US embassy cable - 05SOFIA91

UNCLAS  SOFIA 000091 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
GENEVA FOR USTR ALICIA GREENIDGE 
STATE FOR EB/TP/MTA/MST ANISSA WHITTEN 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR CHARLIE HOOKER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, BU, WTO 
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: U.S. MARKET ACCESS PRIORITIES 
 
REF: 04 STATE 270998 
 
1. U.S. market access priorities in Bulgaria (ranked 
with a value from one to five, with one a top priority 
for U.S. service suppliers in host country and five a 
very low priority for U.S. service suppliers): 
 
-3-Legal services 
-3-Accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services 
-3-Taxation services 
-2-Architectural services 
-1-Engineering and integrated engineering services 
-2-Urban planning and landscape architectural services 
-1-Computer and related services 
-3-Research and development services 
-2-Real estate services 
-2-Rental/Leasing Services 
-3-Advertising services 
-3-Market research and public opinion, polling services 
-2-Management consulting services 
-3-Technical testing and analysis services (including 
energy related testing services) 
-2-Services incidental to agriculture, hunting and 
forestry, and fishing 
-3-Services incidental to mining 
-1-Energy services (including land site preparation, 
drilling and plugging) 
-1-Services incidental to energy distribution 
-2-Placement and supply services of personnel 
-2-Investigation and security 
-1-Related scientific and technical consulting services 
-2-Maintenance and repair of equipment 
-3-Building-cleaning services 
-3-Photographic services 
-3-Packaging services 
-4-Printing, publishing 
-2-Convention services 
-3-Courier services (Express Delivery) 
-2-Telecommunication services 
-2-Audiovisual services 
-3-Construction and related engineering 
-3-Distribution Services, including: commission agents' 
services, wholesale trade services, retailing services, 
and franchising 
-4-Educational Services, including: higher education 
services, adult education (i.e., vocational), other 
education services (i.e., testing and computer or 
language training) 
-1-Environmental services (wastewater treatment, 
sanitation, 
protection of ambient air and climate, remediation and 
clean up, noise and vibration abatement, and 
biodiversity protection) 
-4-Insurance services 
-2-Banking and other financial services including 
securities 
-3-Tourism and travel-related services, including: 
hotels and restaurants, catering, travel agencies and 
tour operators services, and tourist guides services 
-3- Recreations and sporting services (other than 
audiovisual services), including: entertainment 
services (including theatre, live bands and circus 
services), news agency services; libraries, archives, 
museums and other cultural services; sporting and other 
recreational services. 
 
2. Bulgaria's current level of market openness (ranking 
- high (H), medium (M), or low(L)): 
 
-H-Legal services 
-M-Accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services 
-M-Taxation services 
-M-Architectural services 
-H-Engineering and integrated engineering services 
-L-Urban planning and landscape architectural services 
-H-Computer and related services 
-M-Research and development services 
-M-Real estate services 
-M-Rental/Leasing Services 
-L-Advertising services 
-M-Market research and public opinion, polling services 
-M-Management consulting services 
-M-Technical testing and analysis services (including 
energy 
related testing services) 
-L-Services incidental to agriculture, hunting and 
forestry,and fishing 
-M-Services incidental to mining 
-H-Energy services (including land site preparation, 
 
drilling and plugging) 
-H-Services incidental to energy distribution 
-M-Placement and supply services of personnel 
-L-Investigation and security 
-L-Related scientific and technical consulting services 
-L-Maintenance and repair of equipment 
-L-Building-cleaning services 
-M-Photographic services 
-M-Packaging services 
-M-Printing, publishing 
-H-Convention services 
-M-Courier services (Express Delivery) 
-H-Telecommunication services 
-M-Audiovisual services 
-H-Construction and related engineering 
-M-Distribution Services, including: commission agents' 
services, wholesale trade services, retailing services, 
and franchising 
-M-Educational Services, including: higher education 
services, adult education (i.e., vocational), other 
education services (i.e., testing and computer or 
language training) 
-H-Environmental services (wastewater treatment, 
sanitation, protection of ambient air and climate, 
remediation and clean up, noise and vibration 
abatement, and biodiversity protection) 
-M-Insurance services 
-H-Banking and other financial services including 
securities 
-M-Tourism and travel-related services, including: 
hotels and restaurants, catering, travel agencies and 
tour operators services, and tourist guides services 
-M- Recreations and sporting services (other than 
audiovisual services), including: entertainment 
services (including theatre, live bands and circus 
services), news agency services; libraries, archives, 
museums and other cultural services; sporting and other 
recreational services. 
 
3. Pension reforms adopted in 1999-2000 started 
movement to a "three-pillar pension scheme."   The 
reform of the pay-as-you-go pension system into a 
diversified three-pillar system aims to gradually shift 
up to five percent of contributions to a mandatory 
second pillar to be invested in private pension funds. 
Each of the eight private pension companies may 
administer four pension funds at most: a universal 
pension fund, occupational pension fund, voluntary 
pension fund and pension fund with investment vouchers. 
Although the legislative framework has been in place 
since 1999, a number of challenges remain.  In the 
short run, issues connected to pension indexing, 
disability claims, effectiveness and reconciliation of 
contributions, accounting and valuation procedures, and 
building a strong supervisory agency need to be 
resolved.