site.btaParliament Passes on Second Reading Amendments to Legislation on Accessibility Requirements for Products, Services

Parliament passed on second reading a bill amending the legislation on accessibility requirements for products and services here on Friday. The bill aims to establish a new legal framework harmonized with European legislation, which will regulate the conditions for the provision of products and services on the market, which have certain accessibility requirements. The MPs agreed that the bill should come into force on June 28, 2025, with the exception of paragraph 4 (on the National Emergency Call System - 112), which will come into force two years later, and paragraph 6 (on the Social Services Act), which will come into force on the day of promulgation.

The bill aims to implement the requirements of Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility of certain products and services. The main goal of the directive is to ensure the free movement of these products and services across EU Member States, eliminating differences in national requirements and ensuring greater accessibility for people with disabilities.

The bill regulates the obligations of economic operators and service providers, the requirements for products covered by the document, as well as issues relating to consumer complaints, alerts and collective redress. Accessibility requirements for consumer computer hardware systems, self-service terminals, equipment with interactive capabilities, etc. are defined in it.

Mandatory requirements for services such as access to audio-visual media services, electronic communications services, transport (air, bus, rail and water), consumer banking services, e-books, specialised software and e-commerce are also included. The new bill requires that products be designed and manufactured in a way that makes it as easy as possible for people with disabilities to use them, and be accompanied by accessible information about their use and features.

The MPs also agreed that sanctions for businesses in the provision of the products in question to be reduced by 50% for a period of one year. Thus, a manufacturer or importer who places on the market and/or puts into operation a product that does not comply with the accessibility requirements will be liable to a fine of BGN 500-2,500 instead of the original BGN 1,000-5,000 fine.

The main legal act guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities in Bulgaria is the Disability Act. At the same time, however, the current national accessibility requirements for specific products and services vary across EU Member States, sometimes even within a Member State. This leads to fragmentation of the single market and increases the burden that economic operators bear in providing accessible products and services to consumers.