10.03.2021

HOW TO FILL OUT YOUR TAX RETURN

When selling items for personal use and those that are not purchased for resale, citizens do not owe tax and do not need to declare the amounts received. This was announced by the National Revenue Agency.

In cases where it is a question of regular sales of goods, which are obviously not acquired for personal use, but for the purpose of trade and profit, the citizens owe a tax, which they determine and declare in the annual tax return for the respective year.

From March 16, 2021, the Revenue Agency launches the electronic service for pre-filled tax returns for personal income taxation in the Portal for e-services. In it, citizens will be able to see the data received in the NRA from sales on the Internet with cash on delivery in 2020.

They will be obliged to assess whether the amounts indicated from online trade are from sales of personal belongings or from the sale of goods purchased or produced for the purpose of resale and commercial activity.

In case they are from the sale of goods for the purpose of trade and profit, the natural persons will have to indicate them in Appendix № 2 of the annual tax return under Art. 50 of the Personal Income Tax Act for 2020, by June 30, 2021.

The NRA clarifies that in cases where the individual receives income from other economic activity in his capacity as a farmer, freelancer or craftsmanship through sales on the Internet with cash on delivery, the amounts received are declared in Annex № 3.

In case of sale of works of art, objects for collections and antiques, which is not related to the economic activity performed by the natural person, the incomes are declared in Appendix № 5. In these cases, the term for declaring the incomes and for paying the due tax is until May 5, 2021

You can find out more information about which Internet income is taxed in the video on the NRA's YouTube channel.

08.03.2021

PREFERENCES FOR EMPLOYERS AND THE UNEMPLOYED THROUGH THE LABOR OFFICES

As of today, March 8, 2021, all labor offices in the country accept applications from employers or registered unemployed for the use of financial support under the Employment Promotion Act.

The preferences are part of the programs and measures in force in 2021 to stimulate both employment and employability, entrepreneurship or labor mobility.

Employers can receive financial support if they approve a registered unemployed person for the vacancies announced by them - a representative of a target group under a program or measure of the National Action Plan for Employment in 2021, for which the Labor Office Directorate has vacancies. funds for concluding a new contract.

Through the provided preferences, employers can receive subsidies for dual training of unemployed persons or provided employment to unemployed young people up to 29 years of age with permanent disabilities or who have served a sentence of "imprisonment", as well as for hiring unemployed in "green" jobs.

In addition, employers can receive preferences if they wish to train unemployed people in a profession in which they can then employ those who have already acquired the necessary qualifications for the job. The Employment Agency covers 50% of the costs of employers who organize training in key competencies of employees in micro, small and medium enterprises, requested by employers to improve the skills and suitability of employees to changes in technology and work organization.

At the same time, the Employment Agency provides financial preferences to the unemployed in order to stimulate their mobility or entrepreneurship. The unemployed can apply for financial support for daily expenses for intercity transport to and from the workplace, as well as funds up to BGN 200 per month to cover accommodation and other expenses when starting work more than 50 km from their place of residence.

Starting your own business can be supported on the basis of an approved business project by receiving the unemployment benefits at once or providing a lump sum of up to BGN 4,000 for starting a business. Both measures can provide support for other services accompanying the start of the business.

Each labor office directorate has funds under some of the various programs and measures to promote employment, providing preferences to employers or the unemployed.

The current opportunities for applying for them are until the planned financial resource is exhausted and are announced on the website of the Employment Agency, in the section "Announcements for financing by regions", structured for each of the nine directorates "Regional Employment Service" in subsections "Incentives for the unemployed" and "Incentives and measures for employers".

Consultancy Center - Berkovitsa presents information on incentive measures provided by the Labor Office - Berkovitsa.

LABOR OFFICE DIRECTORATE - BERKOVITSA

Informs the unemployed persons from the municipalities of Berkovitsa and Varshets that as of March 2021 it has financial resources for concluding contracts for stimulating mobility and/or entrepreneurship under incentive measures and for training under the Employment Promotion Act (EPA), as follows:

LABOR OFFICE DIRECTORATE - BERKOVITSA

Informs the employers from the municipalities of Berkovitsa and Varshets that it has financial resources for concluding contracts for the use of programs and incentive measures for employment and training and education of adults under the Employment Promotion Act (EPA) in March 2021, as well as follows:

To use the above preferences, employers can submit applications for vacancies and the necessary documents, starting from 05.03.2021.

Additional and specific information can be obtained in the Directorate "Labor Office" - Berkovitsa, as well as on tel. 0953 88 341.

04.03.2021

A NEW PROCEDURE WILL SUPPORT SMES WITH REACT-EU FUNDING

Within the funds from the first tranche, which are expected under the EC Initiative (REACT-EU), under the Operational Program "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 it is planned to announce procedures for horizontal support in the first half of 2021. to overcome the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of working capital of small and medium enterprises in the amount of BGN 211,379,100.

For this purpose, an amendment to the operational program has been prepared, which has been previously agreed with the European Commission, the Ministry of Economy announced.

The first such procedure, which will be implemented with funds under REACT-EU, is procedure BG16RFOP002-2.089 "Support for small enterprises with a turnover of over BGN 500,000 to overcome the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic." The total amount of the grant under the procedure is BGN 78,233,200 (EUR 40,000,000). The eligible amount of the requested grant for a project is BGN 50,000.

The deadline for submitting project proposals is 4.30 pm on March 15.

According to the latest public data from the Ministry of Economy, as of February 26, a total of 3,247 project proposals were submitted under the procedure of the total value of the submitted project proposals of BGN 162,350,000.

For the remaining part of the REACT-EU funds in the amount of BGN 133 million. The Managing Authority of the Operational Program "Innovation and Competitiveness" 2014-2020 is in the process of preparing a new procedure for support of small and medium enterprises to overcome the economic consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the government announced that the funds from REACT-EU for Bulgaria for 2021 will increase from BGN 804.2 million to BGN 853.4 million, in connection with the application of an inflation index at EU level for the period of implementation of the Instrument.

The additional resource of BGN 49.2 million will be allocated in equal shares to the operational programs "Innovation and Competitiveness" and "Human Resources Development". These funds will increase the size of the implemented and planned operations under the two programs for investment support for small and medium enterprises and for maintaining employment.

Today, an additional BGN 100 million was approved under the Program for guaranteeing interest-free loans for the protection of people deprived of the opportunity to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as changes in the Portfolio Guarantee Program to support the liquidity of micro-, small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Their implementation is assigned to Bulgarian Development Bank AD.

With the decision, the budget under the Program for guaranteeing interest-free loans for the protection of people deprived of the opportunity to work due to the pandemic of COVID-19 is increased from BGN 200 million to BGN 300 million. An additional BGN 100 million is redirected from the free resource under the Portfolio Guarantee Program in support of the liquidity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the emergency situation and the COVID-19 epidemic.

In this way, the need to increase the funds under the program will be met, as well as the continuing active demand for interest-free loans to the partner trading banks.

If necessary, and in accordance with the implementation of the programs, BDB will be able to redistribute funds between the budgets of the two programs up to the amount of the financial resource of BGN 700 million.

04.03.2021

Where in our country the standard of living is three times lower than the European one

The standard of living in the North-Western region of Bulgaria, which includes cities such as Vidin, Vratsa and Montana, is three times lower than the EU average, according to Eurostat data.

The gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, measured by purchasing power, in the North-Western region of Bulgaria is only 32% of the EU average. This part of Bulgaria is the poorest region in the EU, sharing the last place with the island of Mayotte - overseas territory of France. The low GDP per capita in Mayotte is explained by demographic factors - 44% of the population there is under 15 years old, according to Eurostat.

The next places in terms of poverty are the other regions of Bulgaria, except the one in which Sofia is. GDP per capita in the North Central region is 35% of the EU average, followed by the South Central region (37%), the Southeast (40%) and the Northeast (41%).

They have the highest standard of living in Luxembourg, where the GDP per capita is 260% of the EU average, according to Eurostat data. The next places are the southern part of Ireland (240%), Prague (205%) in the Czech Republic, Brussels and the eastern and central part of Ireland (202% each).

Then there is Hamburg (195%) in Germany. The high GDP per capita in these regions can be partly explained by the high influx of workers traveling to the workplace (Luxembourg, Prague, Brussels and Hamburg) or by the large capital assets held by some multinational companies registered in the regions (Ireland).

Labor productivity in EU countries varies widely. The GDP per worker is the lowest in the North Central region of Bulgaria - 12,700 euros. Then there are two other regions in Bulgaria - South Central (13,000 euros) and Northwestern (13,400 euros).

The EU average GDP per worker is 66,800 euros. The highest GDP per worker is in Southern Ireland - 205,500 euros. This "labor productivity" measures the total productivity of regional economies without adjustment according to price levels or average hours worked, according to Eurostat.

In which professions do they get the highest salaries

People's salaries vary widely depending on which country and economic activity they work in, according to Eurostat.

Information and communication workers, including IT experts, are the highest paid in twelve of the 27 EU Member States and second in four other countries. Bulgaria is among the countries where IT specialists are in first place in terms of salaries. Other countries where IT experts are best paid are Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland and Estonia.

The salaries of those working in the field of finance and insurance are also high. Although they are the highest paid employees in only four EU countries (France, Hungary, Malta and Sweden), financiers are second in pay in sixteen and third in six Member States.

Another high-income sector is electricity, gas, heating and air conditioning, which is the highest paid industry in six Member States and second in two others.

At the other end of the ranking are those working in the field of "Accommodation and food service activities". Maids and waiters are the worst paid in 23 EU countries. Exceptions are Greece, Malta and Slovenia (where they are in second place with the lowest salaries) and Croatia (where they are in third place).

Those working in the field of "Administrative and support services" are in second place in terms of the lowest salaries in almost half of the EU countries (in 12 out of 27) and are the lowest paid in three countries (Greece, Croatia and Slovenia).

In one of the countries with the highest standard of living, Luxembourg, education workers are the highest. In Cyprus, teachers are second in salaries.

02.03.2021

How will the EU deal with youth unemployment because of Covid-19

For the first time since the financial crisis of 2008-2009, youth unemployment in the EU stands out as a serious problem. Following measures to tackle and control the process, Covid-19 re-catalyzed it, affecting one in six young people, according to the European Trade Union Confederation.

In numbers, this is 17.1 percent, and the growth is precisely in the countries affected during the financial crisis. And if then in Eastern Europe and Bulgaria unemployment appeared more as a problem in pre-retirement age, as is now commented to BNR MP Radan Kanev, a member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in the European Parliament:

"With the deepening integration of Bulgaria into the pan-European labor market, we see this phenomenon of youth unemployment in our countries as well. Both lower employment levels and lower pay, part-time, precarious working hours, various forms of employment that do not guarantee enough income, enough social benefits, or the availability of health and pension insurance.'

Jobless

As early as last March, when a state of emergency was declared in our country due to Covid-19, many young people in the sectors of tourism, restaurants and entertainment began to register with the Labor Offices.

The Employment Agency summarizes that from the beginning of the crown crisis until the end of January this year, about 26 thousand young people in the country are registered as unemployed. This is 35 percent of those who use the services of the Employment Agency.

Recommendation of the European Council

Activity and flexibility will be among the main qualities that EU Member States will have to promote among young people. This is enshrined in the Recommendation on an enhanced youth guarantee - a bridge to jobs - adopted last October by the European Council. How will they do it in the Labor Offices?

"Priority measures include job creation, as well as various ways to increase activity - such as counseling, counseling, advocacy, vocational education and training - in particular through apprenticeships or so-called dual training. And through the exchange of good practices, the aim will be to strengthen the existing networks for young entrepreneurs at national and local level, "explained the Employment Agency.

Additional resources from the European Social Fund

And if all this is to become a reality from written ideas, in the European Recovery Plan, in the next multiannual EU budget and specifically in this year's budget, efforts are being made to direct part of the European Social Fund specifically to tackling youth issues.

A percentage of about a quarter of the European Social Fund must be set aside - especially in countries with high unemployment - only for the problem of youth unemployment and for the gradual strengthening of the youth guarantee - a long-term EU policy aimed at it is in the foreseeable future that there will be no young people who do not study and work at the same time.

Lessons for the future

How these funds will be distributed depends on the national authorities, the MEP added. The opinion of a number of employment experts is that Covid-19 has only accelerated labor market processes, such as the growth of telework and the digitalisation of the economy. Each of them - requiring different competencies and that is why it is ticking like a clockwork mechanism for employment, if large-scale investments in education are not acted upon in time.

01.03.2021

CAN I BE HIRED BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE

Can the basic salary agreed for a full working day be lower than the minimum wage for the country?

It is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly salary that employers can pay by law to their employees, experts from the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy explain.

Its amount is determined administratively by the state, as of January 1, 2021 it is BGN 650, and the minimum hourly wage is BGN 3.92 with a normal working time of 8 hours and a 5-day working week.

The basic salary of the persons working under the above conditions may not be less than the defined amount. These rules apply to a full working month.

According to the Labor Code (LC), the employment contract contains data on the parties and determines the basic and additional remuneration of a permanent nature, as well as the periodicity of their payment.

In Art. 3 of the Ordinance on the structure and organization of wages provides that the gross wage consists of:

1. basic salary, determined in accordance with the current legislation and the applied system of remuneration;
2. additional labor remunerations, determined in the Labor Code, in the ordinance, in another normative act or in a collective labor agreement;
3. other labor remunerations, determined in a normative act or in the individual labor contract and not included in items 1 and 2.

According to Art. 4, para. 3 of the NSAPR, the basic salary is determined on the basis of assessment and grading of jobs and positions and is agreed in the employment contract between the parties to the employment relationship.

It is evident from the above that the negotiation of the basic salary below the amount of the minimum wage, determined by the Council of Ministers, is inadmissible, the experts are categorical.

01.03.2021

Working capital support through the NRA continues

The working capital support of the businesses affected by the anti-epidemic measures will continue this week as well, the National Revenue Agency announced.

The Consultancy Center – Berkovitsa remind that the measure enables the Revenue Agency to support the companies affected by the orders of the Minister of Health. They are paid 10 or 20 percent of the turnover for the previous period, after which the NRA will take these funds under an operational program.

The measure continues because, according to the latest orders of the Minister of Health, restaurants remained closed in February, and until the end of March, bars and nightclubs remained, and the ban on organized excursions was maintained.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly adopted a change that allows businesses established in 2020 to be supported for the entire period of suspension, and not just for 1 month, as it was before.

This week, all those who have so far applied for the program and have been approved as eligible will receive a notification from the NRA through the UMIS system. In the announcement they will receive an invitation to replenish their turnover for the months in which they did not carry out activity due to the anti-epidemic measures introduced by an order of the Minister of Health. In order for the requested support to be granted quickly, the NRA appealed for a response within 7 days. Payments will be made upon receipt of notification by the European Commission.

The NRA has published a list of another 476 companies that receive working capital. The total amount granted is BGN 6,127,508, and a quick glance reveals that a large part of the list are restaurateurs, restaurant owners and companies in the tourism industry.

01.03.2021

ANOTHER BGN 300 MILLION HAVE BEEN AGREED UNDER THE PROCEDURES IN SUPPORT OF THE ENTERPRISES

Under the anti-crisis measures implemented only by the Ministry of Economy, over BGN 700 million, part of the anti-crisis package, have already reached Bulgarian enterprises and individuals. This was stated by the Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov at an online discussion on the topic: "Finance and markets for SMEs during and after the Covid-19 crisis".

Minister Borisov commented that the government's policy during the crisis was aimed at influencing all factors of economic growth - consumption, government spending, investment and measures to promote exports. "Our country has some of the most liberal measures towards business, as of today the restaurants are working. It is no coincidence that Bulgaria is already a member of the ERM II exchange rate mechanism and the banking union," he added.

Borisov pointed out that funds have been paid under the procedures for micro and small enterprises - over BGN 190 million to nearly 24,000 enterprises, for the transport sector, for SMEs in the tourism sector. Under the joint procedure with the National Revenue Agency, over BGN 52 million have reached the closed business, under which the payment of working capital will continue this month, as well as other funds from the budget of the Ministry of Economy related to the National Innovation Fund, ICT vouchers and Investment Promotion Act. "Only under the measures implemented through BDB, over BGN 340 million are already guaranteed loans under the two guarantee programs of the Bank for individuals and companies," he added. Borissov pointed out that an extension of the program is being prepared for individuals, and another BGN 100 million will be allocated for interest-free loans for employees on unpaid leave or those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, thus responding to the need to increase the funds under the program, given the continuing active demand for interest-free loans from commercial partner banks.

According to him, another BGN 300 million have been agreed under the procedures in support of medium-sized enterprises and for improving the production capacity of SMEs, under which administrative contracts are already being concluded and after reporting the full amount of the approved grant will be paid. on projects. "Under the procedure for medium-sized enterprises, we have provided an increase in the budget in order to be able to finance all 1,703 approved project proposals, incl. 418 pcs. reserve candidates from the reserve lists for over BGN 233 million. The Minister of Economy stressed that he continues and accepts project proposals under the procedure for working capital in support of small enterprises with a turnover of over BGN 500,000 under OP "Innovation and Competitiveness" with a budget of over BGN 78 million.

26.02.2021

Policy objectives to be funded by the future Romania-Bulgaria Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2021-2027

The Joint Programming Group for the Romania-Bulgaria Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2021-2027 has selected policy objectives PO 2 - A greener, low-carbon transition to a zero-carbon economy and a resilient Europe and PO4 - A more social and inclusive Europe. These objectives complement the two policy objectives selected by Decision 4 / 16.09.2020, namely PO3 - A more connected Europe and PO5 - A Europe closer to citizens.

They were selected in accordance with the provisions of Article 15 of the new Interreg Regulation proposal related to the thematic concentration and following the analysis of the needs and development potential of the area, described in detail in the Territorial Analysis of the Romanian-Bulgarian border area.

More information about the Interreg VI-A Romania-Bulgaria program can be found on the new website: www.interregviarobg.eu.

26.02.2021

A second information day was held under the procedure "Adult Literacy - 2"

The Managing Authority of the Operational Program "Science and Education for Smart Growth" 2014-2020 (OPNOIR) on 23.02.2021 held a second information day in the framework of the explanatory campaign under the procedure for selection of project proposals BG05M2OP001-3.020 "Adult literacy - 2 ". The information day was held online through the Zoom platform with the participation of 90 people, representatives of stakeholders such as schools, NGOs, RWB, EA, ASA, municipalities, etc. The focus of the meeting was on completing and completing project proposals and presented the more important questions asked under the Conditions for application under the procedure.

The main goal of the procedure "Adult Literacy - 2" is to support vulnerable groups for social inclusion by providing access to education and training for better realization in the labor market.

The budget of the procedure amounts to BGN 15 million, which are provided under Priority Axis 3 "Educational environment for active social inclusion" of OPNOIR, co-financed by the European Social Fund.

Additional information about procedure BG05M2OP001-3.020 "Adult Literacy-2" can be found on the website of OPNOIR, section "Procedures", section "Procedures open for application" (http://opnoir.bg/?go=page&pageId=363), as well as in the Information System for Management and Monitoring UMIS 2020 - https://eumis2020.government.bg/bg/s/Procedure/Active and the Single Information Portal of the European Structural and Investment Funds: https://www.eufunds.bg/bg/ opseig/node/6470.  

Candidates can ask questions on the specific procedure until 10.03.2021, incl. to the following e-mail address: infosf@mon.bg or via UMIS2020.

The deadline for applications is March 31, 2021, 5:30 p.m.