Digital Services Act1 Oct 2026
The European Commission decided on 1 October 2026 to send Bulgaria an additional letter of formal notice (INFR(2024)2241) for not complying with the Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065). This follows a letter of formal notice sent in December 2024 and a subsequent reasoned opinion sent in May 2025. Bulgaria has since adopted legislation empowering one of the authorities acting as Digital Services Coordinator, but according to the Commission it still has not designated and empowered the Personal Data Protection Commission and the Electronic Media Council, which would complete the national enforcement framework of the DSA. The Commission also considers that Bulgaria implemented the DSA's powers to sanction incorrectly: the law does not always respect the maximum fine limits and does not ensure that all penalties are effective, proportionate and dissuasive, also in view of a distinct treatment of natural and legal persons that the DSA does not establish. Bulgaria has two months to respond and address the shortcomings; without a satisfactory response, the Commission may issue an additional reasoned opinion.
What to do: No new obligation follows for businesses: this is a step in an infringement procedure against a Member State. If you provide intermediary services and are established in Bulgaria, take into account that the authorities supervising the DSA there and the national penalty rules may still change as a result of this procedure.
Legal status: Other or unclassified · Jurisdiction: EU
Official source: European Commission ↗