Bulgaria’s approach to soil protection reflects a gradual alignment with European environmental standards, combined with national rules addressing heavy metals and land contamination. As agriculture remains an important sector of the economy, soil health is closely linked to rural development, food production and environmental protection.
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Since 2022, Bulgaria has applied the EU Fertilising Products Regulation, which limits cadmium in phosphate fertilizers to 60 mg/kg P₂O₅. National legislation complements this framework. Regulation 21/2016 requires producers to disclose the presence of heavy metals in fertilizers and restricts certain elements, including copper, to defined limits. In parallel, Ordinance 3/2008 sets soil cadmium thresholds according to land use, ranging from 1.5–3.0 mg/kg in arable land to 10 mg/kg in industrial areas. Together, these measures establish a legal basis for managing risks linked to fertilizer composition and soil contamination.
Monitoring plays a central role in Bulgaria’s soil governance system. A structured soil monitoring programme, approved in 2004, operates on three levels. Wide-scale monitoring is conducted every five years and assesses key indicators such as heavy metals, nutrients, pH, soil density and persistent pollutants. Regional monitoring focuses on degradation processes, including acidification, salinisation, erosion and soil sealing. Local monitoring targets contaminated sites, although implementation remains uneven. The 2007 Ordinance on Soil Contamination Inventory and Remediation further supports the identification and management of polluted land through a public remediation register.
Despite this regulatory architecture, enforcement and systematic fertilizer composition monitoring continue to present challenges. A recent report from the Joint Research Centre noted the absence of a fully operational national soil monitoring network, with much of the available harmonised data deriving from the EU-wide LUCAS survey.
At the same time, Bulgaria promotes sustainable land management through its Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan. Eco-schemes encouraging crop rotation, soil cover maintenance and reduced pesticide use are complemented by support for organic farming, biodiversity conservation and advisory services. Efforts to foster digitalisation and innovation aim to improve resource efficiency and resilience.
Bulgaria’s experience reflects meaningful progress: a solid legislative framework and a structured monitoring system are already in place, providing a strong foundation on which continued improvements in implementation and data integration can further strengthen long-term soil protection.
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