Conformity Study For Bulgaria Directive 2004/38/EC On The Right of Citizens of The Union and Their Family Members To Move and Reside Freely Within The Territory of The Member States

Conformity Study for Bulgaria
Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union

and their family members to move and reside freely within
the territory of the Member States
This National Conformity Study has been prepared by Milieu Ltd. in consortium with the
Europa Institute, Edinburgh University under Contract No JLS/2007/C4/004-30-CE-
0159638/00-31. The actual conformity checking was carried out in Bulgaria by Liliana
Maslarova and was concluded on 1 August. The study does not take into account any
subsequent changes in EU law and national legislation and/or administrative practice.
The views expressed herein are those of the consultants alone and do not necessarily represent
the official views of the European Commission. The national report reflects that legal
situation as it stands on 1 August 2008. No subsequent changes have been taken into account.
Milieu Ltd. (Belgium), 29 rue des Pierres, B-1000 Brussels, tel: 32 2 506 1000; Fax 32 2 514
3603; e-mail: sophie.vancauwenbergh@milieu.be; web address: www.milieu.be
ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION TRANSPOSING
DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC ON FREE MOVEMENT OF UNION CITIZENS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... 5
SUMMARY DATASHEET ........................................................................................................................ 9
ABBREVIATIONS USED ....................................................................................................................... 14
1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 16
1.1 OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN BULGARIA............................................................... 17
1.2 FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPOSITION & IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC IN
BULGARIA.......................................................................................................................................... 17
1.2.1 Distribution of competences according to the national Constitution ............... 17
1.2.2 General description of organisation of national authorities implementing
Directive 2004/38/EC................................................................................................... 18
2 LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSPOSING MEASURES FOR DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC................. 19

2.1 Definitions, family members and beneficiaries........................................................................... 20
2.2 Rights of exit and entry (Articles 4-5) ............................................................................................ 23
2.3 Right of residence ........................................................................................................................... 26
2.4 Right of permanent residence ...................................................................................................... 39
2.5 Common provisions (Articles 22-26) ............................................................................................. 42
2.6 Restrictions on the right of entry and residence on grounds of public policy, public security
and public health............................................................................................................................ 45
2.7 Final provisions (Chapter VII) ......................................................................................................... 53
ANNEX I: Table of concordance for Directive 2004/38/EC

ANNEX II: List of relevant national legislation
ANNEX III: Selected national case law
ANNEX IV: Application forms
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. Introduction
The Directive was transposed into the national law of Bulgaria with the adoption of the 2006 Act on
the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of the European Union and Members of their
Families within the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria (AERD). The law is in force as of the date
of accession (1 January 2007).
Other national legislative acts (Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, Bulgarian Identity
Documents Act), though as a rule not directly transposing requirements of the Directive, are also of
relevance for the interpretation, implementation and enforcement of certain parts of its requirements.
General horizontal legislation such as the Administrative Procedure Code is applicable to procedural
matters and access to justice.
Also of relevance are certain other legislative acts such as the Family Code, the Social and the Rules
for its Implementation Assistance Act and the Rules for its Implementation, the Promotion of
Employment Act, the Protection of the Child Act, the Integration of Disabled Persons Act, the
Protection from Discrimination Act, the Regulation on the Conditions and Procedure for the
Performance of Border Health Control in the Republic of Bulgaria.
It should be noted that these acts do not directly transpose any of the requirements, rights or
obligations under the Directive, but nevertheless serve as reference for judging the compliance of
certain requirements and their practical implementation.
2. Introduction to the main particularities of the legal system of the Member State relating
to the transposition of Directive 2004/38/EC.
The adoption of a new national legislative act presents the best alternative for complete and correct
transposition.
At the same time, it should be stressed that the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act1 does not
distinguish foreigners who are EU citizens from all other foreigners, while the AERD does not
explicitly exclude the application of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act to the regulated
beneficiaries under the Directive (and respectively the AERD). As a result, possible conflicts of law
and disputes on the applicable law can arise in connection with the interpretation, implementation and
enforcement of certain requirements, as well as restriction of rights or imposition of obligations in
contradiction of the Directive.
The competent authorities are indicated in the AERD: the main responsibilities are given to the
National Police Service, as a constituent unit of the Ministry of Interior. It is responsible for the border
regime and performs the overall administrative control on the movement and residence of foreigners
(including EU citizens) in Bulgaria. It is responsible for issuing permissions and the envisaged
certifying documents: long term and permanent residence certificates for EU citizens and residence
cards for the members of their families, who are not nationals of EU Member States.
The National Police Service is also responsible for investigating violations of the legal requirements,
imposing the envisaged administrative coercion measures (revocation of the right of residence,
expulsion, and prohibition of entry) and sanctions and their enforcement.
1
In December 2006 a draft amendment of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act was prepared by the
Council of Ministers and submitted to the National Assembly. It explicitly excludes EU citizens from being
considered ‘foreigners’. The proposed amendments have not been adopted to date.
Milieu Ltd & Conformity Study Directive 2004/38/EC for Bulgaria, July 2008 5/71
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The diplomatic and consular missions (or in exceptional cases, the Border Police) are responsible for
entry visas, where required.
3. Conclusions of the legal analysis of the transposing measures for Directive 2004/38/EC.
The AERD has the same regulative scope and general structure as the Directive. However, the
different requirements within each chapter have not always been transposed with the same amount of
detail, and the sequence of the separate provisions has not been followed strictly. Some of the
requirements under different articles of the Directive have been artificially joined in one national
provision. As a result, in certain cases the natural logic of the regulatory approach has been modified.
At times this makes transposition more difficult to assess.
Non-conformity is dispersed throughout the Directive rather than being limited to one area. Of course,
the transposition errors do not always hold the same significance, or the same severity or practical
consequences. Nevertheless, the figures are indicative of the overall transposition status. They indicate
that transposition lacks the necessary diligence and precision, and reservations are expressed regarding
many of the national provisions.
Without disregarding the significance of non-conformity in the separate provisions, the following
more general conformity issues and recurring problems are indicated:
• A major problem is the imprecision, confusion and substitution of terms. The problem is not
restricted to the terms defined in the Directive. Such is the case with the right of
entry/exit/residence with factual entry/exit/residence, or the documents certifying the right.
Another similar confusion is that of retention of the right of long-term residence by family
members in the specified circumstances and acquisition of the right of permanent residence by
the latter.
Where substitution occurs it changes the sense of the respective provisions. Consequently, the
criteria for entitlement to the right have been substituted with the requirements for the issuing of
the certifying documents. More problematic, however, is that the legal imprecision in the use of
terms has severe practical consequences for the persons concerned, especially regarding
possibilities of legal challenge, since only a refusal to a right or an infringed right and not factual
situations are grounds that can be challenged.
• The non-transposition of articles of the Directive providing derogations from certain

requirements can result in a less favourable situation for the persons concerned, including the
imposition of the most severe sanction – expulsion.
• Yet another important transposition flaw that can have serious practical implications is the non-
transposition of the provided procedural safeguards and some of the envisaged
administrative formalities.
The non-transposition of articles of the Directive, requiring the presentation of certain official
documents places both the concerned persons, as well as competent authorities in an
unfavourable situation. Concerned persons can be misled regarding the formalities to be fulfilled
in prescribed situations, or for acquiring the documents that certify their status in Bulgaria. For
the competent authorities, the omission can have additional practical difficulties in judging
whether a person satisfies the conditions (as envisaged) and is eligible to enjoy the associated
legal rights. There is considerable room for administrative discretion without even legal criteria
to guide them. This leads to varying treatment in equivalent situations. The possibility for
inconsistent enforcement and corruption is real.
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Thus, even in cases where the Directive’s provisions have been correctly and fully transposed,
when the national implementation mechanisms are not in place or are inadequate, the aims and
requirements of the Directive (even those correctly transposed) may not be achieved and
accurate transposition becomes merely academic.
• Of a similar nature and significance are the transposition flaws regarding sanctions. Sanctions
are formulated in a general manner. Sanctions are not defined for all possible infringements nor
are they proportionate to the violations committed, where provided. There is a large range of
fines which do not sufficiently consider the nature and severity of violations.
Providing a separate sanction for “insignificant violations” without defining what constitutes
this allows inconsistent interpretation, implementation and enforcement. The risk of corruption
is high.
The inadequate formulation of the sanctions section also allows administrative discretion in their
individual imposition, not based on legal criteria. This is conducive to inconsistent enforcement
and corruption.
• There are other deficiencies in the law, which do not necessarily constitute a transposition
conformity issue, strictu sensu, despite their affect on practical implementation and
enforcement.
In some provisions indicating CAs, several national bodies are indicated (the Director of the
National Security Service, the Director of the National Police Service, the Director of the State
Refugees Agency) without specifying whether they possess cumulative, shared or distributed
powers.
This imprecision and lack of sufficient clarity in the national transposing provisions can have
two types of practical consequences. It can result in a lack of action on the part of the officials of
all the indicated bodies, since each body/official considers that the other agencies and their
officials, indicated in the provision, should act in the given case. This may result in de facto
limitation or deprivation of rights of the concerned persons. At best it may be restricted to
unwarranted administrative delays until the involved agencies and their official clarify who
should undertake the necessary action.
The other possible consequence is conflict of implementation and enforcement, when each of
the respective agencies and their officials consider themselves as the proper and only competent
authority. In such a case once again there will be unfavourable consequences for the concerned
persons, since the conflict of powers can lead to adoption of several administrative documents
instead of one, which on its part can lead to complicated legal and even judicial disputes all of
which may have a serious negative impact on the concerned person and his rights.
In conclusion, although formal transposition occurred without delay, the result is unsatisfactory and
further legislative efforts are needed to achieve full conformity of the national regime on the
movement and residence of EU citizens and members of their family in Bulgaria with the
requirements of the Directive.
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SUMMARY DATASHEET
1. Transposing legislation
Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and
reside freely within the territory of the Member States was transposed into the national law of Bulgaria
with the adoption of the 2006 Act on the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of the
European Union and Members of their Families on the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria (AERD).
The law is in force as of the date of accession (1 January 2007). There was no delay in transposition.
2. Assessment of the transposition
Despite the adoption of a separate law, exclusively intended for the transposition of the Directive, the
performed assessment has indicated that full and accurate transposition of all requirements has not
been achieved. Certain requirements which have not been fully or accurately transposed are not
indicated as cases of non-conformity since they result in more favourable treatment. Non-conformity
is not concentrated on certain issues, but is dispersed throughout the Directive.
The performed assessment has ascertained the following cases of non-conformity.
a) Incomplete transposition or non-transposition
Incomplete transposition
Art. 2(2)(d) Dependant, direct relatives in the ascending line of the partner are not
mentioned.
Art. 5(2), 3rd part – visa Only the exemption from charges are in conformity. The facilitated
requirement conditions and procedures have not been adopted.
Art. 5(4) - right of entry The national provision transposes the requirement literally, omitting the
qualifications before “opportunity”, “time” and also in respect of “residence”.
Art. 7(1) (c) , 2nd part - right of Omissions concern health insurance and proof of resources.
residence up to 3 months
Art. 8(5) (b) No indication for document attesting registered partnership.
Art. 10(1) – issue of residence Omission regarding the name of the document.
card
Art. 10(2) (b) - issue of There is no explicit requirement for a document attesting a registered
residence card partnership.
Art. 13(2) (c) The transposing provision indicates only domestic violence as a condition for
the retention of the right of residence by family members.
Art. 17(1), last paragraph Omission regarding “periods not worked for reasons not of the person’s own
making”.
Non-transposition
Art. 14(3) – retention of the right of residence Not transposed

Art. 14(4)(a) – retention of the right of residence Not transposed
Art. 14(4)(b) – retention of the right of residence Not transposed
Art. 15(1) – procedural safeguards Not transposed
Art. 17(1)(a), 2nd paragraph Not transposed
Art. 19(2) – administrative formalities (right of Not transposed
permanent residence)
Art. 21 – continuity of residence Not transposed
Art. 29(2) – public health Not transposed
Art. 29(3) – public health Not transposed
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Art. 30(2) – notification of decisions Not transposed
Art. 37 – more favourable national provisions Not transposed
Art. 40 (1), 2nd part There is no reference to the Directive in the AERD
b) Incorrect or imprecise/ambiguous transposition
Incorrect transposition or imprecise/ambiguous
Art. 4 (2) – prohibition of exit visa requirement Ambiguous requirement in respect of family members
who are not nationals of a MS.
Art. 5 (2) – visa requirement It is not clear that only an entry visa can be required.
Art. 6(1) – residence for up to three months Extension of the three month period for jobseekers is
not transposed.
Art. 7(1)(a) – right of residence for more than 3 There is substitution of terms: “right of residence”
months has been substituted with “resides”) The conditions
for the acquisition of the right of residence are mixed
up with the documents required for the issue of the
residence certificates/cards.
Art. 11(1) - validity of residence cards No validity of the residence card is provided for.
Art. 11(2) – validity of residence cards There is confusion of the validity card with the
duration of long-term residence.
Art. 12 (3) – retention of right of residence of children Cover is limited only to present educational stage
enrolled in educational establishment
Art. 13 (1) - retention of the right of residence by The retention of the right of residence in such cases is
family members in the event of divorce, annulment of subjected to additional requirements.
marriage or termination of registered partnership
Art. 13(1), 2nd part – retention of the right of residence The retention of the right of long-term residence is
by family members in the event of divorce, annulment subject to conditions, which should be met for
of marriage or termination of registered partnership acquisition of the right of permanent residence. Thus
an additional, illegitimate requirement is set.
Art. 16(1) – general rule for Union citizens and their This national provision joins the requirements under
family members (right of permanent residence) art. 16 and 17 of the Directive, integrating the
exemptions into the general rule and making the right
of permanent residence, subject to additional
cumulative conditions, which the Directive excludes
explicitly, referring to Chapter III. This contradicts the
Directive and leads to less favourable treatment.
Art. 16(4) - general rule for Union citizens and their The national provision substitutes the “right of
family members (right of permanent residence) permanent residence” with a “certificate of permanent
residence”, and instead of automatic loss of the right
of residence in the indicated circumstances, it implies
explicit administrative action.
Art. 17(1)(a) – exemptions for persons no longer The joining of the requirements under art. 16 and 17
working in the host MS and their family members of the Directive (integrating the exemptions into the
general rule) leads to a contradiction.
Art. 17(1)(b) - exemptions for persons no longer There is provision for cumulative temporal and
working in the host MS and their family members material conditions, which is contradictory.
Art. 17(1)(c) - exemptions for persons no longer The material conditions have been correctly
working in the host MS and their family members transposed but there are in fact two periods: the
correct one of 3 years and an incorrect one of 5 years.
Art. 25(1) – general provisions concerning residence Since the residence certificate and card are indicated
documents as the only documents certifying the right of
residence, in the absence of an explicit prohibition,
they may be required as a precondition for the
exercise of a right or the completion of an
administrative formality.
Art. 27(2) – requirements in respect of measures taken The indication in respect of previous criminal
on grounds of public policy or public security convictions is missing, so such convictions could be used
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as sole ground for such measures.
Art. 28 (2) – restriction for expulsion decision Serious grounds of public policy or public security as
grounds has been substituted with real threat.
Art. 28 (3) –restriction of grounds for an expulsion “Imperative grounds” has been substituted with “exceptional
decision cases” which makes transposition ambiguous.
Art. 30(3) - notification In the transposing provision, “duly substantiated cases
of urgency” has been substituted with “continues to
jeopardize the national security, social order or public
health”.
Art. 32 (1) –duration of exclusion orders The substantial requirement applies not only to
exclusion orders, but to any other coercive
administrative measure, imposed on national security
with 3 years duration.
Art. 32 (2) The lack of indication that the measures are imposed
while an application is considered significantly widens
the scope of application, and places concerned persons
in a less favourable situation by generalising the
prohibitions.
Art. 36 – sanctions Transposition is incorrect regarding the requirement of
proportionality of sanctions.
Both incomplete and incorrect transposition
Article 2(2)(c) -definitions: the direct descendants or Another substantial difference is in respect of the
dependants and those of the spouse or partner – spouse. Instead of envisaging spouses (as in the case
incorrect and incomplete transposition. of the EU citizen him or herself) as members of the
family to be treated as the spouse’s direct
descendants/dependants, the provision introduces a
somewhat different criteria - an heir of the spouse.
Another difference is the omission in respect of

descendants/dependants of the partner.
Art. 7(1)(b) – right of residence for more than 3 Regarding resources, EU citizens and members of
months their family have to dispose of resources that are over
a specified minimum.
Regarding health insurance, there is no indication that

it should be “comprehensive”. Another omission is the
lack of indication that the health insurance should give
cover in Bulgaria.
Art. 8(3), 1st indent – administrative formalities for The national provision unites the different cases under
Union citizens the indents in a single article without differentiating
them in a sufficiently clear manner. It also mixes up
the cases (under the indents) with the conditions
subject to proof. The ultimate result is confusing.
Art. 8(3), 3rd indent - administrative formalities for The obligation to require only a declaration is
Union citizens correctly transposed by the legislation. The wording
however is imprecise. Given the structure of the
provision it could be understood that the declaration
only refers to the resources whereas for the other
conditions (enrolment and sickness insurance),
documentary evidence will be needed.
Art. 8(4) - sufficient resources The national provision contradicts the Directive’s
imperative prohibition to lay down a fixed amount as
“sufficient resources”. There is no indication that the
criteria mentioned in the Directive are to be taken into
consideration.
Art. 12(1) – retention of the right of residence by The transposition is not correct since it subjects the
family members in the event of death or departure of retention of the right of long-term residence to
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the Union citizen conditions, which should be met for acquisition of the
right of permanent residence.
At the same time, there is no indication regarding the

acquisition of the right of permanent residence.
Art. 13(2)(a) - retention of the right of residence by The indication that the 3-year duration of the
family members in the event of divorce, annulment of marriage/partnership must be counted prior to
marriage or termination of registered partnership initiation of the respective proceedings is missing.
This omission may create legal uncertainty. This
renders the transposition not only incomplete, but also
incorrect.
Art. 13(2) (d), 2nd part – retention of right of residence BG has introduced additional conditions, not
envisaged under the Directive.
There is no reference to being a member of a family

already constituted in MS.
Art. 14(2) – retention of the right of residence The national provision deals with the revocation of the
right of residence, instead of its retention. Unlike the
retention of the right of residence which occurs
automatically, revocation implies an act of the
competent authority. Only some of the possible cases
have been transposed.
Art. 19(1) – document certifying permanent residence The substantial part of the provision is transposed.
for Union citizens However, there are two significant omissions: there is
no indication that the residence document is to be
issued “upon application” (which transfers the
initiative from the citizen to the national authority),
and constitutes at the same time incorrect
transposition, which can create significant
implementation difficulties.
The second omission is the absence of the requirement

that the residence document will be issued “after
having verified duration of residence”.
Art. 27(1) – restrictions on the right of entry and the Though the provision is discretionary, it has been
right of residence on grounds of public policy, public transposed. The national provision has substituted
security or public health (general principles) “freedom of movement” with “right of entry”. Thus,
concerned persons are placed in a less favourable
situation.
The reference to public policy and public security is

omitted. Instead, there is reference to national security
and public order as grounds for restriction.
The indication that the specified grounds “shall not be

invoked to serve economic ends” is missing.
Art. 27(2), 2nd part – restrictions on the right of entry The explicit requirement that the conduct of the
and the right of residence on grounds of public policy, concerned person must represent a “genuine, present
public security or public health (general principles) and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the
fundamental interests of society” has not been
transposed. Thus, any threat could be used as
justification for restrictions.
The national provision envisages the imposition of

restriction measures “exclusively on the conduct of
the person”. The clarification, prohibiting
“justifications, isolated from the concerned case or
based on general prevention considerations” has been
omitted.
Art. 27(3) – restrictions on the right of entry and the Instead of information concerning any previous police
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right of residence on grounds of public policy, public record of the person, the national provision envisages
security or public health (general principles) “an inquiry whether he constitutes a threat to the
national security or social order”, which widens the
scope and places the concerned persons in a less
favourable position.
There is no indication, that an inquiry could be

requested not only from the state of origin of the
person, but also from any other MS, which restricts
the possibilities of the host state to obtain all available
information for its decision.
There is yet another omission – no time limit is

indicated for the reply of the consulted state.
Art. 29(1) – public health The indicated justification does not concern measures
restricting freedom, but revoking the right of
residence. This is a more stringent requirement and
constitutes incorrect transposition, placing the
concerned persons in a less favourable position.
There is no reference to the other diseases that are

subject to protection provisions applying to nationals.
Art. 30(1) – notification of decisions Not explicitly provided for, but it could be considered
that the requirement is taken into consideration in the
provision on the right to judicial review. The lack of a
notification requirement can lead to restrictions of the
right of challenge, since late notification can shorten
the indicated period for challenge.
The provision has no indication on the

comprehensibility of the notification.
The transposing paragraph provides 2 possible

alternatives – written or oral notification, leaving the
discretion of choice to the official. This very
possibility is in contradiction of the explicit
requirement of the Directive and does not guarantee
that the notification has been performed.
c) Minor instances of non-conformity
No instances of non-conformity could be considered as minor.
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ABBREVIATIONS USED
AERD Act on the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of the European Union and
Members of their Families on the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria
BGN Bulgarian lev (1 lev = 1.95 EURO)
CA Competent authority
EU European Union
ID Identity document
MS Member State
The Directive Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members
to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member-States
Art. Article
p. point
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1 INTRODUCTION
This conformity study analyses in detail the provisions of Directive 2004/38/EC on the free movement
of EU citizens in its consolidated version, and it compares it with the legislation in place in Bulgaria.
Directive 2004/38/EC repealed the earlier directives on free movement of persons (Directives
64/221/EEC, 68/360/EEC, 72/194/EEC, 73/148/EEC, 75/34/EEC, 75/35/EEC, 90/364/EEC,
90/365/EEC and 93/96/EEC) as from 30 April 2006.
EU citizenship gives every Union citizen the right to move and to reside freely within the territory of
the Member States. The facilitation and promotion of this right, which is at the same time one of the
fundamental freedoms of the internal market, is the objective of Directive 2004/38/EC. A second
objective of Directive 2004/38/EC was to codify and review the various pieces of legislation and case-
law dealing with this issue.
Free movement as a fundamental freedom of the internal market
Free movement is one of the fundamental freedoms of the internal market and can therefore only be
restricted in a limited number of pre-determined circumstances. Thus, national legislation cannot adopt
more restrictive legislation than provided for in the Directive.
Directive 2004/38/EC introduces, on the one hand, a uniform approach regarding the formalities that
Member States can impose upon EU citizens residing in their territory. These formalities are expressly
established in the Directive and restricted in function of the duration of the stay in the Member States.
• For a stay of less than three months, the only formality a Member State can impose is the
presentation of a valid passport or national identity card.
• For residence of more than three months, a Member State can only require the EU citizen to register
in the population register of the place of residence. This registration needs to be validated
immediately if a certain number of conditions are complied with. The Member State can only
require the EU citizen to present proof that he/she is a worker, self-employed person, student or has
sufficient resources not to become a burden upon the social security system of the Member State.
Member States cannot lay down a fixed amount of what they consider to be “sufficient resources”,
but must always take into account the personal situation of the person concerned. Family members
of the EU citizen will have to present an identity document and proof of the family link to an EU
citizen.
• After five years of continuous residence in a Member State, an EU citizen obtains a right to
permanent residence. The host Member State shall issue a document certifying permanent
residence. A permanent resident has the right to be treated equally to a national of the Member
State.
On the other hand, the Directive also determines and clarifies the only acceptable reasons for
restriction of the free movement of citizens by Member State authorities, namely for reasons of public
order, public security and public health. (For the interpretation and conditions of such exceptions, it is
important to rely upon the case-law of the Court of Justice.)
These measures guarantee a strong protection against expulsion for EU citizens who have been long-
term residents in another Member State. Such measures need to be proportionate and shall always look
at the personal conduct of the individual concerned which must represent a “genuine, present and
sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society”. In addition, the
Directive establishes some procedural safeguards in case an expulsion decision is considered.
1.1 OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN BULGARIA
Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. The 240-seat National Assembly, or Parliament, is vested with
the legislative power and exercises parliamentary control of the executive power. It has a unicameral
structure.
The executive power belongs to the Council of Ministers, which is the Government of the country. It
consists of Vice Prime Ministers and 21 Ministers, and is chaired by the Prime Minister. The National
Assembly elects the proposed Council of Ministers and exercises parliamentary control on its
activities.
The judiciary is independent and is based on a three instance procedure. It consists of a Supreme
Cassation Court, Supreme Administrative Court, Courts of Appeal, and Regional, District,
Administrative and Military Courts. The Constitutional Court pronounces imperative interpretations of
the Constitution and rulings on the constitutionality of passed legislation.
The country is administratively divided into 28 regions and 262 municipalities. Respectively, there are
regional and local governments (legislative) and administration (executive) bodies.
The legal system is based upon the continental system of codification, legislation constituting a
hierarchical system, headed by the Constitution. Laws provide primary regulation of social relations in
different spheres. Sub-legislative acts (structural/implementation rules, regulations), or secondary
legislation, are adopted by the Council of Ministers or the individual Ministries, other central
government and local government institutions for the implementation of the laws or parts thereof. All
legislation is promulgated in the State Gazette.
An explicit provision of the Constitution [art.5(4)] provides that international treaties, which have
been ratified, promulgated and are in force for Bulgaria, are directly part of internal law and have
priority over national legislation that is in contradiction with it.
Administrative orders, methodologies, instructions, standards and tariffs may be issued for the
practical implementation of adopted legislation where necessary.
Court judgments are not recognised as formal sources of law, but they serve interpretation purposes.
1.2 FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPOSITION & IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC

IN BULGARIA
1.2.1 Distribution of competences according to the national Constitution
There is no explicit provision in the Constitution on the entry and residence of citizens of the
European Union, respectively the competent authorities on these matters.
The competent authorities are indicated in the sectoral law, adopted for the purpose of transposition of
the Directive – the 2006 Act on the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of the European
Union and Members of their Families of the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria (as amended).
Additional specifying rules are included in the Ministry of Interior Act.
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1.2.2 General description of organisation of national authorities implementing
Directive 2004/38/EC
The National Police Service, as a constituent unit of the Ministry of Interior, is vested with the
competencies, relevant for the entry and residence of EU citizens and members of their family in
Bulgaria. It consists of the General Police Directorate and respectively Regional Police Directorates
for each of the 28 administrative-territorial regions of the country.
As a specialised investigation and security service, the National Police Service carries out the
protection of the state borders and compliance with the border regime by performing passport and visa
controls and checking the validity of the respective documents: counteraction to illegal migration and
people trafficking.
Entry visas, required in specified cases, are issued by the diplomatic and consular missions, and in
exceptional cases, by the Border Police. In such cases the preliminary consent of the Consular
Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorates, responsible for the
administrative control of Foreigners at the Ministry of Interior, is mandatory.
The National Police Service also performs the overall administrative control on the residence of
foreigners (including EU citizens) in Bulgaria.
It is responsible for the issuing of permissions and the envisaged certifying documents: long term and
permanent residence certificates for EU citizens and cards for the members of their families, who are
not nationals of EU Member States.
The National Police Service is also responsible for investigating violations of the prescribed legal
requirements, imposing the administrative coercion measures (revocation of the right of residence,
expulsion, and prohibition of entry), their implementation and enforcement.
Due to imprecise coordination between the relevant legislation in force there is conflicting spheres of
operation between Ministries and Directorates. The conflicting legislation is the Act on the Entrance,
Residence and Departure of Citizens of the European Union and the Members of their Families of the
Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Interior Act (for the powers of the competent
authority).The former legislation envisages competent constituent units of the Ministry of Interior,
such as the Migration Directorate (for the implementation of administrative coercion measures), which
no longer exists,2 and no other directorate has assumed its responsibilities either on paper or in
practice. The necessary amendment to the relevant provisions of the Act on the Entrance, Residence
and Departure of Citizens of the European Union and Members of their Families of the Territory of
the Republic of Bulgaria has not been performed in order to eliminate the inconsistency between the
two acts. This could result in implementation and enforcement difficulties.
In addition to the bodies indicated above, which have exclusive competence and responsibility for the
implementation and enforcement of the requirements of the Directive, all central government and local
bodies may exercise certain powers in the sphere of their competence. This is because according to the
explicit provision of the Constitution (reiterated in AERD) EU citizens and members of their family
have all the rights and obligations under Bulgarian law, except those explicitly reserved only for
Bulgarian nationals.
2
This Directorate has been eliminated from the internal structure of the Ministry (with the subsequent
amendments, undertaken after the adoption of the Act on the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of
the European Union and Members of their Families of the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria), without
explicit indication which internal unit of the Ministry (or other body) assumes its functions.
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2 LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSPOSING MEASURES FOR DIRECTIVE
2004/38/EC
The Directive was transposed into the national law of Bulgaria with the adoption of the 2006 Act on
the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of the European Union and Members of their
Families on the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria (AERD). The law came into force as of the date
of accession (1 January 2007). The adoption of a new national legislative act presents the best
alternative for complete and correct transposition.
Other national legislative acts (Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, Bulgarian Identity
Documents Act), though not directly transposing the requirements of the Directive, are also of
relevance for the interpretation, implementation and enforcement of certain of its requirements.
At the same time, it should be stressed that the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act3 does not
distinguish foreigners-EU citizens from all other foreigners. The AERD does not explicitly exclude the
application of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act to the regulated beneficiaries nor does
the latter specify that foreigners falling in the regulative scope of the AERD are excluded from its
scope of regulation. As a result, possible conflicts of law and disputes on the applicable law can arise
in connection with the interpretation, implementation and enforcement of certain requirements, as well
as restriction of rights or imposition of obligations in contradiction to the Directive. This is most likely
to occur in respect of non-transposed, or incompletely transposed requirements of the Directive
regarding family members, who are not nationals of EU MS, so the more detailed rules of the
Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act may be applied instead.
Of course, in cases of conflict, the lex specialis rule would apply, giving priority to the AERD.
However, since the implementing and enforcing CA in respect of each of these laws do not collaborate
fully (the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Labour and Social
Policy are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Foreigners in the Republic of
Bulgaria Act, while for the implementation and enforcement of the AERD the CA is the National
Police Service), the rule may not be followed consistently.
General horizontal legislation such as the Administrative Procedure Code is applicable on procedural
matters and access to justice.
The AERD has the same regulative scope and general structure as the Directive. However, the
different requirements within each chapter have not always been transposed with the same amount of
detail and the sequence of the separate provisions has not been reproduced strictly. Different
requirements under the Directive have been artificially united in a single provision of the AERD. As a
result, in certain cases the natural logic of the regulative approach has been modified. This makes
transposition more difficult to asses at times.
Despite the adoption of the AERD, quite a number of requirements (articles or parts thereof as
separated in the Table of Conformity) of the Directive have not been transposed, or transposition is
incorrect or incomplete (or both). Of course, the different requirements are not with the same
significance. Nor are the flaws, due to incomplete or incorrect transposition of the same severity or
with the same practical consequences. Nevertheless, the figures are indicative of the overall
transposition status. They indicate also that transposition has not been performed with the necessary
diligence and precision and reservations can be expressed regarding the predominant part of the
national provisions.
3
In December 2006 a draft amendment of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act was prepared by the
Council of Ministers and submitted to the National Assembly. It explicitly excludes EU citizens from the scope
of foreigners. As yet, however, the proposed amendments have not been adopted.
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In order to give a more substantial picture of the quality of the transposition, the situation is as
follows:
2.1 Definitions, family members and beneficiaries
Definitions: the concept of family members (Article 2)
• Article 2(2)(a): “the spouse” - effective transposition.
The Family Code has no explicit definition of “marriage”. Only civil marriage can have the legal
consequences of marriage. Religious marriage is possible only after the civil marriage, but has no legal
consequences.
Same sex marriages are not possible.
• Article 2(2)(b): the partner with whom the Union citizen has contracted a registered
partnership – more favourable.
The transposing provision does not use the term “partner”. Instead it provides for “a person, who has a
factual co-habitation” with an EU citizen. In fact, the definition does not make a distinction between
the two forms of partnership: registered partnership (formal), as indicated and defined in the present
article of the Directive, and the partnership, constituting a duly attested durable relationship (informal)
under art. 3(2)(b).
There is no mention that such factual co-habitation should be registered in the respective member
State, if its legislation so requires. There is no explicit provision that factual co-habitation is treated as
equivalent to marriage. Nor does the Family Code have provisions on “factual co-habitation” being
legally equivalent to marriage.
In fact the above omissions provide for a more favourable treatment of partners as partners in a factual
cohabitation are treated as family members whereas the Directive treats them under Article 3.2,
requiring a facilitation of their entry and residence.
This opinion is confirmed by the answers of the CAs to the questionnaire. However, the indicated
provision of the AERD in fact treats marriage and cohabitation as equivalent for the purpose of free
movement and residence. Thus, spouses and partners have the same rights and obligations. The above
omissions provide for a more favourable treatment of partners.
The national legislation does not provide for same sex marriages. The Family Code (art. 7) explicitly
stipulates that marriage is concluded by mutual consent between a man and a woman. Same sex
marriages, as in other MS, would not be treated as equivalent to marriage for the purposes of this
article. No reasons for non-recognition are indicated, due to the explicit definition of marriage as a
legal relationship between persons of different sex. There is no available information on the
interpretation of a factual cohabitation in Bulgarian law, or what is required for a couple to be
considered as in a factual cohabitation, nor any minimum duration.
In their answers to the questionnaire on the issue, the CAs confirmed that the Family Code does not
envisage registered partnership as a form of factual cohabitation in respect to Bulgarian nationals.
However, partnerships registered in accordance with the legislation of EU MSs are recognised as
equal to marriage and are fully entitled to the same rights and obligations.
• Article 2(2)(c): the direct descendants or dependants and those of the spouse or partner –
incorrect and incomplete transposition.
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There is a substantial difference in respect of the descendants/dependants of the spouse. Instead of
treating (as in the case of the EU citizen him or herself) the spouse’s direct descendants/dependants as
members of the family, the provision uses another term when referring to the descendants/dependants
of the spouse – an “heir” of the spouse.
According to Bulgarian inheritance law, there are 2 categories of heirs:
• by law (blood relatives in the following order: descendants, ascendants, brothers and sisters; the
children of the latter. Each order inherits only in the case of absence of the preceding. Heirs by
law have a reserved quota of the inheritance).
• by testament (in this category both blood relatives, as well as persons, without any blood
connection to the testator are permitted. Inheritance by testament is possible if there are no heirs
by law, or if such exist – only for the so-called “disposable” part of the inheritance, not included
in the reserved quota).
Thus, the sense is substantially changed and does not conform to the Directive’s definition and spirit
since in addition to the direct descendants, it can include also (or only) persons who are not direct
descendants or family members. This, however, should not be a problem since it allows more persons
to be covered, thus providing more favourable treatment.
The problem with the transposition arises when, by testament, the children are not heirs to the spouse.
In that case, they lose their right to enter and reside in Bulgaria. This is the reason why transposition
should be considered incorrect.
Another difference is the omission in respect of descendants/dependants of the partner. It could be

argued, that since the country has included partners in the definition of family member, then mutatis
mutandis descendants and dependents of the partner are included. But since the Directive has indicated
them explicitly, they should also be indicated in the transposing national provision.
For this reason the omission constitutes a transposition gap and the scope of application is more
restricted than that of the Directive’s provision.
In the answers to the questionnaire submitted by the CAs, it is specified that dependants are those
persons, who receive material support, or are members of the household of the EU citizen. No explicit
legal provisions in this respect are indicated and nor are relevant documents as proof of the status of a
dependant.
• Article 2(2)(d): the dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or
partner – incomplete transposition.
Dependant direct relatives in the ascending line of the partner are not mentioned. The same arguments
as in the article above are applicable here.
• Article 2.3 – “Host Member State” - not transposed.
This should not, however, be considered as incomplete transposition since it is obvious that whenever
the term “host Member State” is used, it should be understood to mean Bulgaria.
Definition discrepancies, even when due to seemingly minor imprecision, differences or omissions,
can affect the transposition status not only of the respective term to which a definition applies. Usually
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the consequences are much more serious and affect all provisions where the term appears and can
impact the whole regulative approach and the contents of envisaged rights and obligations.
Beneficiaries and facilitation of the right of entry and residence (Article 3)
• Beneficiaries of the Directive
There is no explicit provision indicating the beneficiaries under the law. However, the latter are
indicated in the article that defines the general scope of the law.
The specification that the rules apply only to those family members who accompany or join the EU
citizen is missing. Though an omission, the legislation provides for more favourable treatment since it
applies to the specified family members, but also those who may be e.g. travelling alone, or
entering/residing in the country without the EU citizen.
The omission should not be considered as a gap or incorrect transposition. Indeed, it is a more
favourable treatment.
Regarding Bulgarian nationals, they are not explicitly excluded from the scope of the law. Since the
Bulgarian nationals are also EU citizens, presumably they should be covered by the rights granted by
the Directive when they return to Bulgaria after having worked or having been self-employed in
another Member State. Of course this would apply only to those rights, which differ from their rights
as Bulgarian nationals. Such would be the case of family members of Bulgarian nationals, who are not
EU citizens.
• Transposition in relation to other family members
As formulated in the national provision, this category of family members are de facto awarded the
same status as the explicitly indicated family members under art. 2(2) of the Directive. This changes
the whole meaning of the provision since there is no indication that in this case the obligation of the
host state is restricted to facilitate entry and residence of the latter. This in fact provides for more
favourable treatment, since it results in the granting of the right itself, and not simply facilitation.
It should be noted also that the reference in the transposing provision excludes only family members
under § 1 "а" (spouse/partner), instead of all the persons (i.e. “b” – descendants, and “c” –
“ascendants”) indicated in the Directive. This omission constitutes a transposition gap. The result of
this omission is that the provision incorrectly covers dependants, descendants and ascendants, instead
of only dependants (the last two categories fall under art. 3(1) of the Directive). Although without
practical consequences, the imprecise drafting de facto provides treatment of descendants and
ascendants (when they are dependants) under different provisions.
It should be noted that in the answers to the questionnaire submitted by the CAs it is correctly
indicated that there is no explicit definition or interpretation of “facilitation”. The AERD introduces an
alleviated regime for the movement and residence of EU citizens and members of their families in
comparison to that under the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act. There is no available
information on any explicit additional implementation guidance in this regard. It is also specified that
in addition to EU citizens and members of their families, also the nationals of the states, parties to
European Economic Area Agreement and Swiss nationals entitled to this facilitation.
The envisaged regime of free movement and residence is the same for members of the family and the
persons with registered partnerships.
The national legislation does not differentiate between registered partner (art. 2(2)(b) of the Directive)
and duly attested partnership (under the present article). The same treatment is provided for the two
types of partnership.
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In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicated that there are no provisions explicitly concerned
with the durability of the relationship. Durability is understood as the registered partnership. A formal
declaration certified by a notary is accepted as proof of factual cohabitation.
• Examination of the personal circumstances
There is effective transposition of the examination requirement in respect of persons under “a” and “b”
(members of the extended family and partner in a durable relationship).
The additional indication in respect of the right of challenge does not constitute a transposition flaw
but rather provides additional clarification.
2.2 Rights of exit and entry (Articles 4-5)
Right of exit (Article 4)
Article 4 grants a general right of exit to Union citizens and family members, provided they have the
required identity card or passport. Member States are also required to issue to their own nationals, and
renew, an identity card or passport.
Article 4.1 determines more specifically that Union citizens shall be allowed to exit a Member State
with a valid identity card or passport and their non-EU family members with a valid passport. In
respect to EU citizens (and family members, nationals of a MS) the transposition of Article 4.1 is
incomplete since the requirement of validity of the identity card or passport is missing.
It could be argued that in principle when a certain document is required by law, it should be valid. An
additional argument may be that identity documents always indicate the term of validity, so explicit
indication of validity in the law is not necessary. On the basis of this argument, it would be claimed
that there is no transposition gap.
The omission is due to imprecise drafting and not in order to take into account the possibility allowing
citizens (of the Council of Europe countries) to move freely with an expired identity document.
Pointing out the requirement of validity explicitly can prevent disputes in respect of legal deficiencies
(not only duration) of documents and would make certain justifications for refusal and their challenge
clearer. In accordance with the opinion expressed by the European Commission, the omission does not
render the transposition as not fully in accordance or incomplete
Article 4.2 expressly prohibits imposing an exit visa on Union citizens and their family members. In
respect of EU citizens there is no visa requirement in Bulgarian legislation. Accordingly, transposition
is correct.
In respect of family members of EU citizens who are not nationals of a MS, contrary to the Directive’s
provision the possession of a valid passport does not suffice and a visa is required. The imprecise
wording of the provision means that both types of visas could be required, however, in practice only
entrance and not exit visas are required in such cases, so ultimately there is no inconformity.
Reg-Visas is only for entry visas of the citizens of the indicated countries.
• ID and passport for Bulgarian nationals – effective transposition
Article 4.3 requires Member States to issue and renew identity cards or passports for their own
citizens. This Article was effectively transposed by Bulgaria. A specimen of an identity card of
Bulgarian nationals has been submitted together with the answers of the CAs to the questionnaire.
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Foreign citizens are issued the following documents in accordance with the BIDA:
• foreigner long-term residence card, issued by the Ministry of Interior with a validity of 1 year;
• foreigner permanent residence card, issued by the Ministry of Interior with a validity depending
on the validity of the national passport, with which the person has entered Bulgaria;
• long-term residence card of member of the family of a EU citizen, issued by the Ministry of
Interior with a validity up to 5 years;
• permanent residence card of member of the family of a EU citizen, issued by the Ministry of
Interior with a validity up to 10 years;
• refugee card, issued by the Ministry of Interior with a validity up to 5 years;
• provisional foreigner card, issued by the Ministry of Interior to persons, whose national identity
documents have been taken in cases, provided by law;
• card of a foreigner with humanitarian status, issued by the Ministry of Interior with a validity up
to 3 years;
• card of a foreigner, accredited as official in a diplomatic or consular mission or international
organization, issued by the Ministry if Foreign Affairs with a validity the duration of
accreditation
Specimens of all the above indicated documents have been submitted with the answers of the CAs to
the questionnaire.
Article 4.4 also specifies that a passport should be valid for all Member States (as a minimum) and for
at least 5 years. There is no explicit provision in the BIDA. However, all passports issued have an
explicit inscription of validity for all countries.
Right of entry (Article 5)
Article 5 provides a general right of entry for Union citizens and family members and determines the
formalities that can be imposed upon them to verify their identity and status.
Article 5(1) grants Union citizens the right to enter the territory of another Member State with a valid
identity card or passport. Their family members also have the right to enter another Member State,
with a valid passport. The article is effectively transposed.
The transposing provision has substituted “right of entry” with “enters and leaves”. The reference not
only to entry, but to entry and exit should not be treated as incorrect transposition, since it in fact
follows the title of the Directive’s chapter.
However, factual entry and exit is not the same as right of entry/exit, since the former can occur
without possession of the latter. Since this is probably due to imprecise drafting (the law refers to
“right” of entry/exit – art. 5(1)), ultimately the consequences of the exercise of the right and factual
entry/exit are the same, so the imprecision should not be treated as an incorrect transposition.
In line with Articles 5(1) and 5(2) of the Directive, the possession of a valid passport does not suffice
in Bulgaria. A visa is required, when such is envisaged for the respective country.
In response to the Questionnaire regarding the treatment of family members wishing to join the EU
citizen and those accompanying them, the CAs indicate that the national legislation provides the same
treatment for both.
Article 5(1) also specifies that no visa requirement can be imposed on Union citizens. In the
transposing legislation, there is no explicit prohibition in respect of a visa or equivalent formality.
Since AERD, art. 4(1) explicitly indicates the possession of an identity card or passport as sufficient
entry requirements, a contrario the lack of an explicit visa provision, excluding the requirement of a
visa or equivalent formality, should not be considered as a transposition gap.
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Article 5(2) allows Member States to require an entry visa for non-EU family members of a Union
citizen, in accordance with Regulation 539/2001. However, it prohibits any such visa requirement for
these family members as of the moment they have a valid residence card and present it at the border
control. Bulgaria is not yet part of the Schengen area. The Reg-Visas integrates the provisions of the
Regulation.
In addition the transposing legislation exempts persons having a residence card from the visa
obligation. There is a minor gap in the transposition, relating to the validity of the residence card.
However, in view of the European Commission, this does not affect the overall conformity of the
transposition.
• Visa facilitation for family members of a Union citizen (Articles 5(2), last intend and 5(4))
Although the substantial requirement of Article 5(2) is transposed, the transposition is considered as
ambiguous. It is not expressly written in the legislation that only an entry visa can be requested, and
not any other types of visa. The Reg-Visas does not refer explicitly to “entry visa”, but envisages 6
types of visas:
1. airport transfer (visa "А");

2. transit (visa "В");
3. short-term residence (visa "С");
4. group visa;
5. long-term (виза вид "D");
6. issued at the airport.
The short-term and long-term visas are equivalent to an entry visa. There are no exit visas.
Since in the provision of the AERD itself it is not clear what type of visa that can be required, there is
no legal guarantee that only an entry visa can be requested from family members of EU citizens, and
therefore transposition is ambiguous.
In response to the questionnaire asking which documents are accepted for the purpose of derogation
from the visa requirement, the CAs confirm that all 4 types of specified cards are recognised by the
Bulgarian authorities. Regarding the issue of facilitation of family members to obtain entry visas, the
CAs specify that there is no explicit legal provision. However, the administrative practice has affirmed
a facilitated procedure for the purpose; no fees are charged for the processing of the documentation
and the issue of the visa. However, no visa is required if the family member possesses a residence card
in a MS. The usual time for the issuing of a visa is 5 working days.
Regarding the differences in the procedure for the issuing of entry visas to family members of EU
citizens and nationals of third states who do not possess the right of free movement and residence, it is
specified that family members of EU citizens are exempted from processing and issuing charges as
well as the indicated exemption of the visa requirement if they possess a residence card in EU MS.
For the issue of a long-term residence visa the applicant should submit the following documents:
• 2 application forms;
• a valid travel document;
• a photocopy of the pages of the passport indicating the personal data and received visas, and/or
a photocopy of possessed residence permits; and
• 2 photographs.
When an EU citizen or member of the family, who is not a national of a MS, does not possess the
necessary documents, before undertaking action for non-admission, they are given the possibility to
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obtain the necessary documents or to certify by other means that the possess the right of free
movement.
The national provision transposes the requirement of Article 5(4) to grant a person every reasonable
opportunity to obtain the necessary documents for entering the Member State before turning them
back, literally, with the following omissions:
• the phrase “every reasonable” before “opportunity”;
• the phrase “within a reasonable period of time” after “or have them brought to them”; and
• “residence” at the end of the provision.
In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs specified that when an EU citizen or member of the
family, who is not a national of a MS, does not possess the necessary documents, before undertaking
action for non-admission, they are given the possibility to obtain the necessary documents or to certify
by other means that they possess the right of free movement.
• Reporting presence in the Member State (Article 5(5))
Since this paragraph of the Directive states that the MS may require the person concerned to report
his or her presence within the territory, it has a discretionary nature. The non-transposition could be
interpreted that Bulgaria has waived such a right and the possibility to impose sanctions in these cases.
Consequently, since not required in Bulgaria, it creates a more favourable regime for concerned
persons. It has been confirmed by the answers of the CAs in the questionnaire that there is no
obligation to address registration of any of the beneficiaries under the AERD.
2.3 Right of residence
2.3.1 Right of residence for up to three months (Article 6)
Article 6 grants an initial right of residence for up to three months without any conditions except
holding a valid identity card or passport.
• Union citizens (Article 6(1)) – incorrect transposition
In the transposing provision, “right of residence” has been substituted with “resides”. Like in the case
of “right of entry”, though probably due to imprecise drafting or translation, “right of residence” and
“resides” are not the same thing: a person can factually reside without possessing the right of
residence. Since ultimately the consequences of the exercise of the right and factual entry/exit are the
same, the imprecision should not be treated as incorrect transposition. (See comments to art. 5(1)
supra.)
The omission concerning the absence of reference that residence is to be granted “without any
conditions or any formalities” should not be considered as a transposition gap, since if the article only
requires possession of passport or ID then a contrario there are no other formalities.
The special treatment of jobseekers, in line with ECJ case Antonissen, extending their right of
unconditional residence to six months before they will be required to demonstrate that they have
genuine changes of a job has not been transposed.
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• Non EU family members (Article 6(2)) – effective transposition.
Here too residence is considered as a fact and not a right (see art. 5(1) and 6(1) supra), and the
reference to validity of the passport is missing (see art. 4(1) and 5(1) supra).
The Directive’s provision is applicable to family members who are not nationals of a Member State
only when “accompanying or joining the Union citizen”. Consequently, if alone, they could not
exercise the right of residence holding only a valid passport. Their right of residence is of a secondary
nature and can be exercised under the specified conditions only when they accompany/join the EU
citizen of whose family they are members. But, since this in fact creates a more favourable treatment,
it should not be considered as incorrect transposition (see comments to art. 3(1) supra).
2.3.2 Right of residence for more than three months (Article 7-13)
a) General conditions under Article 7
Article 7 specifies the different conditions for the right of residence of EU citizens and members of
their families for more than three months: for EU citizens - employment, sufficient resources,
education, health insurance; for family members – to accompany or join the EU citizen, who fulfils the
conditions.
• Workers or self-employed persons (Article 7(1)(a) )- incorrect transposition.
The material circumstances of point (a) are transposed.
Like in the case of the transposition of art. 5(1) and 6(1) of the Directive, in the present case “right of
residence” has been substituted with “resides” (see the comments to art. 5(1) and 6(1) supra).
There is also further imprecision: the conditions for the acquisition of the right of residence are mixed
with those concerning the documents, required for the issue of the residence certificates/cards.
Consequently, the material conditions of Article 7(1)(a) [as well as (b), (c) and (d)] have been
transposed but not as conditions for the right of residence, but as conditions for the issue of a
certificate of long-term residence. This means that the fact itself of a person who is working or is self-
employed (even in violation of the existing legislation) gives rise to a right of residence.
The right of residence is granted to a person who is a worker or self-employed. Once the person fulfils
the conditions, the person is entitled to receive the certificate. Although ultimately the result is the
same, it is an imprecise legal text, which constitutes incorrect transposition.
• The concept of sufficient resources
Regarding resources, the national provision transposes the requirement almost literally, substituting
“sufficient” with “necessary”. However, it also provides that the amount of financial resources is
determined by an act of the Council of Ministers. Annually, the Council of Ministers indicates a
minimum monthly income, below which a person is entitled to social assistance. Since no different
income is provided for foreigners for the purpose of the present law, it is to be presumed that this
minimum is applicable to foreigners as well. So, EU citizens and their family members have to dispose
of resources that are over that minimum, so as to be considered as “necessary resources”. This in fact
contradicts the explicit requirement of art. 8(4) of the Directive and therefore constitutes incorrect
transposition.
Regarding health insurance – there is no indication that it should be “comprehensive”. In certain cases,
but not necessarily in all, this could be more favourable for the person and should not be considered as
a transposition gap. But since the national legislation in this case has the Bulgarian mandatory health
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insurance in mind, (paid to the National Health Insurance Fund and not under private insurance
policies - in Bulgarian two different terms are used for the English “insurance” - which respectively
provides for explicitly defined health services), other types of health insurance may not be recognised.
Another omission is the lack of indication that health insurance should give cover in Bulgaria. So, if a
person has health insurance that covers them in a MS other than Bulgaria, it may not be applicable for
Bulgaria and the person will be a burden to the national health insurance system.
Therefore, transposition regarding health insurance is incomplete.
According to the national practice, indicated in the answers to the Questionnaire, the EU citizen has
the obligation to prove sufficient resources and health insurance.
• Students (Article 7(1)(c))
The basic substantial requirement – enrolment in an education/ vocational training institution has been
transposed.
However, there are several omissions, but they do not affect the conformity of the right of students to
reside in another MS. The lack of indication that both private and public establishments are acceptable
should not be considered as a gap since it is implicit that both are included. The second omission is
that such establishments should be accredited or financed by the host Member State. This broadens the
scope, but is not in contradiction with the Directive. So ultimately, the requirement is transposed.
Nevertheless, the transposition of the specific requirement in Article 7(1)(c), 2nd part, to have health
insurance and sufficient resources, is incomplete in the Bulgarian legislation.
The requirement to have health insurance and sufficient resources is included in the Bulgarian
legislation. The transposition of these specific requirements is incomplete (see comments to art. 7(1)
(a) and (b) supra).
Regarding the sufficiency of resources, the same comments apply as to art. 7(1) (b) supra. In addition,
there is no explicit national requirement for presentation of proof of resources. This could be
interpreted to provide more favourable treatment, but it is unlikely that in practice the indicated
circumstances will be recognised without request of a declaration or other means. Its non-inclusion in
the national legislation is another transposition gap: inclusion of this specification would assist both
the concerned person as well as the CAs.
• Person who accompanies or joins a Union citizen, who fulfils the conditions (Article 7(1)(d))
– more favourable transposition.
The legal imprecision in respect of an EU citizen regarding the validity of envisaged documents
applies here as well (see comments to art. 5(1), 6(1) and 7(1)(a) supra).
The indication that only family members “accompanying or joining a Union citizen” is missing. This
leads to a wider scope of application than provided for by the Directive since it can cover family
members residing in other Member States.
The other omission that an EU citizen of whose family the concerned person is a member “satisfies the
conditions referred to in points (a), (b) or (c)” also leads to a wider scope of application than provided
for by the Directive.
Despite the flaws indicated, since they provide more favourable treatment, they should not be
considered as problems of conformity.
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In the answers to the questionnaire, the CAs specify that it is the obligation of the EU citizen to prove
that the members of his or her family have comprehensive health insurance, valid for Bulgaria and
have sufficient resource not to become a burden to the social security system during their stay.
• The right of residence up to three months for non EU family members (Article 7(2)) -
transposed
Article 7(2) deals with conditions for extending the right of residence to family members, who are not
nationals of a MS.
There is no explicit reference in respect of family members who are not nationals of a Member State.
It could be argued that not mentioning the issue of nationality of family members, the provision covers
both family members who are nationals of a Member State, and family members who are not nationals
of a Member State.
Otherwise, the same comments apply as above.
• Retention of the status of worker
Article 7(3) deals with conditions for retaining the status of worker or self-employed by EU citizens.
The national provision envisages the same conditions for retaining the status of worker as in Article
7(3)(a): temporary inability to work as the result of an illness or accident.
Article 7(3)(b) and (c) also extend the status of worker to persons who are temporarily and
involuntarily unemployed, if they have been employed for a certain duration and have registered as a
job-seeker. Although there is no explicit mention of registration as a job-seeker in the Bulgarian
legislation, under national labour legislation the registration itself in the Labour Bureau is considered
not only for unemployment, but also for job-seeking. The very registration as unemployed implies that
the person is a job-seeker and the CAs are obliged to offer them a job in accordance with their
qualification.
The CAs correctly specify in the answers to the questionnaire that the national legislation does not use
the terms “voluntary” and “involuntary unemployment”. The indicated national provision covers
“involuntary unemployment”.
When a worker has had a fixed-term employment contract of less than a year or became involuntary
unemployed during the first twelve months, he or she can, according to Article 7(3)(c) of the
Directive, retain his status for at least six months. At present, national labour legislation provides for a
retention period of 18 months for nationals in such cases.
The present provision signifies that the rule in respect to EU citizens will not be applied for the whole
length of the retention period of 18 months, but for only 12 months. This in fact will result in unequal
treatment, since they have all rights, provided for Bulgarian citizens, but in more favourable treatment
than the one provided for under the Directive.
Article 7(3)(d), which determines the retention of the status of workers for persons who embark in
vocational training, is transposed effectively. The Bulgarian legislation has split the provision between
voluntarily unemployed (the contract has been terminated by him or herself) and cases where the
person is involuntarily unemployed (his contract has been terminated by the employer). This simply
specifies a situation that is omitted under the Directive as well, and does not constitute incorrect
transposition.
Article 7(4) determines that when the Union citizen moves to another MS under Article 7.1(c), i.e. as a
student, only the spouse and dependent children are allowed to accompany or join him or her. In
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Bulgaria, the transposition is more favourable. Since there is no explicit derogation in the national
legislation, it implies that all family members of a student have the right of residence and not only the
spouse and children. This implies a more favourable treatment.
b) Administrative formalities for Union citizens (Article 8)
Article 8 specifies the administrative formalities for Union citizens: possible registration, registration
deadlines and certificate requirements; possible required documents for registration; and clarification
regarding resources. For family members who are nationals of MS it just specifies the possible
required documents.
• Registration (Article 8(1)) - incorrect transposition
Article 8(1) allows Member States to introduce a registration requirement for Union citizens and their
family members for periods of residence of more than three months. In those cases, the Directive
specifies the conditions and modalities of such registration requirement.
From a formal point of view, the transposition of Article 8(1) may seem as not in conformity.
Requiring the issue of residence certificates/cards both for long-term and permanent residence,
Bulgaria has de facto provided for the registration requirement.
Although probably due to drafting imprecision, the transposing provision regarding long-term
residence has a wider scope, and hence is more stringent. As it is worded, registration can be required
also for EU citizens residing in Bulgaria for less than 3 months since the provision provides an upper
limit (of 5 years) but no lower limit.
It is true that art. 6(1) of the Law provides for residence of up to 3 months only with an ID or passport
and logically the two articles should be applied in conjunction.
In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicate that in order to reside long-term or permanently in
Bulgaria, EU citizens must be issued a certificate for long-term/permanent residence. (Specimens of
the certificates are attached at the end of the ToC.)
Applications, together with required documents, are submitted to the Migration Directorate of the
National Police Service within 3 month of entry into the country. The certificates are issued the same
day. The one day period is the practical manifestation of the term “immediately”. If the person does
not have documents required for the application, they are given 7 days to submit them. If this does not
happen within 7 days, the National Police Service will give a written and reasoned refusal for the issue
of the certificate.
The refusal to deal with the application is not a disproportionate sanction as they can always resubmit
the application or lodge an appeal if they consider they were in line with the requirements.
The residence certificate cannot be used to prove identity, but only the right of free movement and
residence. Registration is intended only for free movement and residence by the national legislation.
The deadline for registration cannot be less than three months, in accordance with Article 8(2). In
addition, the registration certificate should be issued immediately, stating the name and address of the
person registering. Article 8(2) adds that a sanction for non-compliance with the obligation to register
can only make a person liable to proportionate and non-discriminatory sanctions. This provision was
transposed effectively in the Bulgarian legal order.
Probably due to insufficiently precise wording, the provided registration time scope of 3 months is
envisaged, although as a maximum and not as a minimum. So in fact the provided deadline is the least
possible, but since it is in the framework of the 3 months, this should not be a conformity problem.
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In respect of the transposition of the contents of the registration certificate, one of the elements of its
contents - address of the person - is missing. Therefore, it provides for a more favourable treatment.
(See the attached specimens at the end of the ToC.)
No sanctions are provided for failure to comply with the registration requirement. Since the
Directive’s provision envisages that such failure “may” and not “shall” render the person concerned
liable to sanctions, it can be claimed that the provision of sanctions is of a discretionary nature and not
imperative, all the more that this is more favourable for the persons concerned.
In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicated that Bulgarian law does not explicitly require
registration of EU citizens and members of their family for other purposes.
• Supporting documents for registration (Article 8(3)) and Article 8(5) – incomplete and
incorrect transposition
The Directive clearly limits the supporting documents that can be required for registration to a
document attesting the identity of a person and a document that proves the condition for exercising the
rights of the Directive. The national provision unites the different cases under the indents in a single
article without differentiating them in a sufficiently clear manner. The provision also blends the cases
(under the indents) with the conditions subject to proof. The ultimate result is a confusing provision.
Another issue to be mentioned is the fact that art. 7 (1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Directive, to which there
is reference, have not been fully and correctly transposed (see supra), which can affect the
interpretation and implementation of the present article of the Directive, whose requirements have
been transposed.
The indicated requirements under this indent are formulated in a very confusing, intermingled and
unclear manner, making it more difficult to ascertain the contents and can consequently result in
inconsistent interpretation, implementation and enforcement
In respect of workers/self employed the required documents are:
1. ID/passport;
2. documents certifying the presence of the circumstances.
Not mentioning validity of the identity card/passport does not constitute a transposition gap (see
comments to art. 4(1), 5(1) and 6(1) supra).
Not providing for the explicitly indicated examples may create legal uncertainty that can undermine
implementation in practice. The general wording of the national provision allows significant room to
move (including means, not indicated by the Directive) by the person concerned. However, the CA
may not necessarily agree that the chosen means are adequate or implicit in the general “documents,
certifying the presence of the circumstances” (e.g., the person may submit a declaration). This lack of
certainty also allows corruption pressure to exist.
The answers of the CAs to the questionnaire confirm that administrative practice has not adopted
uniform requirements regarding the documents to be submitted as proof of the envisaged
circumstances. Consequently no forms are provided.
In respect of a person who disposes of sufficient resources to provide in his or her living expenses, the
transposition is effective.
The Bulgarian law correctly transposes the requirements of the Directive requiring documentary
evidence to certify that the conditions laid down therein are met.
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In respect of students, the transposition is incomplete and incorrect.
The case regarding students is included since article 8(1), point 3 transposes article 7(1)(c) of the
Directive.
The same general comments and those regarding the imprecision as in the comment on art. 7(1)(a)
supra are applicable here as well, constituting incomplete transposition.
The obligation to require only a declaration is correctly transposed by the legislation. The wording is,
however, imprecise. Given the structure of the provision it could be understood that the declaration
only refers to the resources whereas for the other conditions specified in Article 8(1) p.3 (enrolment
and sickness insurance) documentary evidence should be needed. The national legislation should be
interpreted in light of Community law. However, this imprecision may undermine the implementation
of the Directive in practice. For this reason, the transposition is considered incorrect.
Article 8(5) deals with the different documents, required for registration of family members of EU
citizens who themselves are nationals of MS.
There are in fact two national provisions: one, applicable to all family members, regardless of their
own citizenship, the other applicable to family members who are EU citizens.
In fact the latter transposes art. 8(5) of the Directive. The text of the first provision most probably is
intended to specify the requirements applicable to family members, who are not EU MS nationals.
Since both articles in fact apply to family members who are EU citizens, practical interpretation,
implementation and enforcement problems can occur, since the text of the two provisions are not
identical. This is further because the separate requirements under art. 8(5) of the Directive are
dispersed between these two provisions of the AERD (see comments to art. 8(5)(b) infra).
The CAs indicated in the answers to the questionnaire that there are no specified documents for the
proof of the indicated circumstances. Consequently no forms are provided.
The documents required are:
- a valid identity card or passport. Here too there is no requirement for validity for the
identity card/passport, but it does not constitute a transposition gap (see comments to
art. 4.1, 5.1, 6.1 supra).
- a document attesting to the existence of a family relationship or of a registered
partnership. The same general comments as in art. 8(5) (see supra) are applicable here
as well. The transposing provision requires a document indicating a “factual
cohabitation” and not “registered partnership”, which is in line with the more
favourable treatment of partners in a factual cohabitation in Bulgarian legislation
where there is no specific reference to registered partnerships.
The CAs indicated in the answers to the questionnaire that there are no specified documents for the
proof of the indicated circumstances. Consequently no forms are provided.
Article 8(5)(c) to (f) deal with other documents required for registration of family members of EU
citizens who themselves are nationals of MS (the registration certificate of the Union citizen whom
they are accompanying or joining; documentary evidence of direct descendant or dependant direct
relatives or members of the household; proof of durable relationship).
The provisions are not transposed, so none of these documents are required under Bulgarian law. In
practice it results in more favourable treatment and for that reason there is no conformity problem.
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a) Family members who are not nationals of a Member State (Articles 9-11)
• Administrative formalities (Article 9)
Article 9 provides for the issuing of residence cards to the family members of EU citizens who are not
nationals of MS.
Article 9(1), requiring Member States to issue a residence card to non-EU family members of a Union
citizen, was transposed in an incomplete and incorrect manner.
The indication that the card shall be issued for residence over three months is missing. This constitutes
not only incomplete transposition, but also incorrect transposition since it can impose the requirement
in cases not envisaged under the Directive (e.g., residence of less than 3 months, which is exempt from
the issuing of a residence card).
Although probably due to drafting imprecision, like in the case of art. 8(1) of the Directive, the
transposing provision regarding long-term residence has a wider scope, and hence is more stringent As
it is worded, registration can be required also for EU citizens residing less than 3 months, since the
provision indicates only an upper limit (5 years), but not the lower.
It is true that another article of the Law provides for residence of up to 3 months only with an ID or
passport and logically the two articles should be applied together.
Article 9(2) determines the deadline for application for the residence card to be no less than three
months. Probably due to insufficiently precise wording, like in the case of art. 8(2) of the Directive,
the provided registration time scope of 3 months is envisaged, although as a maximum and not as a
minimum. This does not, however, affect conformity of the provision.
In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicated that the documents, required to be attached to
the application as proof of compliance with the conditions for the issue of a residence card are:
passport; document certifying that the person is a member of the family of the EU citizen; the long-
term residence certificate of the EU citizen, whose member of the family is the person; document for
the paid state charge. No sanctions are envisaged if a person does not apply for a residence card.
Residence cards are not accepted for identity purposes. Only identity cards or passports are valid for
such cases (there are no biometric or finger print requirements), while issued residence certificates or
residence card serve for proving the right of free movement and residence only.
Templates of the residence cards have been attached by the CAs to the questionnaire.
Article 9(3) provides the possibility of imposing sanctions for failure to comply with the requirement
to apply for a residence card. No sanctions are provided in case of failure to comply with the
registration requirement. Since the Directive’s provision envisages that such failure “may” and not
“shall” render the person concerned liable to sanctions, it can be claimed that the provision of
sanctions is discretionary. This results is more favourable treatment.
Issue of residence cards (Article 10)
Article 10(1) of the Directive determines that the residence card shall be issued no later than six
months after the date of application, and that it shall be called “Residence card of a family member of
a Union citizen”. Upon application, a certificate of application shall be issued immediately. The
transposition of this article is incomplete.
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There is no explicit indication that the residence card in such cases is to be called "Residence card of a
family member of a Union citizen’. Since in the law there is no provision indicating the mandatory
contents of residence cards and indicating the status of the holder, in practice it is possible for the
document to be confused with the residence permits for foreigners and subject the holder to less
favourable treatment of foreigners residing in the country. This can result in less favourable treatment
of the family member.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs specify that family members who are not EU citizens
submit their own application. In case of missing documents, the person is issued with a temporary
certificate on the same day. He/she is given 14 days to submit the documents (during this time the
period for the issue is suspended). If the documents are not submitted within 14 days, the CA gives a
written refusal with reasons.
The template of the application for a residence card is attached to the questionnaire.
• Supporting documents for residence card (Article 10(2))
Article 10(2)(a) requires a valid identity card to be presented. The lack of an explicit requirement of
validity of the passport in the Bulgarian legislation does not constitute a transposition gap (see the
comments to art. 4(1), 5(1), and 6(1) of the Directive supra).
There is no explicit requirement for a document, attesting a registered partnership, as required in

Article 10(2)(b). This constitutes a transposition gap, which may result in practical obstacles for
partners, applying for residence card.
Article 10(2)(c ) requires the family member also to present the registration certificate or other proof
of residence of his or her Union citizen family member he or she is joining. There is no indication,
specifying that the requirement concerns an EU citizen, whom the family member is “accompanying
or joining”. It could be implied this requirement to be included in the general rule “when necessary”.
Like in the case of art. 3(1), though an omission, the legislation provides for more favourable
treatment since it will apply to the specified family members, who do not cover the condition (e.g.,
travelling alone, or entering/residing in the country without the EU citizen).
So the omission should not be considered as a gap or incorrect transposition.
Article 10(2)(d) to (f) (documents attesting family relationship or registered partnership; the
registration certificate or other proof of residence for the EU citizen, being accompanied/joined;
document certifying dependants/members of household, serious health grounds; durable relationship)
have not been transposed. But since this results in more favourable treatment of the persons
concerned, there is no conformity problem.
Validity of residence cards (Article 11)
Article 11 is transposed incorrectly. No validity of the residence card is provided for. This national
provision obviously confuses the validity of the card with the duration of long-term residence, which
is not the same. The second alternative (the specified duration of residence) is indicated on the
residence card.
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b) Retention of the right of residence by family members in the event of death, departure, divorces,
annulment or termination of partnership
Retention of the right of residence in the event of death or departure of the Union citizen
(Article 12)
Article 12 provides that family members retain the right to reside if the Union citizen dies or leaves the
Member State. It determines the conditions for the retention of their right of residence.
On the basis of Article 12(1), the family members retain the right of residence in the event of death or
departure of the Union citizens in any case when they fulfil the conditions of Article 7(1)(a),(b),(c) or
(d), i.e. when they have an independent right as a Union citizen or are dependent on another Union
citizen family member. The transposition of the article is incorrect and incomplete.
Substituting “right of residence” in the Directive’s article with “right of long-term residence” does not
constitute a transposition flaw, since, as can be seen from the second part of the provision, it simply
clarifies the scope of application.
The transposition is not correct since, contrary to the Directive’s provision, it subjects the retention of
the right of long-term residence to conditions, which should be met for acquisition of the right of
permanent residence. There are no conditions in respect to the former. The conditions under art. 7(1)
of the Directive (respectively 8(1) and (2) of the Law) refer to acquisition of the right of permanent
residence. Thus, an additional, illegitimate requirement is set. This constitutes incorrect transposition.
At the same time, there is no indication regarding the acquisition of the right of permanent residence.
This constitutes a transposition gap.
It should also be kept in mind that the transposition of Article 7(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) is either
incomplete or incorrect (see comments supra), so consequently the transposition flaws therein can
affect the substance of the present article.
Article 12(2) of the Directive regulates the situation where family members of the Union citizen can
retain the right of residence when they do not have an independent right as a Union citizen or do not
have another Union citizen family member they depend on. When residing in the MS for at least one
year before the death or departure of the Union citizen, these family members will retain the right to
reside in the host Member State.
This situation was effectively transposed in the Bulgarian legislation.
Article 12(2), 2nd part deals with conditions for acquiring the right of permanent residence in such
cases. The requirement is not transposed, but since it results in more favourable treatment, there is no
conformity problem.
Article 12(2), 3rd part deals with retention of the right of residence on personal basis. The requirement
is not transposed, but since it results in more favourable treatment, there is no conformity problem
Article 12(3) deals with retention of the right of residence of the children and parent in the event of
departure/death of the Union citizen. The provision has been effectively transposed by omission.
The specification that the retention of the residence right of the parent who “has actual custody of the
children, irrespective of nationality” has not been included. Consequently the application scope has
been increased. This leads to more favourable treatment.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs specify that “completion of studies” covers only
completion of the school or university course and does not apply to any following stage of education.
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Retention of the right of residence in the event of divorce, annulment of marriage or termination
of registered partnership (Article 13)
This provision deals with retention of the right of residence in the event of divorce, annulment of
marriage or termination of registered partnership.
Article 13 deals with retention of the right of residence by family members, who are nationals of a
MS, in the event of divorce, annulment of marriage or termination of registered partnership. The
substantial part of the provision, indicating the applicable case has been transposed.
The substitution of “divorce and annulment of the marriage” with “termination of the marriage”
should not be considered as incorrect transposition, since both divorce, and annulment are forms of
termination of the marriage.
Article 13(1), 2nd part, deals with conditions for acquisition of the right of permanent residence in such
cases. Like in the case of art. 12(1), the transposition is not correct as contrary to the Directive’s
provision, it subjects the retention of the right of long-term residence to conditions, which are required
for acquisition of the right of permanent residence. There are no conditions in respect to permanent
residence. The conditions under art. 7(1) of the Directive (respectively 8(1) and (2) of the Law) refer
to acquisition of long-term residence. Thus an additional, illegitimate requirement is set. This
constitutes incorrect transposition.
At the same time, there is no indication regarding the acquisition of the right of permanent residence.
This constitutes a transposition gap. But since it results in more favourable treatment, there is no
conformity problem
Article 13(2)(a) deals with conditions for retention of the right of residence of family members, who
are not nationals of a MS, in the event of divorce, annulment of marriage or termination of registered
partnership. The substitution of “divorce, annulment of the marriage” with “termination of the
marriage” does not constitute incorrect transposition (see the comment to art. 13(1) supra).
The same applies to the substitution of “registered partnership” with “factual cohabitation”, which
results in more favourable treatment (see comments to art. 2(2)(b) supra).
The indication that the 3-year duration of the marriage/partnership must be counted prior to
initiation of the respective proceedings is missing. This omission may create legal uncertainty in
determining the 3 years of marriage or factual cohabitation.
This renders the transposition not only incomplete, but also incorrect.
As in the case of art. 12(1) of the Directive, the reference to the provisions of art. 8(1) and (2), which
transpose points (a), (b), (c) or (d) of art. 7(1) of the Directive, renders the transposition of the present
article also incorrect since it introduces additional conditions not envisaged under the Directive
Article 13(2)(b) deals with retention of the right of residence of the spouse or partner who is not a
national of a Member State, and who has custody of the Union citizen's children. The requirement has
been transposed only regarding the kind of condition for the retention of the residence right - custody
of children.
The provision is worded in a general manner (concerns any family member and not only
spouse/partner) and can be interpreted and implemented inconsistently. The lack of explicit indication
of the spouse or partner, exercising custody rights, means that any family member (e.g. grandparent)
can profit as long as she or he possesses such custody rights. Thus, the scope of application is not
restricted to the spouse/partner, but can cover a wider circle of family members. This in practice leads
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to more favourable treatment of other family members, so it is not a conformity problem.
Another omission, which constitutes a transposition flaw, is the lack of explicit indication that the
custody is over the Union citizen's children. As in the case above, this omission also can lead to
inconsistent interpretation and implementation. Thus, depending on the interpretation of the wording
“the children” by the Bulgarian courts, a spouse/partner having custody of the children from a former
marriage could possibly benefit from the retention right.
The indicated omissions constitute not simply incomplete, but also incorrect transposition since they
do not conform to the explicit indications in the Directive. However, since they also result in more
favourable treatment, it is not a conformity problem.
Article 13(2)(c) deals with retention of the right of residence of the spouse or partner who is not a
national of a Member State in the event of particularly difficult circumstances. The transposing
provision indicates only domestic violence as a condition. The Directive’s provision however indicates
domestic violence as an example of “particularly difficult circumstances”. Thus, there is room for
discretion on determining other circumstances.
The restrictive wording of the national provision excludes the possibility of such discretion and thus
can place the concerned person in a less favourable situation.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs did not indicate other cases of “difficult circumstances”
besides domestic violence.
Article 13(2)(d) deals with retention of the right of residence of the spouse or partner who is not a
national of a Member State who has the right of access to a minor child in the host Member State. The
requirement has been transposed incorrectly, since it indicates right of access to the children (of any
family member, who is not a EU citizen and not only the spouse/partner as a consequence of the broad
scope of custody) as condition for the retention of the right of residence. But since this results in more
favourable treatment, it is not a conformity problem.
Article 13(2)(d), 2nd part deals with conditions for the retention of the right of residence and for
acquiring the right of permanent residence. As in the case of art. 12.1 of the Directive, the reference to
the provisions of art. 8 (1) and (2), which transpose points (a), (b), (c) or (d) of art. 7(1) of the
Directive, renders the transposition of the present article also incorrect since it introduces additional
conditions, not envisaged under the Directive.
Article 8(1) p.1 and 2 transposes Article 7(1)(a) and (b) regarding workers and self-employed as well
as sufficient resources. However, the legislation does not refer to Article 8(2) which would serve to
transpose the last conditions: being member of a family already constituted in the MS. The
transposition is thus incorrect and incomplete.
Article 13(2)(d), 3rd part, indicates that retention in such cases is on a personal basis. The provision has
not been transposed. This results in more favourable treatment of the persons concerned, so there is no
conformity problem.
2.3.3 Retention of the right of residence (Article 14) and Article 15(2)
(a) General aspects
Article 14 provides for the circumstances in which the person may lose the right of residence granted
by Articles 6, 7, 12 and 13 of the Directive.
Article 14(1) envisages retention of the right of residence on the condition of not becoming an
unreasonable burden on the social assistance system. The non-transposition in fact creates more
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favourable treatment for the persons concerned, so there is no conformity problem. But it may result in
unreasonable burden on the social assistance system of the country.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs confirm that there is no definition of “unreasonable
burden” in the national legislation.
Regarding the residence of EU citizens and members of their family up to 3 months there is no
regulation concerning their becoming an unreasonable burden on the social assistance system.
In cases of long-term residence being an unreasonable burden on the social assistance system is
considered a justification for refusing or revoking of the right of long-term residence. No such
practical cases have been indicated.
Article 14(2) deals with retention of the right of residence of Union citizens and members of their
family as long as the initial conditions are met. Its transposition is incorrect and incomplete.
The national provision deals with the revocation of the right of residence, instead of its retention.
Although the practical consequences are ultimately the same, the legal aspects are not the same.
Unlike the retention of the right of residence which occurs automatically, if the specified conditions
exist, the revocation of the right of residence is not automatic. It implies an act of the competent
authority. So this can be considered as incorrect transposition.
The Directive’s provision has been transposed only in the case provided for in Articles 7 of the
Directive (transposed by art. 8 of the AERD). Art. 12 and 13 refer back to art. 7 (transposed by art. 8
of the AERD) not for the retention of the right of long-term residence, but for acquiring the right of
permanent residence.
Article 14(2), 2nd part, envisages the possibility of verification. The non-transposition results in more
favourable treatment of the persons concerned, so it is not a conformity problem.
Article 14(3) introduces a sanction of expulsion as an automatic consequence in the event of recourse
to the social assistance system. The Article is not transposed. The non-transposition of this derogation
places the persons concerned in a less favourable situation, since recourse to the social assistance
system could lead to expulsion as an automatic consequence.
Article 14(4)(a) envisages a prohibition of expulsion if the Union citizen is a worker/self-employed.

The article is not transposed. The non-transposition of this derogation places the persons concerned in
a less favourable situation since it allows expulsion even if the person concerned is a worker/self-
employed
Jobseekers
Article 14(4)(b) provides for prohibition of expulsion if seeking employment. This provision has not
been transposed.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicated that the national legislation gives the following
interpretation to the retention of the right of residence of persons seeking employment.
A “job seeker” is defined as “any person, who has not refused a meeting with an employer, organized
by the Employment Agency or has met an employer on his or her own initiative”.
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Any person is considered to be “unemployed” who has registered with the Labour Bureau, who is not
working, is seeking employment and is ready to begin work within 14 days from the notification by
the Employment Agency.
EU citizens and members of their family can reside in Bulgaria for up to 3 months without any
additional conditions.
According to the Promotion of Employment Act (art. 18 (1)) persons, seeking employment, may
register in the territorial units of the Employment Agency. The rule is discretionary.
Registered employment seekers are classified in several groups: unemployed; employed; students
wishing to work in their free time; persons who have acquired the right to old age retirement; and,
persons who have acquired the right to a professional pension and who are not employed.
The registration results in the following rights: information on notified employment positions;
information on employment conservation and promotion programmes and measures; information and
employment mediation; psychological assistance; vocational guidance; adult education; inclusion in
employment and education programmes and measures; education fellowship, resources for
transportation and lodging during the period of education. The legislation specifies the necessary
documents, which have to be attached to the registration application.
The grounds for refusal of registration are indicated explicitly.
EU citizens and members of their family may be expelled only in cases of real threat to the national
security or social order.
There is no legal definition of “real threat”, “national security” or “social order” in the relevant
legislation, nor has any information been submitted as to how the administration interprets these terms
in practice.
(b) Article 15(2)-(3) expiry of document not a ground for expulsion
Article 15(2) of the Directive provides that the expiry of the ID or passport on the basis of which the
person concerned entered the host MS and was issued with a registration certificate or residence card
shall not constitute a ground for expulsion from the host MS. This provision is not explicitly envisaged
in the Bulgarian legislation. However, since article 25(1) of the AERD explicitly indicates the grounds
for expulsion, and the expiry of the identity card or passport is not mentioned, expulsion can not be
carried out and motivated on such ground. So ultimately there is no conformity problem.
Article 15(3) forbids the imposition of a ban on entry in the context of an expulsion decision taken on
grounds of not meeting the requirements of articles 6, 7, 12 and 13. This provision has not been
transposed, but this does not affect the conformity of the transposition. On the contrary, the lack of
transposition can be considered as more favourable treatment.
2.4 Right of permanent residence
2.4.1 General rule for Union citizens and their family members (Article 16: eligibility)
Article 16(1) and (2) of the Directive grants the right of permanent residence after legal residence for
five years. The national corresponding provision joins the requirements under art. 16 and 17 of the
Directive, integrating the exemptions into the general rule and making the right of permanent
residence, subject to additional cumulative conditions, which the Directive excludes explicitly,
referring to Chapter III. This contradicts the Directive’s article 16(1) and leads to less favourable
treatment.
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Like in the case of the transposition of art. 6(1) and 7(1), this is an indicative example that the
legislator has confused the right of residence with the fact of residence on the one side and the formal
requirements for obtaining official documents, certifying the possession of the right of residence on
the other.
The national provision transposes the material requirement to grant the right of permanent residence
also to non-EU family members who were residing with the Union citizen for five years. Like in the
case of the transposition of art. 5(1), 6(1) and 7(1), this transposition is an indicative example that the
legislator has confused the right of residence with the fact of residence on the one side and the formal
requirements for obtaining official documents, certifying the possession of the right of residence on
the other.
Article 16(3) envisages continuity of residence in the event of temporary absences not exceeding a
total of six months a year, or by absences of a longer duration for compulsory military service, or by
one absence of a maximum of 12 consecutive months for specified important reasons. The
requirement has been transposed effectively.
Article 16(4) deals with specified durations of absence as a consequence of the right of permanent
residence. Once again the same transposition flaw as in art. 16(1) and 16(2) is manifested here. The
national provision substitutes the “right of permanent residence” with “certificate of permanent
residence”.
2.4.2 Acquisition of the right of permanent residence for workers/self employed

persons and their family members (Article 17)
Article 17(1) provides different exemptions by derogation from the five years of continuous residence
before acquisition of the right of permanent residence for different cases: age, giving entitlement to old
age pension; permanent incapacity to work as a result of an occupational accident or disease; work in
another MS while residing in the host MS; periods of involuntary unemployment. None of the
exemptions envisaged in the separate points of art. 17(1) have been fully and correctly transposed into
the national legislation. This places the persons concerned in a less favourable situation, since they can
not benefit from the shorter residence duration (even if they satisfy the envisaged conditions) before
acquiring the right to permanent residence.
Article 17(2) provides for further exemptions as to length of residence and employment for cases
where the worker’s/self-employed person’s spouse is a national of the host Member State or has lost
the nationality of that Member State by marriage to that worker or self-employed person. There is an
effective general transposition of the indicated exemption.
Article 17(3) provides the right of permanent residence to, the family members (irrespective of
nationality) of a worker or a self-employed person who are residing with him in the territory of the
host MS, if the worker or self-employed person has acquired himself the right of permanent residence
in that MS. The requirement is effectively transposed.
The three sub points of Article 17 (4) deal with different cases of acquisition of the right of permanent
residence of family members in the event of death of the worker/self-employed persons. The
envisaged cases have been effectively or literally transposed.
2.4.3 Acquisition of the right of permanent residence by certain family members

who are not nationals of a MS (Article 18) – not transposed.
Article 18 allows family members of EU citizens who retain a right of residence under Article 12(2) or
Article 13(2) to acquire the right of permanent residence. The provision has not been transposed into
the national legislation.
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Both Articles 12(2) and 13(2) of the Directive apply to family members, who are not nationals of a
MS in the specified cases. The AERD has only one provision, regarding receipt of the certificate for
permanent residence: EU citizen and member of his family, national of an EU MS.
Article 19 of the AERD envisages the general conditions for obtaining permanent residence and not
the cases specified in art. 12(2) and 13(2) (respectively art. 15 (1) and (2) of the AERD) for family
members retaining the right of residence.
For third country family members retaining the right of residence, there is no requirement to live
together with the EU citizen to obtain the permanent residence (art. 14 and 15 AERD).
2.4.4 Documents certifying permanent residence for Union citizens (Article 19)
Article 19 deals with the permanent residence certificate for Union citizens. The substantial part of
Article 19(1) which deals with the issue of the permanent residence certificate for Union citizens is
transposed.
However there are two significant omissions, which create an incomplete and incorrect transposition:
• there is no indication that the residence document is to be issued “upon application”.
This means that the national authorities would be obliged to act ex officio in each case, which is an
obligation, not envisaged by the Directive. Thus, the initiative is transferred from the citizen to the
national authority. This omission constitutes an incorrect transposition and would create significant
implementation difficulties.
• there is no requirement that the residence document will be issued “after having verified
duration of residence”.
This imposes obligations on the issuing authority: to require proof of the duration of residence and to
check submitted proof, which in the transposing provision is not envisaged. Nor is there an obligation
for the person, entitled to the right, to produce evidence of required duration of residence. This
omission is probably due to drafting imprecision, since having provided for certain duration of
residence for the acquisition of the right of permanent residence, it should be implied that proof
thereof will be required.
Article 19(2) envisages the document certifying permanent residence to be issued as soon as possible.
In the national provision there is reference only in respect of the issue of the permanent residence card
to family members. The omission has been overcome in practice by provision for a permanent
residence certificate (see Template at the end of the ToC).
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicate that the term “as soon as possible” is interpreted
as the same day provided that all required documents have been attached to the application. There is
no explicit indication which documents are accepted as proof of compliance with the provided
conditions. Issued residence documents cannot be used for identity purposes - only identity cards or
passports are accepted.
The application templates are attached to the ToC.
2.4.5 Permanent residence card for family members who are not nationals of a MS
(Article 20)
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Article 20 similarly provides for the permanent residence certificate for family members who are not
Union citizens.
Article 20(1) provides for the issue of a permanent residence card to family members who are not
nationals of a Member State within six months of the submission of the application, and automatic
renewal of the card every 10 years. The transposition is more favourable. The national provision
transposes the requirement, providing more favourable conditions (1-month period for issue, instead of
6) and ex officio renewal every 10 years.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicate that in this case also there is no explicit
indication which documents are accepted as proof of compliance with the provided conditions for the
issue of permanent residence cards for family members who are not nationals of a MS. Such proof is
required on a case-by-case basis upon assessment of the Migration Directorate of the National Police
Service. Templates of the application and Permanent Residence card have been attached by the CAs to
the questionnaire.
Article 20(2) refers to the requirements for application for a permanent residence card and possible
imposition of a sanction in case of non-compliance. The application requirements have been
effectively transposed into the national legislation.
There is no sanction for failure to comply with the requirement to apply for a permanent residence
card, which is not incomplete transposition since the requirement is discretionary.
Not providing a sanction naturally results in more favourable treatment.
Article 20(3) provides that interruption in residence not exceeding two consecutive years does not
affect the validity of the permanent residence card. The requirement has been effectively transposed
into the national legislation.
2.4.6 Continuity of residence (Article 21) – effective transposition.
Article 21 provides that continuity of residence may be proven by any means, and is broken by an
expulsion decision. The first paragraph of this provision has not been transposed at all. Article 21(1)
indicates the means of proving identity (with an identity card/passport) and right of residence (with a
residence certificate or card), but not the continuity of residence. Although it could be argued that
since the residence certificate and card indicate the date of issue, it is evidence of continuity. But this
may not be so, since once established (as evidenced by the mentioned documents), residence could be
interrupted, and there is no evidence of such an interruption in the documents.
The second paragraph has also not been explicitly transposed. The deprivation of the right of residence
in the event of expulsion results in breaking the continuity of residence. This is not mentioned in the
provision and despite being a transposition gap because it results in more favourable treatment, it is
not a conformity problem.
2.5 Common provisions (Articles 22-26)
2.5.1 Article 22 territorial scope
Article 22 provides that the territorial scope of the Directive is the whole territory of the MS, and that
restrictions on movement may only be imposed where the same restrictions apply to nationals of the
MS itself. The requirement has been effectively transposed.
Since there are no explicit exclusions, and Bulgaria being a unitary and not a federal state, everywhere
in the national legislation the Republic of Bulgaria is understood to cover the whole territory of the
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country.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs confirm that there are no territorial limitations applicable
to Bulgarian nationals.
In the national legislation there are no territorial restrictions are imposed for EU citizens.
2.5.2 Article 23 Related rights
Article 23 provides a right for family members who have the right of residence to take up
employment. This related right has not been explicitly provided for.
However, the right to take up employment or self-employment could be implied from the general rule
of art. 3 of AERD, which provides that EU citizens and members of their family, who are not nationals
of a MS, when residing in Bulgaria, have all rights and obligations provided by law with the exception
of those restricted exclusively to Bulgarian nationals. For this reason the omission does not lead to a
conformity problem.
Nevertheless, an explicit transposing provision would guarantee that such family members would not
be subjected to the permit requirements under the FA.
2.5.3 Article 24: equal treatment
Article 24(1) provides for the principle of equal treatment for EU citizens and their third country
family members with nationals on the territory of the host MS. The article is effectively transposed.
Article 24(2) provides for a derogation from the principle of equal treatment regarding entitlement to
social assistance during the first three months of residence or grant maintenance aid for studies.
Since there is no explicit indication of the derogation of equal treatment in the cases mentioned in
article 24(2), the general rule of equal rights with Bulgarian nationals under art. 3 supra would apply,
which would make the provided entitlements applicable to the EU citizens covered by the Directive.
This signifies more obligations for the country (refusal could be on grounds of burden on the social
assistance system) and more favourable rules for the persons concerned.
In their answers to the questionnaire regarding equal treatment the CAs indicated that there is no
derogation and conditions are the same for all persons. The only exception concerns the right to
monthly social assistance where there is an explicit requirement for a 9-month registration in the
Employment Bureau. This requirement is not applicable to persons who have registered within a
month from the receipt of permission for permanent residence in Bulgaria, granting of asylum or
refugee or humanitarian status.
2.5.4 Article 25: general provisions concerning residence documents
Article 25.1 provides that possession of a registration certificate as referred to in article 8, of a

document certifying permanent residence, of a certificate attesting submission of an application for a
family member residence card, of a residence card or of a permanent residence card, may under no
circumstances be made a precondition for the exercise of a right or the completion of an administrative
formality, as entitlement to rights may be attested by any other means of proof.
The article provides that possession of the envisage residence documents cannot be considered as
precondition for the exercise of a right or the completion of an administrative formality.
Since in the transposing legislation the residence certificate and card are indicated as the only
documents certifying the right of residence, in the absence of an explicit prohibition, they may be
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required as a precondition for the exercise of a right or the completion of an administrative formality.
This is contrary to the Directive’s requirement not to make the documents a precondition for the
exercise of a right or the completion of an administrative formality.
Article 25(2) provides all envisaged documents to be issued free of charge, or for a charge not
exceeding that imposed on nationals for the issuing of similar documents.
The national legislator has opted for the payment of a state charge for the issue of envisaged
documents. The amount of the charge is not indicated in the law.
There is an omission: no provision is made for the payment of the state charge for the certificate for
permanent residence of the EU citizen.
Tariff No 4 on Charges, Collected in the Ministry of the Interior indicates the charges for documents
under the AERD. Charges span from 7 – 10 BGN (with 2 times the amount for issue up to 3 days and
5 times the amount for express issue up to 8 hours). Certain categories of persons (children 14-16 and
persons over 70) are exempt from paying the charges. These amounts fully coincide with the charges,
collected for the issue of identity documents of Bulgarian citizens. So in respect of the amounts of the
charges, there is effective transposition.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs specify that charges are collected for the issue of the
following documents:
• long-term or permanent residence certificate for EU citizens and members of their family, who
are nationals of a MS; the charge is 7 BGN; and
• long-term or permanent residence card for member of the family of a EU citizens who are not
nationals of a MS; the charge is 10 BGN.
Exempted from the charge at the initial issue of the document are persons under 16 or over 70 years,
as well as persons, who cannot submit an identity document, since it has been forcefully taken,
damaged or destroyed by circumstances not of their fault such as natural disasters, industrial and
other accidents, theft and emergency medical assistance. Application forms cost 0.50 BGN per copy.
For the issue of an identity card to a Bulgarian national the following charges are collected:
• ID with a 10-year validity – 10 BGN;
• ID with a 4-year validity – 7 BGN;
• ID without fixed validity – 6 BGN;
• ID of disabled persons (I, II and III group) – 1 BGN.
Exempted from the charge at the initial issue of the document are persons:
• over 14 and under 16 years;
• over 70 years;
• persons who cannot submit an identity document, since it has been forcefully taken, damaged
or destroyed by circumstances not of their fault such as natural disasters, industrial and other
accidents, theft and emergency medical assistance.
Application forms cost 0.50 BGN per copy.
2.5.5 Article 26 checks
Article 26 provides that Member States may carry out checks to ensure that beneficiaries of the
Directive carry their residence cards in the same way as nationals carry their identity card. The
national legislation provides for checks under the same conditions as for nationals. Therefore, the
checks are in compliance with the requirements of the Directive.
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No sanctions are indicated for EU citizens, whereas in similar cases, a fine may be imposed to
nationals.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs specify that the national legislation requires Bulgarian
nationals to carry their ID and to submit it to the competent officials, defined by law in order to prove
their identity. Indicated also are other documents that can serve as proof of identity: passport,
diplomatic passport, official service passport, sailor passport, military ID, driving license, or
document, substituting the passport (temporary passport, border pass, temporary passport for
permanent departure from the country).
A person, who does not present an identity document upon request of the competent officials, is
subject to a fine of 50 to 300 BGN. The requirement applies also to nationals of any other country, the
amount of the fine being the same.
EU citizens and members of their family during their stay in Bulgaria prove their identity with an ID
or passport and their right of residence with a residence certificate or card. They are under the
obligation to present these documents upon request of the CAs. A person who does not present any of
the requested documents is subject to a fine of 50 to 300 BGN.
2.6 Restrictions on the right of entry and residence on grounds of public policy,
public security and public health
2.6.1 General principles (Article 27)
Article 27.1 provides that Member States may restrict the freedom of movement and residence of
Union citizens and their family members on grounds of public policy, public security or public health.
Though the provision is discretionary, it has been transposed. Some problems of conformity were
detected in this transposition.
The reference to public policy is omitted.
The national provision has substituted “freedom of movement” with “right of entry”. Although the
title of this chapter of the Directive indicates right of entry, “freedom of movement” has a wider scope
since it concerns free movement within the EU as a whole, entry and residence in another MS, but also
possibility to change locations of residence freely, once having entered the territory of the country. If a
person cannot enter the country on the envisaged grounds, this is not more favourable than just
restriction of the right of movement and residence. In the latter case the person could enter, but his
right of free movement and residence in specific places could be restricted. While if he cannot enter,
then obviously he could not move freely or reside at all in the country. Thus, the persons concerned
are placed in a less favourable situation.
So the use of different terms in the title of the chapter (right of entry) and in the provision of art. 27.1
(freedom of movement) seems to be motivated by the same logic.
Another substitution is the substitution of “public security” with “national security”. Thus, concerned
persons are placed in a less favourable situation. There is no legal definition of the concept “national
security” in the AERD. The only definition of “national security” in the national legislation is given in
the 2002 Protection of Classified Information Act (as amended) as “a state of society and the State in
which the fundamental human and civil rights and liberties, the territorial integrity, the independence
and sovereignty of the country are protected and the democratic functioning of the State and civil
institutions are guaranteed, as a result of which the nation conserves and increases its prosperity and
develops” (Supplementary Provisions, § 1, p. 13).
Measures, undertaken to ensure the national security include:
• the maintenance of armed forces;
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• increasing the extent of civil defence and the preparedness to act in the event of accidents;
• the efforts for the creation of infrastructural mobility;
• maintenance of intelligence services for the detection of threats.
As can be seen from the above definition the two terms obviously are not identical, “national security”
having a wider scope than “public security”. The substitution de facto increases the application scope
and is less favourable, since it increases the grounds on which restriction measures on the free
movement and residence can be imposed. There is no legal definition of “public order”. So if it is clear
that “national security” has a wider scope than “public security”, but includes also the latter, there can
be different interpretations of the contents of “public order”, including an interpretation that it is
synonymous with “public security”. Thus, the substitution constitutes ambiguous transposition.
In addition, the indication that the specified grounds “shall not be invoked to serve economic ends” is
missing. There is no available information whether the terms have been interpreted by the national
courts, or of any administrative action taken in implementation of this article.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs indicated that in the national legislation there is no
provision for “automatic refusal” of access or expulsion on grounds, connected with public order,
public security or public health.
As indicated in the AERD (art. 22), restriction of the right of entry and residence of EU citizens and
members of their families is allowed only as an exception on the grounds, connected with national
security, public order or public health.
The imposition of a restriction measure is based only on the personal conduct and is determined in
accordance of the extent to which the person concerned threatens national security, public order or
public health. The duration of residence, age, health, economic and marital status, social and cultural
integration and extent of connection with the country of origin of the person are also taken into
consideration when imposing a restriction measure.
Article 27(2) provides that measures taken on grounds of public policy or public security shall comply
with the principle of proportionality and shall be based exclusively on the personal conduct of the
individual concerned. It also indicates that previous criminal convictions shall not in themselves
constitute grounds for taking such measures. In the transposing provision the indication in respect of
previous criminal convictions is missing. Consequently, such convictions could be used as grounds for
taking such measures, which places the concerned persons in a less favourable position.
With regard to Article 27(2), 2nd part, the explicit requirement that the conduct of the concerned
person must represent “genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the
fundamental interests of society” has not been transposed. It has been substituted by the consideration
that the coercion measures depend on the “extent” to which the conduct of the person is a threat. Thus,
any threat could be used as justification, which is more stringent and places the concerned persons in a
less favourable position.
Although the grounds for expulsion are indicated in the AERD, there is no legal indication what kind
of threat could be used as a justification. This leaves room for discretion to the CAs that they could
abuse.
As the AERD has been in force just over a year, there is no available information on any
administrative practice or case law which could shed light on its interpretation and implementation. In
the provided document with Parliamentary questions on Directive 2004/38/EC, although some of the
questions concern this issue, there is no clear indication as to how it should be interpreted.
“The fundamental interests of society” has been substituted with “national security, public order or
public health”. The two are not synonymous, the former having a much wider content than the latter.
The “fundamental interests of society” include “national security, public order or public health” but
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there are other concerns, which can also be included (e.g., economic and financial stability, sustainable
development etc.).
In this case the application scope could be restricted in comparison with the Directive’s provision and
consequently be more favourable for the concerned person, since in practice the justifications can be
more restricted.
The national provision envisages the imposition of restriction measures “exclusively on the conduct of
the person”. The clarification, prohibiting “justifications, isolated from the concerned case or based on
general prevention considerations” has been omitted. This can place the concerned persons in a less
The transposition of qrticle 27(2), part 2, is thus incorrect and incomplete.
Article 27(3) provides for the possibility for the host Member State to ascertain whether the person
concerned represents a danger for public policy or public security, when issuing the registration
certificate or when issuing the residence card, and to request the Member State of origin and, if need
be, other Member States to provide information concerning any previous police record the person
concerned may have.
The transposing provision has not been formulated with the necessary precision. Instead of
information concerning any previous police record of the person, the national provision envisages the
“conduction of an inquiry as to whether he constitutes a threat to the national security or social order”.
This has a much wider scope and is more stringent, placing affected persons in a less favourable
position.
There is no indication that a background check could be requested not only from the state of origin of
the person, but also from any other Member State. This restricts the possibilities of the host state to
obtain all available information for its decision, but can place the concerned persons in a less
favourable position, especially in cases where the latter has lived not in his or her native country, but
in another MS where he may have a police record.
There is yet another omission – no time limit is indicated for the reply of the consulted state.
Article 27(4) provides that the Member State which issued the passport or identity card to allow the
holder of the document who has been expelled on grounds of public policy, public security, or public
health from another Member State to re-enter its territory without any formality even if the document
is no longer valid or the nationality of the holder is in dispute.
This paragraph is not explicitly transposed. However, the requirement is included in Protocol 4 of the
European Convention on Human Rights. Since Bulgaria has ratified it, in accordance with art. 5(4) of
the Constitution it becomes part of the national law and has priority to national law, which contradicts
it. So ultimately, the provision has been effectively transposed.
2.6.2 Protection against expulsion (Article 28)
Article 28 provides for a number of protections against expulsion decisions.
Article 28(1) specifies preliminary considerations for an expulsion decision on grounds of public
policy or public security: duration of residence, age, state of health, family and economic situation,
social and cultural integration into the host MS and the extent of his/her links with the country of
origin).
Although the requirement has been literally transposed regarding the different considerations, it is
applicable not only explicitly to expulsion, but to any administrative coercion measure. The previous
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paragraph of the same article specifies that as these are considered revocation of the right of residence,
expulsion and prohibition of entry into the country. This widens the application scope of the
requirement and places the concerned persons in a more favourable position.
Article 28(2) specifies that the host MS may take an expulsion decision against Union citizens or their
family members, irrespective of nationality, who have the right of permanent residence on its territory,
only on serious grounds of public policy or public security.
Although in some ways the transposition of the material contents is effective, a “real threat” may be
effective, but is not necessarily equivalent to “serious grounds”. On the other hand, neither terms have
been defined in the Directive, respectively the AERD. So it is a question of interpretation. Because of
the uncertainty, transposition is assessed as effective.
There is no available information whether “real threat” has been interpreted by the courts. In their
answers to the questionnaire the CAs do not specify what is considered as “serious grounds” of public
policy or public security. Regarding existing practice, it is indicated that expulsion can be imposed
when the presence of the person concerned in Bulgaria creates a “real threat” for the national security
or public order, but there is no indication what is understood by “real threat”.
In respect of an EU citizen who has resided in Bulgaria for the last 10 years, expulsion can be imposed
only in exceptional cases, connected with national security, while in respect of minors it is when the
expulsion is in the their interest.
Article 28(3)(a) indicates that an expulsion decision may be taken against Union citizens, only if the
decision is based on imperative grounds of public security, as defined by MSs, and if they have
resided in the host Member State for the previous 10 years.
Transposition of the material contents is effective. However, “exceptional cases” is not necessarily
equivalent to “imperative grounds”. Like in the case supra, since neither term has been defined in the
Directive, also in the AERD it is a question of interpretation. Because of the uncertainty, transposition
is assessed as effective.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs do not give an explanation how the national legislation
and/or the administrative or judicial practice define or interpret the notions of “serious” or
“imperative” grounds, connected with public order or public security, and in particular in comparison
to “normal” grounds. They simply quote art. 25(1) and (2) of AERD.
Article 28(3)(b) indicates that an expulsion decision may be taken against a minor, only if the
expulsion is necessary for the best interests of the child, as provided for in the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In the transposing provision the reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
is missing. Nevertheless, since Bulgaria has ratified the convention, it becomes part of the national law
and has priority to national law, which contradicts it. So ultimately, there is effective transposition.
2.6.3 Public health (Article 29):
Article 29(1) specifies that only diseases justifying measures restricting freedom of movement shall
be the diseases with epidemic potential as defined by the relevant instruments of the World Health
Organisation and other infectious diseases or contagious parasitic diseases if they are the subject of
protection provisions applying to nationals of the host Member State. The transposition of this article
is incomplete and incorrect.
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The indicated justification concerns not measures restricting freedom, but resulting in the revocation
of the right of residence. This is a much more stringent requirement. It constitutes incorrect
transposition and places the concerned persons in a less favourable position.
There is no reference to the other diseases if they are the subject of protection provisions applying to
nationals. So contrary to the above situation, the omission renders the scope of application here
narrower and less stringent, thus placing the concerned persons in a more favourable position.
In their answers to the questionnaire the CAs confirm that currently there are restrictions for other
diseases for Bulgarian nationals. Such restrictions apply in respect to contagious diseases, which are a
hazard for public health of international significance. The designation of a given disease in this
category is performed by the Ministry of Health on the basis of the assessment of the Rules, adopted
by the World Health Organisation.
The refusal of access in such cases is subject to the 2006 Regulation on the Conditions and Procedure
for the Performance of Border Health Control in the Republic of Bulgaria (SG No 85 of 20 October
2006). According to art. 5, p. 10, when performing the border health control the CAs impose the
following measures: refuse entry on Bulgarian territory of sick persons and persons, in respect of
which there are doubts that they are sick, as well as entry of baggage, transport vehicles and freight,
suspected to be contaminated.
The text of the provision of the Regulation contradicts the Directive’s requirement, since it allows
refusal of entry in the case of doubt that the person is suffering from the indicated diseases and not
actual sickness.
Article 29(2) excludes diseases occurring after a three-month period from the date of arrival as
grounds for expulsion from the territory. Non-transposition places persons concerned in a less
favourable situation.
Article 29(3) provides the possibility, though not as a matter of routine, for MSs to require persons
entitled to the right of residence to undergo, free of charge, a medical examination to certify that they
are not suffering from any of the conditions referred to in paragraph 1. This provision has not been
transposed in the national legislation.
The omission allows concerned persons to refuse such medical examinations, which is more
favourable; but if they agree – they may be compelled to pay for the examination, which is less
favourable.
2.6.4 Expulsion as a penalty or legal consequence (Article 33)
Article 33(1) prohibits expulsion orders to be issued by the host MS as a penalty or legal consequence
of a custodial penalty, unless they conform to the requirements of articles 27, 28 and 29. This
provision has not been transposed.
Under the Criminal Code a person cannot be expelled for the commitment of a crime because art.
37 (1), which indicates all penalties (11) for committed crimes, does not include expulsion on the list.
Consequently, there are no actual crimes, which can be punished by expulsion. The omission is
logical, since the regulated subjects are in principle Bulgarian nationals. However, crimes are
committed by foreigners and the Criminal Code mutatis mutandis applies to them as well. There is no
indication that in respect of foreigners in general, or EU citizens, any of the indicated penalties could
be substituted by expulsion, or that expulsion could be imposed as a separate penalty for committing a
crime in general or for specific crimes.
So this omission de facto results in more favourable treatment and there is no conformity problem.
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Article 33(2) requires Member States to check whether an individual is currently and genuinely a
threat to public policy or public security when an expulsion order is enforced more than two years
after it was issued. This provision is transposed effectively. The omission of the necessity to check
whether “the individual concerned is currently and genuinely a threat to public policy or public
security” is not substantial and should not be considered as a transposition gap since this is the explicit
ground of expulsion under paragraph (1) of the same article. It is logical to infer that if it is to be
repealed, the check will cover the same facts.
The explicit additional indication that “if the factual grounds no longer exist, the order shall be
repealed”, cannot be considered as incorrect transposition since it is in favour of the concerned person.
2.7 Procedural safeguards against decisions restricting free movement (Article 15

and Articles 30-31)
Article 15.1, article 30 and article 31 are procedural safeguards. These three articles envisage certain
procedural protections that apply when decisions are taken to restrict the free movement of EU
citizens and their family members. Article 15 makes reference to the procedural guarantees actually
contained in articles 30 and 31.
2.7.1 Applicability of procedural safeguards to decisions restricting free movement

(Article 15)
Article 15(1) deals with the applicability of the general procedural safeguards (under art. 30 and 31)
for decisions restricting free movement of Union citizens and their family members on grounds other
than public policy, public security or public health.
This safeguard is not explicitly envisaged. But the procedural rights are provided for under the
transposing provisions for art. 30 and 31 of the Directive, which apply to all decisions (see comments
to art. 30 and 31 infra). Because those provisions are not correctly transposed the transposition is
considered incorrect here as well.
2.7.2 Notification of decisions (Article 30)
Article 30 provides that the persons concerned shall be notified in writing of any decision taken under
article 27(1), in such a way that they are able to comprehend its content and the implications for them.
This guarantee was not explicitly provided for. The transposition of this article is incomplete and
incorrect. However, it could be considered that the requirement is taken into consideration in the
provision on the right of challenge under art. 27 (2) of the AERD.
Nevertheless, the lack of a notification requirement can lead to restrictions of the right of challenge,
since late notification can shorten the indicated period for challenge, since the deadline for challenging
an administrative decision starts running from the day of adoption instead of the day of notification of
the decision.
The absence of an explicit notification requirement signifies that the competent authorities have to
comply with the general notification requirement in the APC.
The provision has no indication that the notification should be done “in such a way that they are able
to comprehend its content and the implications for them”. This constitutes a transposition gap.
Keeping in mind that all concerned persons are foreigners, they will usually need additional
clarification. This is precisely what is prescribed in the Directive’s explicit requirement, and under the
Administrative Procedure Code officials have no such obligation. Thus, the transposition gap places
the concerned persons in a less favourable position.
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Provided are 2 possible alternatives – written or oral notification, leaving the discretion of choice to
the official. This discretion is in contradiction of the explicit requirement of the Directive on written
notification, and excluding the discretion of officials. The fact that it is the responsible official
themselves (instead of the concerned person/addressee of the act) who certifies the notification, this
does not exclude potential abuse on the part of the official and does not guarantee notification.
So this general rule constitutes incorrect transposition and also places the concerned persons in a less
Article 30(2) provides that persons concerned must be informed, precisely and in full, of the public
policy, public security or public health grounds on which the decision taken in their case is based,
unless this is contrary to the interests of State security.
The Administrative Procedure Code, specifying the contents of an administrative act does not provide
for indication of the legal grounds for the decision, although in practice they are usually indicated. The
provision has not been transposed.
Article 30(3) requires the notification to specify the court or administrative authority with which the
person concerned may lodge an appeal, the time limit for the appeal and, where applicable, the time
allowed for the person to leave the territory of the MS. Save in duly substantiated cases of urgency, the
time allowed to leave the territory shall be not less than one month from the date of notification
The requirement is transposed effectively with one exception.
As it is worded, the indication of the time allowed for the person to leave the territory of the country
may be interpreted as one of the mandatory constituent parts of any order. That implies that leaving
the country is always a consequence in cases of restriction on the right of freedom of movement or
residence, which definitely is not the case either under the Directive or under the Bulgarian provision
since it applies to all coercive administrative measures.
This is not the case in practice. The above flaw is most likely a result of imprecise drafting, so it
should not be considered as an incorrect transposition.
The requirement on the time allowed for leaving the country is correctly transposed.
In the transposing provision, “duly substantiated cases of urgency”, has been substituted with
“continues to jeopardize the national security, social order or public health”. These concepts do not
equate to the same thing.
2.7.3 Procedural safeguards under Article 31
Article 31(1) provides for access of persons concerned to judicial and, where appropriate,
administrative redress procedures in the host MS for appeal against or review of any decision taken
against them on the grounds of public policy, public security or public health.
The right of access to judicial or administrative redress procedures regarding indicated decisions is not
explicitly provided for. However, it can be implied since this provision provides the right of challenge
of any administrative coercive measure.
The Administrative Procedure Code provides for access both to judicial and administrative redress.
The transposition of this provision is effective.
Article 31(2) concerns cases where the application for appeal against or judicial review of the
expulsion decision is accompanied by an application for an interim order to suspend enforcement of
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that decision, and indicates the conditions for actual removal from the territory (where the expulsion
decision is based on a previous judicial decision; or where the persons concerned have had previous
access to judicial review; or where the expulsion decision is based on imperative grounds of public
security under Article 28(3)).
The substantial requirement has been transposed, but its scope is different: it applies only in cases
when the order is issued on grounds connected with national security. This is more favourable to the
concerned person, since the suspension of enforcement is of a general nature and applies to more
situations.
For this reason, transposition is effective.
Article 31(3) requires the redress procedures to allow for an examination of the legality of the
decision, as well as of the facts and circumstances on which the proposed measure is based, and to
ensure that the decision is not disproportionate, particularly in view of the requirements laid down in
Article 28.
The requirement has not been transposed in the AERD. The general possibilities under the
Administrative Procedure Code will apply. This would imply that the relevant facts and circumstances
will be examined so that the decision is not disproportionate. For this reason, ultimately there is
effective transposition.
Article 31(4) provides the possibility for MS to exclude the individual concerned from their territory
pending the redress procedure, but they may not prevent the individual from submitting his/her
defence in person, except when his/her appearance may seriously impinge on public policy or public
security or when the appeal or judicial review concerns a denial of entry to the territory.
This provision was not explicitly provided for. However, the general rule guaranteeing equal
procedural possibilities could be resorted to.
The indicated exclusions are not envisaged. This limits the powers of the CA, but places the concerned
person in a more favourable position.
Ultimately, transposition is considered to be effective.
2.7.4 Exclusion orders (Article 32)
Article 32(1) provides for the right of persons excluded on grounds of public policy or public security
to submit an application for lifting of the exclusion order after a reasonable period by putting forward
arguments to establish that there has been a material change in the circumstances which justified the
decision ordering their exclusion.
The substantial requirement has been transposed, but with a different scope. It applies not only to
exclusion orders, but to any other administrative coercive measure that was imposed on grounds
connected with national security.
The same arguments regarding the omission of “public policy” and the substitution of “public
security” with “national security”, as in art. 27.1 supra, apply here as well.
Unlike the Directive, which allows the duration to be inferior to and maximum of 3 years depending
on the circumstances, the national provision envisages only a fixed 3-year duration, which constitutes
incorrect transposition.
The omission in respect of putting forward arguments to establish that there has been a material
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change in the circumstances which justified the decision ordering their exclusion is not a conformity
problem, since it places the concerned persons in a more favourable situation to indicate any
arguments (or no argument at all) for the revocation of the imposed measure, once the indicated period
has elapsed.. So in fact there is only a temporal, but not a substantial requirement, instead of both.
Article 32(1), 2nd part, sets a deadline of six months for the MS concerned to reach a decision on the
application. The requirement has been transposed effectively.
Article 32(2) provides that persons referred to in paragraph 1 have no right of entry to the territory of
the Member State concerned while their application is being considered.
The national provision joins the requirement under the present article and Article 21 of the Directive.
So the revocation of the right of residence does not constitute incorrect transposition.
The lack of indication that the measures are imposed while an application is considered significantly
widens the scope of application and places concerned persons in a less favourable situation by
generalising the prohibitions. For this reason it constitutes an incorrect transposition.
2.8 Final provisions (Chapter VII)
2.8.1 Article 34: publicity
In the framework of the National Programme for Celebrating the Accession of Bulgaria to the EU, the
Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform has issued a brochure “My new rights”.
The first section is dedicated to the rights and possibilities, stemming from EU citizenship.
The CAs have indicated in the answers to the questionnaire that information regarding the rights and
obligations of EU citizens and members of their families is provided by the mass media, written
information materials: brochures, describing the procedures for residence in Bulgaria. Such brochures
are disseminated at the border check points, as well as by internet and in the Bulgarian diplomatic and
consular missions.
2.8.2 Abuse of rights (Article 35): not transposed
The article provides the right of the MSs to adopt the necessary measures to refuse, terminate or
withdraw any right conferred by this Directive in the case of abuse of rights or fraud. Any such
measure shall be proportionate and subject to the procedural safeguards provided for in Articles 30
and 31.
Not transposed as a general right to adopt measures to refuse, terminate or withdraw any right
conferred by this Directive in the case of abuse of rights or fraud. The indicated provision in p. 2 is a
specified case of fraud. There is nothing on marriage of convenience in the Bulgarian legislation. The
omissions de facto place persons concerned in a more favourable situation. Nothing is envisaged
regarding the requirement that such measures should be proportionate and subject to the specified
safeguards.
In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs have simply cited the indicated provision, but provide no
information regarding the administrative practice in such cases.
2.8.3 Sanctions (Article 36) – incorrect transposition
Article 36 provides the right of MSs to envisage effective and proportionate sanctions applicable to
breaches of national rules adopted for the implementation of this Directive and to take the measures
required for their application. It also sets the obligation for MSs to notify the Commission of these
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provisions no later than 30 April 2006 and as promptly as possible in the case of any subsequent
changes.
A separate chapter of the AERD contains administrative penalty provisions; 3 articles dealing with
sanctions.
Several comments of a general nature can be expressed concerning the envisaged sanctions:
Sanctions are provided only for violations, committed by persons, who are beneficiaries under the law
(or other individuals) and not for officials, who are in non-compliance, or violate the law. This
constitutes a transposition gap and places EU citizens and the members of their families in a less
favourable position; the violation/infringement of their rights not being subject to sanctions for the
responsible official.
The setting of quite a large range for possible fines allows discretion on the part of the sanctioning
body without provision of determining criteria. This possibility has a large corruption potential. It
could be argued, whether the provided sanctions are proportionate to the severity of the violation.
Providing a separate sanction for ‘insignificant violations” without defining what constitutes an
insignificant violation allows inconsistent interpretation, implementation and enforcement and also
leaves a large corruption potential.
Since sanctions are provided for, the general requirement can be considered as transposed. However,
since a significant amount of transposition discretion is allowed for the Member States on the scope of
violations, which can be subject to sanctions, the completeness of the transposition is not easily
assessed.
An indisputable assessment regarding transposition completeness is not possible, although

transposition could be considered incorrect regarding the requirement of proportionality for the
considerations, as indicated supra.
As to the effectiveness of imposed sanctions, there is no available information whether sanctions

under the law have been imposed in practice, and if so, how effective they are.
Although placed in the chapter on Restrictions of the right of entry and residence, the administrative
coercive measures (revocation of the right of residence, expulsion and prohibition of entry) under the
three points of art. 23(1) are also de facto sanctions since they are imposed as a consequence of
specified conduct of the person concerned.
In the answers to the questionnaire the CAs have cited the provisions indicated above and have
submitted the following additional information regarding sanctions.
The national legislation provides for sanctions for Bulgarian nationals who during their stay in another
State have committed violations of its legislation or have been forcefully deported or expelled for
violations of the regime of entry and residence. In such cases, these persons may be prohibited to leave
the country for a period of two years, and passports or substituting documents not issued. Such
coercive measures are imposed on the basis of official letters from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs or the documents of the CAs of the respective State for the deportation or expulsion, indicating
the committed violation.
2.8.4 More favourable provisions (Article 37)
This provision has not been transposed. However, as can be seen throughout the CS, Bulgaria provides
at various instances for a more favourable treatment of Union citizens than required by the Directive.
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This could place concerned persons in a less favourable position, preventing their possibility to enjoy
more favourable treatment in cases where the AERD provides for certain restrictions.
2.8.5 Transposition (Article 40)
The AERD was adopted on 20 September 2006 and has been in force since entry into force of the
Accession Treaty (1 January 2007).
There is no reference to the Directive in the AERD. This allows adopted measures not to be
accompanied by such a reference.
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ANNEX I: Table of concordance for Directive 2004/38/EC
ANNEX II: List of relevant national legislation and administrative acts
• Act on the Entrance, Residence and Departure of Citizens of the European Union and
Members of their Families of the Territory of the Republic of Bulgaria (AERD) (Закон за
влизането, пребиваването и напускането на Република България на гражданите на
Европейския съюз и членовете на техните семейства)(promulgated: State Gazette, No 80/ 3
October 2006, in force as of the date of entry into force of the Treaty of Accession of the
Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union – 1 January 2007);
• Bulgarian Citizenship Act (Закон за българското гражданство )(BCA) (promulgated: State
Gazette, No 136 оf 18 November 1998; amended and supplemented: No 41/ 2001; No 54/
2002; No 52/2007);
• Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (FA) (Закон за чужденците в Република
България)(promulgated: State Gazette, No 153 оf 23 December1998; amended and
supplemented.: No 20 and 70/1999; No 42 and 112/2001; No 45 and 54/2002; No 37/2003; No
37 and 70/2004; No 11, 63 and 88/2005; No 30/2006;
• Bulgarian Identity Documents Act (Закон за българските документи за
самоличност)(BIDA) (promulgated: State Gazette, No .93 оf 11 August 1998, amended and
supplemented: No .53, 67, 70, and 113/ 1999; No 108/ 2000; No .42/2001; No 45 and 54/ 2002;
No 29 and 63/ 2003; No 96, 103 and 111/ 2004; No 43, 71, 88, 105/ 2005; No 30, 82,
105/2006; No 29, 46, .52/2007);
• Ministry of Interior Act (MIA) (Закон за Министерството на вътрешните работи)
(promulgated: State Gazette, No 17 оf 24 February 2006; amended No 30, 102 and 105/2006;
No 11, 31, 41, 46, 57, 64 and 109/2007 ; No 28/2008)
• Rules for the Implementation of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (RI/FA)
(Правилник за прилагане на Закона за чужденците в България)(promulgated: State Gazette,
No 43 of 26 May 2000; amended and supplemented: No 15/2004);
• Regulation on the Conditions for the Issuing of Visas (Reg-Visas) (Наредба за условията и
реда за издаване на визи)(SG No 49 of 17 May 2002; am. No 118/2002);
• Tariff No 4 on the Charges, Collected in the System of the Ministry of the Interior (Tariff–
4) (Тарифа No 4 за таксите, които се събират в системата на Министерството на
вътрешните работи по Закона за държавните такси) (promulgated: State Gazette, No 27 of
10 March 1998; supplemented and amended: No 9, 33 and 78/1999; No 43, 65 and 86/2000; No
27, 106 and 108/2001; No 24, 34, 39, 106 and 111/2003; No 15, 24, 32 and 36/2004; No
21/2007).
*
• Administrative Procedure Code (APC) (Административнопроцесуален кодекс)

(promulgated: State Gazette, No 30 оf 11 April 2006; amended No 64/2007)
*
The following legislative acts do not transpose directly any of the requirements, rights or obligations
under the Directive, but nevertheless serve as reference for the judgement of compliance of certain
requirements and their practical implementation.
• Family Code (Семеен кодекс) (promulgated: State Gazette, No 41 of 28 May 1985; amended
and supplemented: No 11/1992; No 15/1992;No 63 and 84/2003 ; No 42/2005 ; No 30/2006)
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• Promotion of Employment Act (Закон за насърчаване на заетостта) (promulgated: State
Gazette, No 112 of 29 December 2001; amended and supplemented : No 54 and 120/2002; No
26,86 and 114/2003; No 52, and 81/ 2004; No 27 and 38/2005 ; No 18, 30, 33 and48/2006 ;
No 46/2007 ; No 26/2008)
• Rules for the Implementation of the Promotion of Employment Act (Правилник за
прилагане на Закона за насърчаване на заетостта) (promulgated: State Gazette, No 58 of
27 June 2003 ; amended and supplemented : No.82 and 84/2004 ; No 26 and .95/ 2005 ;No
.42/2006)
• Social Assistance Act (Закон за социално подпомагане) (promulgated: State Gazette, No
56 of 19 May.1998 ; amended and supplemented : No 45 and 120/2002 ; No 18, 30 and
105/2006 ; No 52 and 59/2007 ; No 58/2008)
• Rules for the Implementation of the Social Assistance Act (Правилник за прилагане на
Закона за социално подпомагане) (promulgated: State Gazette, No 133 of 11 November
1998 ; amended and supplemented: No 38 от 23.04.1999 ; No 42 and 112/1999 ; No 30, 48,
98 and 100/2000 ; No 19 and 97/2001 ; No 26, 46, 81 and 118/2002 ; 40/2003 ; No
115/2004 ; No 31 and 103/2005 ; No 54 and 93/2006 ; No 101/2007)
• Protection of the Child Act (Закон за закрила на детето)( promulgated: State Gazette, No
48 оf 13 June 2000 ; amended and supplemented : No 75 and 120/2002; No.36 and
63/2003 :No 70 and 115/ 2004 : No 28, 94 and 103/2005 ; No 30, 38 and 82/2006; No
59/2007)
• Integration of Disabled Persons Act (Закон за интеграция на хората с увреждания) )(

promulgated: State Gazette, No 81 оf 17 September 2004 amended and supplemented : No 28,
88, 94, 103 and 105/2005; No 18, 30, 33, 37, 63, 95 97 and 108/2006 ; No 31 and 46/)
• Protection from Discrimination Act (Закон за защита от дискриминация) ( promulgated:

State Gazette, No 86 оо 30 September 2003 ; amended and supplemented : No 70/2004 ; No
105/2005 ; No 30 and 68/2006; No 59/2007)
• Regulation on the Conditions and Procedure for the Performance of Border Health
Control in the Republic of Bulgaria (Наредба за условията и реда за провеждане на
граничен здравен контрол на Република България ) (promulgated :SG No 85 of 20 October
2006).
All transposing legislation can be accessed at: http://www.dir.bg
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ANNEX III: Selected national case law
There is no information available on cases filed under the transposing legislation.

ANNEX IV: Application forms
FORMS AND TEMPLATES, USED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AERD
APPLICATION FORMS
1. APPLICATION FOR LONG-TERM RESIDENCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF

BULGARIA OF CITIZENS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND MEMBERS
OF THEIR FAMILY
N: 000 000
ДО
Рег N: ________________
ДИРЕКТОРА НА
Дата: _________________ ________________________________
ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ
ЗА ПРОДЪЛЖИТЕЛНО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
НА ГРАЖДАНИ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ СЪЮЗ
И ЧЛЕНОВЕТЕ НА ТЕХНИТЕ СЕМЕЙСТВА
ЛИЧНИ ДАННИ
ИМЕНА ПО НАЦИОНАЛЕН ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА САМОЛИЧНОСТ
ФАМИЛИЯ / FAMILY NAME :

________________________________________________________
СОБСТВЕНО ИМЕ / NAME :

________________________________________________________
БАЩИНО ИМЕ / SURNAME :

_________________________________________________________
ГРАЖДАНСТВО/ NATIONALITY: ДРУГО ГРАЖДАНСТВО / OTHER

NATIONALITY:
ДАТА НА РАЖДАНЕ / DATE OF BIRTH:
ДЕН/ DATE МЕСЕЦ/ MONTH ГОДИНА/YEAR
ПОЛ / SEX :
□ □
мъж/ male жена/ female
МЯСТО НА РАЖДАНЕ / PLACE OF BIRTH:
НОМЕР НА НАЦИОНАЛНИЯ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА САМОЛИЧНОСТ / NUMBER OF

NATIONAL ID:
ДАТА НА ИЗДАВАНЕ / DATE OF ДАТА НА ВАЛИДНОСТ / DATE OF EXPIRY:

ISSUE:
УСЛОВИЯ ЗА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ / CONDITIONS FOR
RESIDENCE IN BG
□ Работник или самостоятелно заето лице в Р.България

□ Притежава здравна осигуровка и необходими финансови средства
□ Обучение
□ Член семейство
ИСКАН ПЕРИОД ЗА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ:
ПОСЛЕДНО ВЛИЗАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ:

ДЕН / DATE МЕСЕЦ / MONTH ГОДИНА / YEAR
АДРЕС В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ :
ТЕЛЕФОН ЗА ВРЪЗКА, GSM, E-MAIL, ФАКС И ДРУГИ
ПОДАВАЛИ ЛИ СТЕ ПРЕДИШНО ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ ЗА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ?
□ ДА, НА КАКВО ОСНОВАНИЕ

__________________________________________________
□ НЕ
ЛИЧНИ ДАННИ ЗА ЧЛЕНОВЕТЕ НА СЕМЕЙСТВОТО
съпруг съпруга партньор
ФАМИЛИЯ / FAMILY NAME:

________________________________________________________
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СОБСТВЕНО ИМЕ / NAME:
________________________________________________________
БАЩИНО ИМЕ / SURNAME:

________________________________________________________
ГРАЖДАНСТВО / ДРУГО ГРАЖДАНСТВО / OTHER NATIONALITY :

NATIONALITY:

ПОЛ / SEX
□ □
МЯСТО НА РАЖДАНЕ:
ДЕЦА
ИМЕНА ДАТА НА ГРАЖДАНСТВО
ПОЛ
РАЖДАНЕ
1.………………………………................... …………………. ………………………

……………
2……………………………………………. ………………….. .………………………

……………
3……………………………………………. .………………… .………………………

……………
4……………………………………………. …………………. ………………………

……………
5………………………………………………. …………………. ………………………

……………
РОДИТЕЛИ
ПОЛ
РАЖДАНЕ
МАЙКА .………………………................... …………………. ………………………

…………
БАЩА .………………………………....... …………………. ………………………

…………
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ДРУГИ ДАННИ ЗА ЛИЦЕТО
НАЛАГАНИ ЛИ СА СРЕЩУ ВАС ИЛИ ЧЛЕН НА ВАШЕТО СЕМЕЙСТВО СЛЕДНИТЕ

ПРИНУДИТЕЛНИ АДМИНИСТРАТИВНИ МЕРКИ?
□ ОТНЕМАНЕ ПРАВОТО НА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
□ ЕКСПУЛСИРАНЕ
□ ЗАБРАНА ЗА ВЛИЗАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
ДОКУМЕНТИ, КОИТО ПРИЛАГАТЕ КЪМ ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕТО:
□ КСЕРОКОПИЕ ОТ НАЦИОНАЛНИЯ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА САМОЛИЧНОСТ

□ УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ ЗА РАЖДАНЕ
□ УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ ЗА БРАК
□ ДОГОВОР ЗА РАБОТА
□ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА ПЛАТЕНА ДЪРЖАВНА ТАКСА
□ ЗДРАВНА ОСИГУРОВКА
□ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА ФИНАНСОВИ СРЕДСТВА
□ ДРУГИ ПРИЛОЖЕНИ ДОКУМЕНТИ
ДАТА: …………………… ПОДПИС НА

ЗАЯВИТЕЛЯ:........................................
ПРИЕЛ
ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕТО:.............................................
/ИМЕНА, ПОДПИС/
СЛУЖЕБНА ИНФОРМАЦИЯ
Забележка:
Това заявление се попълва на основание Закона за влизането пребиваването и напускането на Република България на
гражданите на Европейския съюз и членовете на техните семейства.
Europa Institute
Данните от попълнения формуляр няма да бъдат разгласени без Вашето съгласие.
При неясноти можете да се обърнете към служителите от гише.
Указание за предоставяне на реквизитите:
• обучение – попълнена от Вас декларация
• работни – трудов договор
• свободна професия – писмо от колегия, съюз и т.н.
• пенсионно осигурен – попълнена от Вас декларация
• член семейство – акт за раждане, акт за брак, декларация в случаите на фактическо съжителство
• притежава здравна осигуровка и необходимите финансови средства
• състояние на временна нетрудоспособност – медицинска бележка / документ от специализирано заведение /
• -регистрирано в “Бюро по труда”- документ
• -документ за платена държавна такса
При непълноти в документите по ал.2 и 3 се определя 7-дневен срок за отстраняването им.
Note:
This application has to be filled by the virtue of Law for entry, residence and leaving the country of EU citizens and their
family members.
No content in the application will be announced without your permission.
In case of raised questions, you can ask the servants at the desks.
Indications:
• Education – self-filled declaration;
• Work – a labor agreement/contract;
• Free lance – a letter from a company, association etc.;
• Retired – self-filled declaration;
• Family member – birth certificate, marriage certificate; a declaration for a concubine;
• Social security and the necessary financial means;
• Temporary non-ability to work – a medical note/document from a specialized medical center;
• Document from the Labor Bureau registration;
• Document for paid state fee
7 days term will be fixed in case of incomplete documentation under art. 2&3
Remarque:
Cette application se ramplie sur la base de la Loi pour l’entrée, le séjour and quitée la territoire de la Républic de Bulgarie des
citoyans de CE and members de leurs familles.
Les indications dedans le formulaire ne seront pas afficher sans votre authorization.
En cas des questions vous pouvez demander des rensegnements les fonctionniares aux gichets.
Instructions pour les réquisites:
• Education – une declaration remplie par vous-même;
• Travail – un contrat du travail;
• Profession libérale – une letter d’une société, ensemble de collège etc.;
• Assurance de retraite - une declaration remplie par vous-même;
• Membre de la famille – certificat de nessance; certificat de marriage; une declaration en cas de concobinage;
• Declaration pour les moyens financiers necessaires et assurance de santé;
• Capacité de ne pas travailler temporairement – une note médicale/un document d’un établissment spécializé;
• Un document de régistration dans le “Bureau du travail”;
• Un document des tax d’Etat payées.
en cas des indications incomplètes d’après art.2&3 une terme de 7 jours sera donnée pour leurs correction
Zusatz:
Diese Anmeldung wird angefertigt aufgrund von dem Gesetz für den Antritt, den Aufenthalt und die Ausreise Bulgarien von
den Bürger der Europäischen Union und ihre Familien. Die Angaben von dem angefüllten Formular werden nicht
proklamiert ohne Ihre Genehmigung. Bei Unklarheiten können Sie sich bei der Büroangestellten anmelden.
Andeutung für die Erfüllung der Bedürfnisse:

• Ausbildung – angefüllte Deklaration (von Ihnen)
• Arbeitsbedürfnisse – Arbeitsvertrag
• Freie Profession – Brief von einer Assoziation, Union u.s.w.
• Altersversorgung – angefüllte Deklaration (von Ihnen)
• Familienmitglied – Geburtsurkunde, Heiratsurkunde, Deklaration für die Fälle tatsächliches Beisammenwohnen
• Besitz einer Krankenversicherung und der nötigen Geldmittel
• Zustand vorläufige Arbeitsunfähigkeit – medizinische Bescheinigung / Dokument von einer spezializierten
Instituzion
• Registrazion im Arbeitsamt – Dokument
• Dokument für bezahlte Staatsgebühr
Europa Institute
• Bei Unzulänglichkeiten in den Dokumenten wird ihre Abnahme aufgrund Artikel 2 und 3 in eine 7-tägliche Frist
fixiert.
2. APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF

BULGATIA OF CITIZENS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND MEMBERS
OF THEIR FAMILIES
N: 000 000
ДО
Рег N: ________________
ДИРЕКТОРА НА
Дата: _________________ ________________________________
ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ
ЗА ПОСТОЯННО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
НА ГРАЖДАНИ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ СЪЮЗ
И ЧЛЕНОВЕТЕ НА ТЕХНИТЕ СЕМЕЙСТВА
ЛИЧНИ ДАННИ
ФАМИЛИЯ / FAMILY NAME :

________________________________________________________
СОБСТВЕНО ИМЕ / NAME :

________________________________________________________
БАЩИНО ИМЕ / SURNAME :

_________________________________________________________

NATIONALITY:

ПОЛ / SEX :
□ □
МЯСТО НА РАЖДАНЕ / PLACE OF BIRTH:
НОМЕР НА НАЦИОНАЛНИЯ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА САМОЛИЧНОСТ:
ДАТА НА ИЗДАВАНЕ: ДАТА НА ВАЛИДНОСТ:

Europa Institute
УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ ЗА ПОСТОЯННО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ СЕ ИЗДАВА, АКО СТЕ
ПРЕБИВАВАЛ/А НЕПРЕКЪСНАТО В ПРОДЪЛЖЕНИЕ НА 5 ГОДИНИ В РЕПУБЛИКА
БЪЛГАРИЯ И АКО ОТГОВАРЯТЕ НА ЕДНО ОТ СЛЕДНИТЕ УСЛОВИЯ:
□ Работил сте през последната една година към момента на прекратяване на договора като
работник или на дейността си като самостоятелно заето лице;Навършил сте пенсионна
възраст или е налице основание за по-ранно пенсиониране и сте пребивавал непрекъснато в
Република България повече от 3 години;
□ Работник сте или самостоятелно заето лице, което не работи поради трайно намалена
работоспособност и сте пребивавали непрекъснато в Република България повече от две
години;
□ Работник сте или самостоятелно заето лице и неработоспособността Ви е в резултат от
трудова злополука или от професионална болест;
□ Работник сте или самостоятелно заето лице и в продължение на три години
непрекъснато сте пребивавали и работили в Република България и като такъв работите в
друга държава членка, като запазвате мястото си на пребиваване в Република България и се
връщате поне веднъж седмично в нея.
ДАННИ ЗА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ:
ПОСЛЕДНО ВЛИЗАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ:

ДЕН / DATE МЕСЕЦ / MONTH ГОДИНА / YEAR
АДРЕС В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ :
ТЕЛЕФОН ЗА ВРЪЗКА, GSM, E-MAIL, ФАКС И ДРУГИ
ПОДАВАЛИ ЛИ СТЕ ПРЕДИШНО ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ ЗА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ ?
□ ДА, НА КАКВО ОСНОВАНИЕ

__________________________________________________
□ НЕ
ЛИЧНИ ДАННИ ЗА ЧЛЕНОВЕТЕ НА СЕМЕЙСТВОТО
съпруг съпруга партньор
ФАМИЛИЯ / FAMILY NAME:

________________________________________________________
СОБСТВЕНО ИМЕ / NAME:

________________________________________________________
Europa Institute
БАЩИНО ИМЕ / SURNAME:
________________________________________________________

NATIONALITY:

ПОЛ / SEX
□ □
МЯСТО НА РАЖДАНЕ / PLACE OF BIRTH::
ДЕЦА
ПОЛ
РАЖДАНЕ
1.………………………………................... …………………. ………………………

……………
2……………………………………………. ………………….. .………………………

……………
3……………………………………………. .………………… .………………………

……………
4……………………………………………. …………………. ………………………

……………
5………………………………………………. ………………….
……………………… ……………
РОДИТЕЛИ
ПОЛ
РАЖДАНЕ
МАЙКА .………………………................... ………………….

……………………… …………
БАЩА .………………………………....... ………………….

……………………… …………
ДРУГИ ДАННИ ЗА ЛИЦЕТО

Europa Institute
НАЛАГАНИ ЛИ СА СРЕЩУ ВАС ИЛИ ЧЛЕН НА ВАШЕТО СЕМЕЙСТВО СЛЕДНИТЕ
ПРИНУДИТЕЛНИ АДМИНИСТРАТИВНИ МЕРКИ?
□ ОТНЕМАНЕ ПРАВОТО НА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
□ ЕКСПУЛСИРАНЕ
□ ЗАБРАНА ЗА ВЛИЗАНЕ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
ДОКУМЕНТИ, КОИТО ПРИЛАГАТЕ КЪМ ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕТО:
□ КСЕРОКОПИЕ ОТ НАЦИОНАЛНИЯ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА САМОЛИЧНОСТ
□ УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ ЗА РАЖДАНЕ
□ УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ ЗА БРАК
□ ДОГОВОР ЗА РАБОТА
□ ДОКУМЕНТ ЗА ПЛАТЕНА ДЪРЖАВНА ТАКСА
□ ПИСМЕНИ ДОКАЗАТЕЛСТВА, ОТНОСНО НЕПРЕКЪСНАТОТО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ В

ПРОДЪЛЖЕНИЕ НА 5 / ПЕТ / ГОДИНИ В РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
□ ДРУГИ ПРИЛОЖЕНИ ДОКУМЕНТИ
ДАТА:………… ПОДПИС НА
ЗАЯВИТЕЛЯ:........................................
ПРИЕЛ
ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕТО:.............................................
/ИМЕНА, ПОДПИС/
СЛУЖЕБНА ИНФОРМАЦИЯ
Забележка:
Това заявление се попълва на основание Закона за влизането пребиваването и напускането на Република България на
гражданите на Европейския съюз и членовете на техните семейства.
Данните от попълнения формуляр няма да бъдат разгласени без Вашето съгласие.
При неясноти можете да се обърнете към служителите от гише.
Указание за предоставяне на реквизитите:
Europa Institute
• обучение – попълнена от Вас декларация
• работни – трудов договор
• свободна професия – писмо от колегия, съюз и т.н.
• пенсионно осигурен – попълнена от Вас декларация
• член семейство – акт за раждане, акт за брак, декларация в случаите на фактическо съжителство
• притежава здравна осигуровка и необходимите финансови средства
• състояние на временна нетрудоспособност – медицинска бележка / документ от специализирано заведение /
• -регистрирано в “Бюро по труда”- документ
• -документ за платена държавна такса
При непълноти в документите по ал.2 и 3 се определя 7-дневен срок за отстраняването им.
Note:
This application has to be filled by the virtue of Law for entry, residence and leaving the country of EU citizens and their
family members.
No content in the application will be announced without your permission.
In case of raised questions, you can ask the servants at the desks.
Indications:
• Education – self-filled declaration;
• Work – a labor agreement/contract;
• Free lance – a letter from a company, association etc.;
• Retired – self-filled declaration;
• Family member – birth certificate, marriage certificate; a declaration for a concubine;
• Social security and the necessary financial means;
• Temporary non-ability to work – a medical note/document from a specialized medical center;
• Document from the Labor Bureau registration;
• Document for paid state fee
7 days term will be fixed in case of incomplete documentation under art. 2&3
Remarque:
Cette application se ramplie sur la base de la Loi pour l’entrée, le séjour and quitée la territoire de la Républic de Bulgarie des
citoyans de CE and members de leurs familles.
Les indications dedans le formulaire ne seront pas afficher sans votre authorization.
En cas des questions vous pouvez demander des rensegnements les fonctionniares aux gichets.
Instructions pour les réquisites:
• Education – une declaration remplie par vous-même;
• Travail – un contrat du travail;
• Profession libérale – une letter d’une société, ensemble de collège etc.;
• Assurance de retraite - une declaration remplie par vous-même;
• Membre de la famille – certificat de nessance; certificat de marriage; une declaration en cas de concobinage;
• Declaration pour les moyens financiers necessaires et assurance de santé;
• Capacité de ne pas travailler temporairement – une note médicale/un document d’un établissment spécializé;
• Un document de régistration dans le “Bureau du travail”;
• Un document des tax d’Etat payées.
en cas des indications incomplètes d’après art.2&3 une terme de 7 jours sera donnée pour leurs correction
Zusatz:
Diese Anmeldung wird angefertigt aufgrund von dem Gesetz für den Antritt, den Aufenthalt und die Ausreise Bulgarien von
den Bürger der Europäischen Union und ihre Familien. Die Angaben von dem angefüllten Formular werden nicht
proklamiert ohne Ihre Genehmigung. Bei Unklarheiten können Sie sich bei der Büroangestellten anmelden.
Andeutung für die Erfüllung der Bedürfnisse:

• Ausbildung – angefüllte Deklaration (von Ihnen)
• Arbeitsbedürfnisse – Arbeitsvertrag
• Freie Profession – Brief von einer Assoziation, Union u.s.w.
• Altersversorgung – angefüllte Deklaration (von Ihnen)
• Familienmitglied – Geburtsurkunde, Heiratsurkunde, Deklaration für die Fälle tatsächliches Beisammenwohnen
• Besitz einer Krankenversicherung und der nötigen Geldmittel
• Zustand vorläufige Arbeitsunfähigkeit – medizinische Bescheinigung / Dokument von einer spezializierten
Instituzion
• Registrazion im Arbeitsamt – Dokument
• Dokument für bezahlte Staatsgebühr
• Bei Unzulänglichkeiten in den Dokumenten wird ihre Abnahme aufgrund Artikel 2 und 3 in eine 7-tägliche Frist
fixiert.
Europa Institute
3. LONG-TERM, PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY RESIDENCE
CERTIFICATES
РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

НАЦИОНАЛНА СЛУЖБА “ПОЛИЦИЯ” NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE
ДИРЕКЦИЯ “МИГРАЦИЯ” MIGRATION DIRECTORATE
УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ
ЗА ПРОДЪЛЖИТЕЛНО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ
CERTIFICATE FOR LONG-TERM RESIDENCE
N:
Имена / Names
Гражданство/Nationality
Дата на раждане / Пол F/ M

Date of birth / Sex
Дата на регистрация / Валидност /

Date of registration Date of expiry

УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ
ЗА ПОСТОЯННО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ
CERTIFICATE FOR RESIDENCE PERMIT1/
N:
Имена / Names
Гражданство/Nationality

Date of birth / Sex
Дата на регистрация Валидност /

1/
Please note that the translation is imprecise: it should state:”Certificate for permanent residence”

ВРЕМЕННО УДОСТОВЕРЕНИЕ
ЗА ПРОДЪЛЖИТЕЛНО ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ
TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE FOR LONG-TERM RESIDENCE
N:
Имена / Names

Date of birth / Sex
Дата на регистрация / Валидност /

Europa Institute
Europa Institute

Conformity Study For Bulgaria Directive 2004/38/EC On The Right of Citizens of The Union and Their Family Members To Move and Reside Freely Within The Territory of The Member States

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Conformity Study For Bulgaria Directive 2004/38/EC On The Right of Citizens of The Union and Their Family Members To Move and Reside Freely Within The Territory of The Member States

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Conformity Study for Bulgaria

Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... 5

SUMMARY DATASHEET ........................................................................................................................ 9

ABBREVIATIONS USED ....................................................................................................................... 14

2 LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSPOSING MEASURES FOR DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC................. 19

ANNEX I: Table of concordance for Directive 2004/38/EC

• The non-transposition of articles of the Directive providing derogations from certain

2. Assessment of the transposition

The performed assessment has ascertained the following cases of non-conformity.

a) Incomplete transposition or non-transposition

Art. 14(3) – retention of the right of residence Not transposed

b) Incorrect or imprecise/ambiguous transposition

Incorrect transposition or imprecise/ambiguous

Both incomplete and incorrect transposition

Another difference is the omission in respect of

Regarding health insurance, there is no indication that

At the same time, there is no indication regarding the

There is no reference to being a member of a family

The second omission is the absence of the requirement

The reference to public policy and public security is

The indication that the specified grounds “shall not be

The national provision envisages the imposition of

There is no indication, that an inquiry could be

There is yet another omission – no time limit is

There is no reference to the other diseases that are

The provision has no indication on the

The transposing paragraph provides 2 possible

c) Minor instances of non-conformity

No instances of non-conformity could be considered as minor.

BGN Bulgarian lev (1 lev = 1.95 EURO)

Free movement as a fundamental freedom of the internal market

1.2 FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPOSITION & IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC

1.2.1 Distribution of competences according to the national Constitution

2.1 Definitions, family members and beneficiaries

Definitions: the concept of family members (Article 2)

• Article 2(2)(a): “the spouse” - effective transposition.

Same sex marriages are not possible.

According to Bulgarian inheritance law, there are 2 categories of heirs:

Another difference is the omission in respect of descendants/dependants of the partner. It could be

• Article 2.3 – “Host Member State” - not transposed.

Beneficiaries and facilitation of the right of entry and residence (Article 3)

• Beneficiaries of the Directive

• Transposition in relation to other family members

• Examination of the personal circumstances

2.2 Rights of exit and entry (Articles 4-5)

Right of exit (Article 4)

• ID and passport for Bulgarian nationals – effective transposition

Right of entry (Article 5)

1. airport transfer (visa "А");

• Reporting presence in the Member State (Article 5(5))

2.3 Right of residence

2.3.1 Right of residence for up to three months (Article 6)

• Union citizens (Article 6(1)) – incorrect transposition

a) General conditions under Article 7

• Workers or self-employed persons (Article 7(1)(a) )- incorrect transposition.

The material circumstances of point (a) are transposed.

• The concept of sufficient resources

Therefore, transposition regarding health insurance is incomplete.