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Publications

Here you will find a list of all AmCham Bulgaria publications, including reports, analyses, guidelines, etc.

AmCham Bulgaria Yearbook 2023 – 2024

Our flagship publication highlights two-years of dedicated services to our members, joint achievements, strategic partnerships, and events that have shaped the public business agenda. Nearly 180 pages depict a remarkable transformation: the storytelling style makes it look as solid as an Yearbook should be, as well as it has the twist of a business magazine. In its core the Yearbook fulfils its mission -to tell our stories that have built AmCham Bulgaria’s position as a leading and pioneering business association with a strong reputation and positive impact both nationally and internationally.

The Yearbook 2023 – 2024 includes the Chamber’s activities in these major areas:

  • Membership Directory  as of March 2025.
  • Events & Partnerships 
  • AmChampion Awards – Winners for 2022 and 2023
  • Committees & Advocacy – full overview of 2023 – 2024
  • National and International Outreach
  • Board & Team
  • AmCham BG U.S. Office Services
  • Rule of Law Report – download it with QR-code

Download: AmCham Bulgaria Yearbook 2023 – 2024 – web version

AmCham Bulgaria Rule of Law White Paper 2023

Following its priorities and agenda, the Rule of Law and Legislative Reform Committee initiated several analyses for the improvement of the Rule of Law domain and to contribute to the fostering of the needed pro-business reforms in the criminal justice, administrative justice, commercial law, and many more.

The first series of public discussions is on four major topics that are part of this initiative that will result in a Rule of Law White Paper, that will include Improvement of  Criminal Justice, Administrative Reform, Protection of Private Property with Regard the Confiscated Legislation, and Civil Cases State Fees Issue and the proposed changes that are due. Thus, AmCham Bulgaria plans a series of discussions to present the analysis, to receive feedback, and to get support for their further recognition by various stakeholders. The ultimate goal here is for those proposals to be well accepted, implemented into legislation, and applied into legal practice.

The analysis states: “The most important problems leading to systematic deficits in the criminal justice system in Bulgaria can be divided into several groups: the structure of the institutions of the system and their powers and the necessary guarantees for checks and balances, the procedures of criminal cases, and problems of substantive criminal law.”

U.S. – Bulgaria Economic Partnership: Investments, Jobs, Trade 1990 – 2022

This is the second edition of this study, with the 2023 edition created to mark the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the United States in 1903.

The first-of-its-kind report on American investments in Bulgaria was presented in 2018. It was also prepared in 2023 by the Institute for Market Economics on behalf of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria in partnership with the America for Bulgaria Foundation and with the support of 22 other Chamber member companies. The full content of the publication includes 13 success stories of American and Canadian companies operating in the country.

The report applies the methodology for tracking the ultimate owner of the capital of foreign companies operating in Bulgaria, focusing on those of US and Canadian origin. The 2023 content builds on the 2018 edition by including trade, foreign exchange, and tourism data.

The report also analyzes key indicators of the activities of the identified US companies in Bulgaria. These include the size and dynamics of revenues and employment, productivity and average wages of employees, investment in fixed assets, and an assessment of the leading industries in which the companies under consideration operate.

The main aim of the report is to provide an up-to-date assessment of the importance of the trade relationship between the US and Bulgaria. U.S. investment has been important to both the national and regional economies since 1990, concentrated in four sectors of our economy: manufacturing, information technology and communications, energy, and trade. In each of these sectors, the share of U.S. investment is at least 10% of all foreign investment, with agriculture accounting for 24%. At home, these investments are represented by leading U.S. brands that shape the image of these sectors. Regions such as Sevlievo, Razgrad, Stara Zagora, Gabrovo, Sofia, and others have been developing upwards and sustainably for years thanks to the work and investments of American companies there.

AmCham Bulgaria Yearbook 2021-2022 (2023)

AmCham Bulgaria’s most iconic printing publication – Yearbook 2021-2022 covers a year and a half of the Chamber’s success stories and events to inspire us all. It reflects the diverse and multifaceted activities with which we strived to implement our priorities and as always do the extra mile for the benefit of our members and the business community.

This publication appears in the year when Bulgaria and the United States celebrate 120 years of establishing diplomatic relations. It is a landmark that includes many events and people’s stories. We are certain that since the fall of the Iron Curtain in the early 1990s, Bulgaria is enjoying the best partnership so far with the U.S. in a political, cultural, economic, and people-to-people aspect.

Cyber Security Guideline for SMEs (2023)

Cyber Security Guideline for the Small and Medium-size businesses was a logical sequel of the Cyber Security Series – a set of three webinars delivered in 2022 and 2023 by some of the top experts in the field before a target audience. Georgi Ganev, General Manager, IBM Bulgaria and Co-Chair of the Digital Economy Committee of the Chamber, and Simeon Stoychev, VP Operations, Progress Software and AmCham Board Member shared their accumulated knowledge from the very practice in three webinars delivered in partnership with the Small and Medium-size Promotion Agency of Bulgaria (SMEPA).

AmCham Bulgaria Power Sector Decarbonization Study (2021-2022)

AmCham Bulgaria Power Sector Decarbonization Study is a large-scale report that includes three scenarios for decarbonization and a policy recommendation package which to shape more favorable to the green transition investment framework.

The Report has several goals: decarbonization of the electrical system of Bulgaria, smooth introduction of new technologies for decarbonization which are inline with the market and regulatory requirements, smooth and fair energy transition, maintaining the the sustainability and viability of the electrical system of the country, as well as protecting the competitiveness of the local economy, guarantee of power supply for the businesses and households.

The report analyses those KPIs: capacity, generation, flexibility, emissions, investment, cost. As a result, the consultant has developed three scenarios with potential to realize the decarobonization goals. They also have five sensitivities sub-scenarios as well.

The study is result of six-month joint work of the leading consulting company – Compass Lexecon. Since the beginning of the project, AmCham’s Energy and Mineral Resources Committee engaged identified stakeholders, institutions to define best the potential scenarios, key assumptions, as well as in selection of the data sources and input. The initial work on the study began in Fall of 2021 and was completed in January 2022. It was presented to various stakeholders, inlcuind the Ministry of Energy on the day of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, whose experts were engaged in the preparation process. Since AmCham via its Energy and Mineral Resources Co-Chair then was active at the Energy Transformation Commission (part of the EU Green Deal Council of Bulgaria), the study was updated to meet the dynamic environment and market changes since the outbreak of the war.

The first major version of the report was supported by AmCham members: AES Bulgaria, ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3, America for Bulgaria Foundation, Asarel-Medet, Dundee Precious Metals Bulgaria, Enery, EVN Bulgaria, GEOTECHMIN AD, Glavbolgarstroy Holding, ING Bank Bulgaria, Schneider Electric Bulgaria, Westinghouse Bulgaria. The second, updated version was funded by AES Bulgaria and ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3.

All related to AmCham Power Sector Decabonization Study Events and Activities.

AmCham Bulgaria Healthcare as an Investment Report (2021)

The analysis “Healthcare as an Investment” shows that Bulgaria has made progress in the field over the last 20 years. This is directly reflected in increased life expectancy, a reduction in infant mortality, etc. However, our country is significantly lagging behind a number of key indicators compared to European average, such as preventable mortality, access to health services and medicines, decreasing numbers of general practitioners, inefficiencies in out-patient assistance, etc.

The Bulgarian health system is one of the key factors for a stable economy, a sustainable labour market with an ageing population, a favourable business climate in the country and the attractiveness of Bulgaria as an investment destination. The report’s in-depth analysis also shows the need for reforms to optimise and make efficient use of available resources, as well as the need to invest in health with a guarantee of long-term returns.

In addition, the report proposes sustainable solutions based on the analysis of the available data in Bulgaria, as well as showing workable examples of economically developed European health systems that could be adapted and implemented in Bulgaria.

5 concepts for improving our healthcare

The report of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria sets out at least five concepts, the implementation of which would bring medium-term improvements to the health system, and which would have a positive impact on the health status of the population, access to health services and welfare increase. These are:

  • Prevention, screening and innovative medicine;
  • Digitalization initiatives;
  • A shift from IT-healthcare to true Digital Healthcare;
  • The need for a real reform of the financing model of the system;
  • Effective use of European funds.
U.S. Investments in Bulgaria 1990 – 2016 (2018)

“The U.S. Investments in Bulgaria 1990 – 2016 was probably the first ever community project of such a scale for the most prominent one for those organizations that work for the bettering of the relationships between Bulgaria and the United States, namely American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria, and the America for Bulgarian Foundation. The publishing was members funded too. The goal of AmCham Bulgaria is to evaluate how valuable of mutual benefit commercial partners are the USA and Bulgaria. The report and the methodology were developed by the Institute for Market Economics in 2018.

Highlights

U.S. Investments in Bulgaria are statistically underestimated. The new data say that the real volume of the U.S. Investments till 2016 are at least BGN 4,5 billion. That makes at least 2.5 times higher real value. Their evaluation includes fixed tangible assets, net income of sales and employees. In companies with U.S. capital work at least 28,600 people. The share of the USA among all foreign direct investors in Bulgaria equal 5,7% which is two-times more than the current data. The result is that America ranks in sixth place based on the end capital owner.

The U.S. investments have their significance for the national economy of Bulgaria, as well as for the regions since 1990. They are focused in four sectors of our economy: processing industry, ITC, energy, and agriculture. In each of those sectors the U.S. share is at least 10% of all FDIs, and for the agriculture their share is 24%. Those investments are represented by leading American brands which build the overall outlook of those sectors. Regions like Sevlievo, Razgrad, Stara Zagora, Gabrovo, Sofia and others are enjoying ascendingly and sustainably thanks to the work and the investments of the U.S. companies there.