgaria’s integration into the Schengen Area and the Eurozone on tourism and the wider economy.

The available 2025 statistics primarily reflect the effect of Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area, which became effective for land borders on 1 January 2025. As Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, comprehensive statistical data measuring the impact of euro adoption are not yet available.

Key advantages that directly facilitate travel and business include:

• Elimination of queues at land borders, effective from 1 January 2025;
• Payments in euros without currency-exchange risk for foreign visitors, effective from 1 January 2026;
• An improved international image and increased confidence in Bulgaria as a destination.

Full European integration remains an important pillar of economic stability and is expected to contribute to improved creditworthiness, lower transaction costs and greater liquidity within the banking sector.

Bulgaria’s position in international rankings

The publication provides an overview of Bulgaria’s position in selected international rankings as of June 2026. The analysis identifies significant progress in a number of areas, while also drawing attention to critical positions that require further efforts and appropriate measures.

Significant progress and improvements include:

• International Property Rights Index: Bulgaria moved up 19 places, from 56th to 37th;
• Social Resilience Index: an improvement of 14 positions, from 61st to 47th;
• Energy Transition Index: an improvement of 7 positions, from 36th to 29th;
• Globalisation Index: Bulgaria advanced to 33rd place, compared with 36th place the previous year;
• World Competitiveness Ranking (IMD, Switzerland, 18 June 2026): Bulgaria improved by one point and ranked 56th out of 70 countries.

Areas showing a decline and requiring particular attention include:

• Global Gender Gap Report: Bulgaria fell from 60th to 83rd place;
• World Press Freedom Index 2026: Bulgaria ranked 71st out of 180 countries, compared with 70th place in the previous edition;
• Corruption Perceptions Index: Bulgaria dropped from 76th to 84th place;
• Global Innovation Index: Bulgaria fell from 35th to 37th place;
• Index of Economic Freedom: Bulgaria ranked 38th, down one position from 37th place, out of 171 countries.

What else can you find in “Bulgaria in Figures®” 2026?

The publication also provides information on:

♦ Macroeconomic profile and latest available data (2025)

♦ Foreign trade and trade in goods in 2025

♦ Industrial zones and Bulgaria’s digital future for investors

♦ Interactive Investment Map: investmap.government.bg/en

The free electronic version of “Bulgaria in Figures®” 2026 is available on the BCCI website.