Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SOFIA91
2005-01-14 04:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:  

BULGARIA: U.S. MARKET ACCESS PRIORITIES

Tags:  ETRD BU WTO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
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

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.