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Progress toward accession

Changes in legislation

In order to successfully implement the requirements of Chapter 24, Bulgaria is building institutions and capacity to implement the EU acquis in this area. National policies in this area include new legislation, strategies and action plans:

New Legislation

• Personal Data Protection Act, 1 January 2002.
  The Act regulates the protection of natural persons with regard to processing of personal data as well as the access to such data including information about the physical, psychological, mental, family, economic, cultural or social identity. The purpose of the Act is to guarantee the inviolability of individuals and their privacy through preventing against illegal access and processing of personal data.
  
  
• Law on the Amendment to the Ministry of Interior Act, 6 February 2003.
  The law introduces changes to the way the Ministry of Interior handles information including the protection of personal data in accordance with the EU norms. It also creates a special body within the Ministry responsible for international police cooperation.
  
  
• New Law for the Amendments to the Law for the Ministry of Interior, November 2003.
  The amendments stipulate for the creation of Migration Department within the Ministry-a specialized body exercising control over foreigners in Bulgaria. It also creates a new institution providing border oversight. The amendments define the responsibilities of the border police in regard to individuals violating the Convention on the Implementation of the Schengen Agreement.
  
  
• Law for the Measures Against Financing Terrorism, 5 February 2003
  The law harmonizes national legislation with the EU legislation adopted in December 2001 in response to the terrorist acts in the U.S. and in accordance with the requirements of Resolution 1373 of the Security Council of the UN on 28 September 2001.
  
  
• Law for the Amendments to the Law for the Measures Against Money Laundering, 21 March 2003.
  
  
• Law for the Amendments to the Foreign Nationals in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, 9 April 2003.
  The law achieves full compliance with Article 26 of the Convention for the Adoption of the Schengen acquis and Directive 2001/51/EC of 28.6.2001 of the EU Council concerning the liability of carriers. It establishes specialized facilities for temporary accommodation of foreign nationals awaiting expulsion. The law also establishes a national register for foreign nationals residing on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.
  
  
• Classified Information Protection Act, 3 May 2002.
  Regulations for its implementation, 10 December 2002.
  The law regulates the rules and procedures of collecting, processing and storing of classified information as well as the public access to it. Its purpose is the protection of classified information from unauthorized access. This law is applied to national classified information as well as to foreign classified information when stipulated by international agreements signed by Bulgaria.
  
  
• Law for the Fights Against Illegal Human Trafficking, 7 May 2003.
  The law regulates the non-penal matters related to trafficking including prevention, victim protection and rehabilitation. The law is in line with the UN Convention against Trans-border Organized Crime and its supplementary Protocol on prevention and incrimination of trafficking in human beings, especially women and children. 
  
  
• Law for the Asylum and Refugees, 16 May 2002.
  The law brings national legislation into compliance with the requirements of the Geneva Convention from 1951, the Protocol on Refugee Status of 1967 and the EU legislation in the field of asylum and refugees. The law lays down the conditions and procedures for granting asylum status, refugee status, humanitarian status and temporary protection to aliens.
  
  
• Law for the Amendments to the Penal Code, September 2002.
  The law makes changes in the areas of: fight against corruption; organized crime; human trafficking; child pornography; computer crime; and, terrorism. The Penal Code has the objective of defending against criminal encroachment on the personality and the rights of the citizens and the entire legal order established in the country. 
  
  
• Law for the Amendments to the Law for Control Over Explosives, Firearms, and Munitions, October 2002
  The law settles the control over the activities involving explosives, firearms and munitions in Bulgaria carried by individuals, corporate bodies and entrepreneurs in the context of the Commercial Law.

Strategies and Action Plans

• National Judicial Reform Strategy, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 1 October 2001 and Action Plan for its implementation, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 14 March 2002.
  
  
• National Anti-Corruption Strategy, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 1 October 2001, and Action Plan for its implementation, adopted on 13 February 2002.
  
  
• National Action Plan for the Adoption of the Schengen Acquis, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 1 November 2001. The plan encompasses all areas of the acquis and contains a schedule for introducing the European regulations related to border control, visa policy, and security of external borders of the EU. The plan is subject to annual revision and updating. On 6 March 2003 the Bulgarian government adopted the first Progress Report on the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Adoption of the Schengen acquis and adopted the updated version of the National Action Plan for 2003.
  
  
• Updated Strategy for the Judicial Reform in Bulgaria, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 3 April 2003.
  
  
• Action Plan to the Updated Strategy for the Judicial Reform in Bulgaria, approved by the Minister of Justice on 10 April 2003.
  
  
• National Anti-Drugs Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 20 February 2003.
  
  
• Action Plan to the National Anti-Drugs Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria, adopted by the National Drug Council on 8 April 2003. 
  
  
• National Strategy to Combat Crime, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 7 November 2002 /Council of Ministers Decision No 726 of 7 November 2002.
  
  
• Action Plan to the National Strategy to Combat Crime, adopted by the Council of Ministers on 13 February 2003 /Protocol No 7 of Ministers Council meeting of 13 February 2003. 
  
  
• Council coordinating the fight against infringements affecting the financial interests of the European Communities, adopted by the Council of Ministers' Decree N18/ 4.02.2003.

Draft Legislation

• Amendments to the Foreign Nationals Act

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Updated on at Thursday, June 14, 2007