The Investment Promotion Act and Incentives
The certificate classes
| Certificate | Issued by | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | The minister, on the proposal of InvestBulgaria Agency | All the general measures, including individual servicing and infrastructure support |
| Class B | The minister, on the proposal of InvestBulgaria Agency | Faster permits, land without a tender, training support and contribution refunds |
| Class C | The mayor of the municipality | Faster municipal services and municipal land without a tender |
| Priority project | The minister, with a memorandum approved by the Council of Ministers | Every Class A and B measure, plus grants, cheaper state land and institutional support |
Source: Ministry of Economy: Procedure for issuing a certificate for investment class or priority project; Ministry of Economy: Investment promotion measures3,2
The incentives are available only once a certificate has been issued. Class C covers projects of municipal importance up to the Class B thresholds, under an ordinance of each municipal council.3,1,2
Thresholds for Class A and Class B
| Activity or location | Class A | Class B |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | €5,000,000 | €2,500,000 |
| High-tech manufacturing | €2,000,000 | €1,000,000 |
| Municipality with unemployment at or above the national average | €2,000,000 | €1,000,000 |
| Warehousing and storage | €1,500,000 | €750,000 |
| High-tech services | €1,000,000 | €500,000 |
Source: InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act1
A smaller investment also qualifies if it creates enough jobs, each kept for at least 36 months:1
| Activity or location | Class A | Class B |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | €2,000,000 and 100 new jobs | €1,000,000 and 50 new jobs |
| Services | €500,000 and 100 new jobs | €250,000 and 50 new jobs |
| High-unemployment municipality | €50,000 and 25 new jobs | €25,000 and 10 new jobs |
| High-tech manufacturing | €50,000 and 25 new jobs | €25,000 and 10 new jobs |
| High-tech services | €50,000 and 50 new jobs | €25,000 and 25 new jobs |
Source: InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act1
High-tech manufacturing includes chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, electrical equipment, machinery, vehicles and medical instruments. High-tech services include software, IT services and data processing, accounting and audit, engineering, research and development, education and health.1
Priority investment projects
| Project | Minimum investment | Average staff |
|---|---|---|
| General | €50,000,000 | 100 |
| Manufacturing | €25,000,000 | 100 |
| High-unemployment municipality | €25,000,000 | 50 |
| High-tech manufacturing | €15,000,000, or €37,500,000 | 100, or 20 |
| High-tech services | €10,000,000 | 30 |
| Facilities for national security | €10,000,000 | 30 |
| Technology park | €7,500,000 | 30 |
Source: InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act1
The investment threshold falls by 10% for every 50 employees above the minimum, or every 30 for high-tech services. Industrial zones and industrial parks can also be priority projects; the rules are on Industrial Zones and Parks.1
The incentives
- Faster administration (A, B): shorter deadlines for design permits, project approvals, fire-safety certificates and other procedures under the Spatial Development, Roads and Water Acts.
- Individual servicing (A): InvestBulgaria Agency guides the investor through the documents, deadlines and fees, and helps obtain them.
- Land without a tender (A, B): buying or leasing state and municipal land, or land of state-owned companies, without a tender.
- Infrastructure (A, and two or more B projects in one zone): support for public infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, crossings, power lines, substations and water and wastewater plants, up to 30% of the investment for Class A.
- Training (A, B): support for training staff in new jobs, for high-tech projects or disadvantaged regions where pay is above the national average for the activity.
- Social security refund (A, B): a partial refund of the employer’s contributions for new staff for up to 24 months, where pay is above the national average for the activity.
- Priority projects only: grants of up to 50% of the minimum project value for education and research and up to 10% for manufacturing, state land below market price but not below its tax value, and an interdepartmental working group.
Source: Ministry of Economy: Investment promotion measures; InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act2,1
In every class the investor still pays the fees for issuing documents. EU grant programmes are on EU Funds.2
Conditions
- Own money: at least 25% of the eligible costs must come from the investor or from finance that is not public support.
- Completion: the project must be carried out within three years of the start of works.
- Keeping it going: the investment must be kept for five years by a large company and three years by a small or medium-sized one; jobs created under the job-based thresholds and in priority projects are kept for at least 36 months.
- State aid: when an incentive counts as state aid, it must meet the EU General Block Exemption Regulation, No 651/2014.
Source: InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act; National Assembly: Law amending the Investment Promotion Act, SG 43/20251,4
How to apply
- Apply to the Executive Director of InvestBulgaria Agency on the standard form, with a description of the project and the supporting documents.
- Evaluation: the agency checks the documents and assesses the project.
- Class certificate: the minister issues the Class A or B certificate within 14 days of the agency’s proposal.
- Priority project: the minister submits a memorandum of understanding to the Council of Ministers within 30 working days of the agency’s proposal.
Source: Ministry of Economy: Procedure for issuing a certificate for investment class or priority project3
Class C applications go to the mayor of the municipality where the project is located.3
The 2025 changes
- Grants for priority projects in manufacturing, education and research, under a methodology in line with the EU state aid rules.
- Joint projects: two or more companies can now carry out one certified project together, and are jointly liable for it.
- Farmland: low-category agricultural land can be leased to an investor for up to 10 years.
- Protection: an investor whose certified project is blocked by unlawful acts of officials can claim compensation.
- Euro thresholds: the implementing regulations were amended in July and September 2025 and set the class and priority thresholds in euro.
Source: National Assembly: Law amending the Investment Promotion Act, SG 43/2025; InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act4,1
Parliament adopted the amending law on 14 May 2025; it was published in State Gazette No 43 of 2025.4
Largest projects certified in 2024 and 2025
| Company | Project | Class | Investment | New jobs | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Solar Technologies | Solar panel and cell factory | Priority | €122.7 m | 812 | August 2024 |
| Air Liquide Bulgaria | Industrial gas plant, Pirdop | A | €84.7 m | 0 | May 2025 |
| Maltery Sufle Bulgaria | Malt factory | A | €43.6 m | 2 | December 2024 |
| Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria | Automated warehouse, Kostinbrod | A | €37.0 m | 8 | October 2025 |
| Tri-Wall Bulgaria | Corrugated packaging plant | A | €31.0 m | 150 | December 2024 |
| M+S Hydraulic | Hydraulic motor plant | A | €30.0 m | 42 | November 2025 |
| Industrial Zone Zagore | Zagore Industrial Park | Priority | €24.3 m | 15 | December 2024 |
| Trakia Glass Bulgaria | Second coated glass line | A | €20.3 m | n.a. | November 2024 |
| Aero Technic BG | Aircraft repair hall | A | €15.9 m | 125 | November 2025 |
Source: InvestBulgaria Agency: Certificates issued under the Investment Promotion Act, 12 December 20255
Of the 467 certificates on the agency’s list of December 2025, 388 are Class A, 58 Class B, 16 priority projects and 5 under an earlier third class. The list gives amounts in leva; they are converted here at the fixed rate of 1.95583 leva to the euro.5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum investment for Class A in Bulgaria?
For manufacturing, Class A starts at 5 million euro and Class B at 2.5 million euro. The thresholds are lower for high-tech activities, warehousing and municipalities with high unemployment, and lower still when the project creates enough new jobs.
What is a priority investment project?
It is the highest level of certificate under the Investment Promotion Act. The general threshold is 50 million euro with 100 staff, or 25 million euro in manufacturing. Priority projects get every Class A and B measure plus grants, state land below market price and institutional support.
What incentives does the Investment Promotion Act give?
Certified projects can get shorter administrative deadlines, state or municipal land without a tender, support for infrastructure and training, and a partial refund of employer social security contributions for up to 24 months. Priority projects can also receive grants.
How long does it take to get a Class A or B certificate?
After InvestBulgaria Agency evaluates the application and sends its proposal, the minister issues the certificate within 14 days. For a priority project, a memorandum goes to the Council of Ministers within 30 working days.
What conditions apply to a certified investment?
At least 25% of the eligible costs must come from the investor, the project must be completed within three years of the start of works, and the investment must be kept for five years, or three years for small and medium-sized companies.
Sources
- InvestBulgaria Agency: Regulations for Application of the Investment Promotion Act (PDF)
- Ministry of Economy: Investment promotion measures
- Ministry of Economy: Procedure for issuing a certificate for investment class or priority project
- National Assembly: Law amending the Investment Promotion Act, SG 43/2025 (in Bulgarian)
- InvestBulgaria Agency: Certificates issued under the Investment Promotion Act, 12 December 2025 (PDF)
Figures checked 15 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
