While the European Commission proposes that contracting authorities in tenders be able to reject offers in which more than half of the supplies come from outside the EU, four Bulgarian ministries have not responded to BASEL's request for a meeting on the topic. The association has long warned that public funds in the energy and electricity industry in Bulgaria are increasingly going to suppliers from third countries.
On September 9, 2026, the European Commission presented a proposal for a new single regulation on public procurement (Public Procurement Act), which will replace the current framework. According to it, contracting authorities will be able to set a minimum share for European products in large and strategic contracts. If more than half of the supplies in a single offer come from outside the EU, it will be able to be rejected. Contracting authorities will also be able to give additional points to bids with European production.
According to BASEL, over 60% of public procurement in the electrical industry in our country in the last two years have been won by companies from third countries, mainly from China, Turkey and India. “Brussels is already taking steps to ensure that European funds can create value in the European economy“, states Dr. Eng. Dimitar Beleliev, Chairman of BASEL.
Europe is tightening the rules
The Commission is betting on public procurement as a tool for economic security and sustainability of supply chains. The other objectives of the proposal are simplification of procedures and digitalization. The public sector in the EU spends about 2.6 trillion euros annually, or about 15% of the Union's GDP. The new rules will affect important sectors such as energy, water supply, transport, ports, airports, postal services, as well as electric vehicles, solar panels, cloud services and artificial intelligence.
“The new European proposal is a signal: public tenders should no longer be won only on the basis of the cheapest product“, adds Beleliev.
Bulgarian industry is losing market at home
The Bulgarian electrical industry is among the strongest export sectors of the country. In 2025, it realized about 4.5 billion euros in exports, or about 11% of the exports of the processing industry. Approximately 71% of it is directed to EU markets.
At the same time, the sector faces competition from companies outside the Union, which often win orders with lower prices. There is a risk that Bulgarian manufacturers will be pushed out of their own market, even though they comply with European requirements for quality, safety, ecology and traceability.
„We do not want the closure of the European market. We want equal rules. When European public funds finance infrastructure in Bulgaria, they must create value in Europe – through European production, European components, service presence and sustainable supply chains“, says Beleliev.
What BASEL wants
The association proposes to give additional points to offers with proven European production of over 50% in the tender documentation, especially in strategic procurements in energy, transport, defense, digital infrastructure and critical technologies. They also want BASEL to:
assess the service presence in Bulgaria;
that candidates declare where the main equipment and key components come from;
check whether suppliers use foreign subsidies;
that all suppliers comply with the same requirements for quality, safety and sustainability, regardless of the country of origin.
The association is posing the question of what is bought with European money to several governments. Its latest letters to four ministries are from September 23, 2026. There is still no answer. The electrical industry is ready to present specific measures at any time.
“Europe has offered its money to work for its economy. It remains to be seen whether Bulgaria will do it in time“, concludes Beleliev.