Policy Observatory

Electronic identification and electronic signatures could be integrated into the new ID cards that will be issued from 2016 onwards. The Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications announced that the technical requirements for such transition have been met and that electronic identifiers ensure the highest possible level of security and data protection and that the transition to new ID cards would be in full compliance with the newly adopted Regulation (EU) 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (eIDAS Regulation).

In August 2015, the Bulgarian government submitted a contribution in response to the call for submissions of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) on the establishment of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) to advance connectivity, improve service quality and increase network stability and resilience, fostering competition and reducing interconnection costs, as proposed by Opinion 1 of WTPF-13 and consistent with PP-14 Resolutions 101 and 102.

The contribution is available here.

On 23rd September, the Council of Ministers in Bulgaria approved the draft Bill on Electronic Identification and proposed that the National Assembly passes it. The draft bill provides for a regulation of electronic identification of natural persons. The Bill delineates the powers, functions, obligations and responsibilities of all participants involved in the issuing and management of electronic identity of natural persons. The draft Bill, if enacted into law, would aim to achieve a better degree of effectiveness of electronic governance oriented towards consumers and businesses alike. It is also expected that the future law could address one of the government’s key priorities to introduce electronic governance as a primary platform for state modernization which is also a key factor and an important condition for implementation of sectoral reforms. 

The Bulgarian parliament has voted and approved a series of amendments to the Electronic Governance Act that require all software written for the government to be open-source and to be developed as such in a public repository.

Recent amendments to the Access to Public Information Act (APIA), led to the establishment of an Open Data Portal, where all public-sector organizations are obliged to store information. The access to the Open Data Portal is free. On the 20th June 2016, the Council of Ministers adopted an Ordinance on the Standards for the Re-use of Public-sector Information and its Open Format Publishing, which obliges all state officials to stick to specific open data format requirements and to publish machine-readable data in the Open Data Portal.

Recent amendments to the Access to Public Information Act (APIA), led to the establishment of an Open Data Portal, where all public-sector organizations are obliged to store information. Access to the Open Data Portal is free. On the 20th June 2016, the Council of Ministers adopted an Ordinance on the Standards for the Re-use of Public-sector Information and its Open Format Publishing, which obliges all state officials to stick to specific open data format requirements and to publish machine-readable data in the Open Data Portal.

More information is available here in English.