“The green transition requires productive investments in small and medium-sized enterprises, research and innovation, as well as promotion of the transfer of modern technologies and digitization. This sector of the economy is key to the green transition and transforming the economy towards a circular model.” This was said by the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Reneta Koleva today during the conference “Small and medium-sized enterprises, enterprises of the social economy, crafts, and free professions: opportunities and challenges of the green transition.” The forum took place in Sofia and was organized by the European Economic and Social Committee of the EU and the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria.

Deputy Minister Koleva reminded that European climate policy offers a wide range of opportunities. The MOEW will submit to the Council of Ministers the draft of the Strategy and Action Plan for the transition to a circular economy in Bulgaria for the period 2022-2027. The strategic document is aimed precisely at the assessment and introduction of incentives for the more efficient use of natural resources, support for enterprises in financing the costs of switching to new models and eco-design of products, as well as analyzing the possibilities for increasing the requirements for mandatory content of recycled materials in certain product groups.

“We are in the final stage of the procedure for public consultation on the changes in the Law on Biological Diversity - this is a reform resulting from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. We will submit the draft to the Council of Ministers and thus propose to the new National Assembly to adopt the necessary legislative changes,” announced Reneta Koleva. The MOEW is a beneficiary from three projects within the plan, whereby attention is drawn to investment in the restoration of key ecosystems for the climate in fulfillment of the goals of the European Green Pact. This will contribute to the process of green transition in Bulgaria and the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy until 2030. The total indicative value is over 72 million BGN.