Selected from the network by Eng. Anelia Dimova, Information Society Policy Expert

According to the CEM Annual Report 2025, in 2025, the regulator’s agenda was reflecting the EU level priorities while responding to specific nationally developments, such as monitoring on Bulgaria’s euro currency adoption process. The CEM also conducted an express focused review of the coverage of the end-of-2025 public protests, where broadcasters adjusted schedules and expanded live updates to keep audiences informed in real time. Child-protection remains a key focus: the CEM reviewed, among others, coverage of a high-profile case, tracing its spread from digital platforms to mainstream programmes, assessing reach and context across linear and online services. The CEM also brought journalists and experts together to discuss how the EMFA should be put into practice in Bulgaria, with attention to newsroom independence, public service media, ownership transparency, state advertising and audience rights.

In 2024, the CEM refused to renew the licenses of radio providers who failed to actually broadcast or create programs, arguing that radio frequencies are a limited public resource that must be used effectively. In 2025, the Supreme Administrative Court overturned these decisions, ruling that the only legal requirement for a license renewal is submitting the application on time, regardless of whether the provider is active. In its 2025 annual report, the CEM strongly opposes this interpretation, viewing it as a dangerous precedent that reduces the regulator to a “registrar” and ignores the constitutional principle that the state must manage the radio frequency spectrum in the public interest. These decisions are also being contested at court, as the regulator stated its determination to continue to fight for its right to ensure media pluralism and fair competition.

In 2023, Bulgaria transposed the two directives at the heart of the European Union’s copyright reform: Directive (EU) 2019/789 laying down rules on the exercise of copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions of broadcasting organisations and retransmissions of television and radio programmes and amending Council Directive 93/83/EEC, and Directive (EU) 2019/790 on copyright and related rights in the Digital Single Market and amending Directives 96/9/EC and 2001/29/EC.

On 11 April 2025, the Accessibility Requirements for Products and Services Law was promulgated in the State Gazette. This legislative act applies inter alia to services providing access to audiovisual media services. The new law regulates:

• the accessibility requirements for products and services;

• the procedure for assessing the conformity of products with these requirements;

• the obligations of economic operators who place products on the market or provide services;

• the supervision of products made available on the market or put into operation, or both; and

• the control of the compliance of services with the accessibility requirements.

The CEM is designated as the supervisory authority for services providing access to audiovisual media services.

Starting in July 2025, the CEM began collaborating with major telecommunications and media associations to implement new accessibility standards, focusing on technical solutions like the European Broadcasting Union’s R110 recommendation for digital subtitling. These ongoing efforts, extending into 2026, aim to fulfil legal obligations and proactively enhance media service accessibility for people with disabilities through continued industry cooperation.

Pursuant to the amendments to the Electronic Communications Law promulgated on 21 November 2025, Bulgaria has designated the relevant authorities for implementing the DSA. In particular, the CEM is empowered to act as a competent authority with respect to providers of intermediary services that qualify as video-sharing platform services domiciled in Bulgaria, supervising their compliance with applicable DSA obligations (including, as relevant, obligations concerning illegal content processes, advertising transparency and the protection of minors). Within this framework, the CRC is the designated Bulgaria’s Digital Services Coordinator, and the CEM’s supervision of video-sharing platforms operates in coordination with the CRC.

According to its publicly available plan for 2026, the CEM has highlighted several key priorities:

• children online and their use of social media, online education and protection from harmful content;

• artificial intelligence in the media, focusing on its benefits and risks; and

• the challenges facing regional journalism.

Source:

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