Bulgaria

Funding bodies

Fund Goal

The MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe supports the EU film and audiovisual industries financially in the development, distribution and promotion of their work. It helps to launch projects with a European dimension and nurtures new technologies; it enables European films and audiovisual works including...

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Fund Goal

To encourage co-operation between professionals working in different countries by providing financial support to European co-productions.

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Fund Goal

Bulgarian National Film Center (NFC) is an Executive Agency under Ministry of Culture implementing the Cinema Industry Law. The main functions of National Film Center are to finance film production, film managing, distribution and exhibition of films, to support the promotion of Bulgarian films in the...

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Regulation

For a short stay (up to 3 months) visas are not required for the citizens of the following countries: European Union, Albania, Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan,  Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, St Kitts and Nevis, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela
For more details please consult: http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/109/index.html

Temporary work permits are issued by the Bulgarian Employment Agency to foreigners and bear the name of the foreign worker, the name of the employee and the period for which the permit is valid. A work permit is not granted if the work can be undertaken by a Bulgarian citizen. An employer cannot hire foreign workers in excess of 10% of his total work force.

To make a film or a reportage and take interviews, a company has to present an official letter to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Embassy, with a detailed programme of the sites that the crew wants to visit and the people it intends to speak to. If the stay is from 10 days to six months passport size photos of the crew members are also required for the purpose of issuing a temporarily accreditation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will then issue accreditation cards for the members of the crew which they have to collect upon their arrival in the capital Sofia. This accreditation will be sufficient for the performance of filming and broadcasting activities in Bulgaria. However, additional permits are required from the relevant authorities in case of filming sites with special status, such as the Nuclear Power Station ‘Kozlodui’, border zones, etc. Please check the visa requirements.

Accepts ATA Carnets for Commercial Samples, Exhibitions and Fairs, Professional Equipment. For detailed information visit http://www.bcci.bg

VAT standard rate is 20% (since Jan 1999) Reduced rate of 9% for hotel services. VAT is payable on assets and services in Bulgaria as well as on imports into Bulgaria. Are exempt from VAT: exports from Bulgaria, income from financial services such as insurance and banking services, legal advice (subject to the terms specified in law). Every business that had a turnover in excess of BGL 50,000 in the previous 12 months must register with the VAT authorities. A 'VAT' bank account must be opened that will be used for payments of VAT and receipt of refunds. Bulgaria VAT Recovery Time: 6-12 months

Bulgaria is the member state to a number of international treaties and conventions governing intellectual property, including the Bern Convention for the Protection of the Literary and Artistic Works... as well as other treaties, administered by WIPO, with the exception of the Trademark Law Treaty. Protection of works of literature, including science and technical literature, periodicals and computer programs, musical works, scenic works, films and other audio-visual works, works of drawing, including works of applied art, design and folklore artistic handicrafts, etc. is guaranteed by a modern Law on Copyright and Neighboring Rights.  Under Bulgarian law copyright arises as of the very moment of creation of the work and its affixing on a tangible carrier.  Bulgarian copyright legislation recognises the “author’s rights” approach to legal protection of author's works following the example of countries like Germany, Greece and Hungary.  This approach contemplates the right of the author as a “natural” right and thus certain elements of the bundle of rights to a work are seen as inalienable by being extremely personal. Ref: Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (as amended in 2002) (http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/details.jsp?id=458)  

Between 30,7% and 31,4% paid both by the employer and the employee in a certain ratio. This includes - 12,8% pensions fund, 5% universal pensions fund, 0,4%-1,1% occupational accident and professional disease fund (rate depending on the field of activity), 3,5% general illness and maternity fund, 1% - unemployment fund, 8% - health insurance fund.

Film Commissions

Sofia

We have created this website with the aim to facilitate you in finding the perfect match for your project in Bulgaria - in terms of film professionals, services, facilities, locations and etc. Gradually, we will upgrade the networking platform by extending the industry guide, enriching the gallery...

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Coproduction treaties

Professional Associations

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