EU Chambers in Bulgaria convened a meeting focused on key developments in the Bulgarian business environment, including the adoption of the euro, amendments to tax legislation, intellectual property protection measures, artificial intelligence, and business efficiency.
Dr. Rossen Tkatchenko, President of EU Chambers in Bulgaria and President of the Hungarian-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, officially opened and moderated the meeting. He conveyed his sincere appreciation to the bilateral chambers and their respective leaders for their valuable support and contribution to the event, namely Sylvain Collot (Belgium-Bulgaria-Luxembourg Business Club), Savvas Karafyllidis (Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Alessandro Geretto (Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria), Edward Simmelink (Dutch Bulgarian Business Association), Desisława Skoczylas (Bulgarian-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry), and Victor Gugushev (Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce).
Tsvetan Simeonov, President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Vladimir Tomov, President of the Investment Council at BCCI, were among the official guests at the event.
The topic “The Impact of the Euro on the Bulgarian Economy After the First 12 Weeks” was presented by Nikolay Vassilev, Managing Partner at Expat Capital and President of CFA Society Bulgaria. He provided an in-depth analysis of the initial measurable effects and outlined business expectations during the transitional phase of Bulgaria’s euro adoption.
Ivan Vargoulev, Associate Partner for Indirect Taxes at KPMG Bulgaria, reviewed the amendments to the Bulgarian Value Added Tax Act and their implications. He provided a valuable comparison with EU practices, highlighting specific opportunities and potential risks for businesses. The presentation was titled: “The Amended Bulgarian Value Added Tax Act and Its Implications: Comparison Within the EU, Opportunities and Threats.”
Katerina Bachvarova, Legal Expert at Toncheva & Partners, presented “Protecting Your Intellectual Property through the SME Fund. Theory and Practice”, offering participants a comprehensive overview of the theoretical foundations and practical strategies for leveraging funding to safeguard business assets.
Sashka Sashova, Chief Marketing Officer at Power Partner Solutions, presented the capabilities of SAP Joule – an artificial intelligence platform designed to understand and respond to business needs. The presentation demonstrated how these new technologies are transforming workflow efficiency. The session was titled: “SAP Joule – AI That Knows and Addresses Business Needs”.
Each lecture was complemented by interactive discussions, during which participants shared examples of positive professional and personal experiences.