site.btaSofia Forum Discusses Urgent Measures for Development of Circular Economy

Urgent measures for the development of the circular economy were on the agenda of a business forum on Electroindustry 2025 in Sofia on Thursday. Participants focused on the need for urgent action towards the development of the circular economy and the sustainable use of resources.

MEP Tsvetelina Penkova stressed the urgency of taking steps to create an internal market in the European Union (EU) for aluminium and steel based on scrap by-products currently exported outside the Union. She said that although regulations on the subject are scheduled for the last quarter of 2026, their withdrawal is necessary within the next few months. Penkova said that metals are an invaluable raw material, with the production of steel from recycled materials resulting in an 80% saving and aluminium up to 95%. She added that the EU continues to promote exchange programmes and development initiatives, and is making significant efforts to keep secondary raw materials in Europe.

Lyudmil Daskalov, Country Manager and Sales Director at Legrand Bulgaria EOOD, noted that there is a competition for resources at the global level. Therefore, he said, it is important for the government to pay attention to their efficient use in the country. “To have a sustainable economy, we need to rely on renewable energy sources,” he said. Daskalov stressed that many projects aimed at using available resources are being implemented, including in the context of the circular economy.

Boyan Rashev, Managing Partner at EY denkstatt, said that Bulgaria has the potential to play a leading role in the raw materials sector. He said the circular economy is already happening in many sectors, from raw material extraction to industrial symbiosis and sharing platforms. However, he says there is a conflict between the circular economy and the drive to decarbonize.

Rashev noted that the most recycled material at the moment are lead batteries, but lithium batteries are widely used in Bulgaria, which are still not recycled. “Maintenance and repair often conflict with new technologies,” he added. Despite progress being made in many areas, the relative share of circularity is declining, while absolute consumption of newly mined subsoil materials is as high as 28%. Globalization is contributing to this decline, which is a natural development, he said.