Frequently asked questions about plastic shopping bags
1. Who is supposed to pay the product fee for plastic bags?
The persons that place on the market plastic bags- producers, importers and persons delivering from the EU, are obliged to pay the product fee for plastic shopping bags. When they cannot be identified, the distributors, including the persons that sell to the end-user have the same responsibilities.
2. For which plastic bags a product fee is to be paid? What is the price?
Product fee is due for plastic shopping bags, including oxidation degradable shopping bags, except for plastic bags that meet the requirements specified in point 3.1 to 3.3 below, where each point is considered separately. The product fee is paid per piece of plastic bag. It is determined in Appendix № 4 to Art. 3, Para. 1 (4) of the ordinance on product fee amount and the order of its determination (The Ordinance). The product fee is 0.55 BGN/piece.
The person that places on the market plastic bags should pay the fee to the account of the EMAEP to the Ministry of Environment and Waters by the 15th day of the month for the quantities from the previous month. For that purpose, they should fill in a monthly report – declaration according to Appendix 10 of the Ordinance. The declaration is issued by the 15th day of the month and it contains information about the plastic bags, placed on the market during the previous month.
- For which bags a product fee is not due?
Product fee is not due for:
3.1. plastic shopping bags that meet all the requirements simultaneously:
а) the thickness of the bag is not less than 25 microns (µm);
б) minimal size of the bag- 390 mm/490 mm when spread;
в) the packaging of the bags or each bag is marked with a writing in Bulgarian language, containing the following information:
- name, quarters and address of the person that places the bags on the market;
- writing: "reusable bag";
3.2. very thin plastic bags for shopping with a handle (less than 15 µm);
3.3. plastic shopping bags that meet all the requirements of standard EN 13432, marked with a writing in Bulgarian language, containing the following information:
- name, quarters and address of the person that places the bags on the market;
- writing: "biodegradable bag";
- date of production and expiry date.
4. Who and what product fee is to be paid for plastic bags, listed in point 3, for which a product fee for plastic shopping bags is not due?
4.1. If the plastic bags pointed in 3.1 function as packaging, according to the definition for packaging in § 1, p. 15, p. 15.1 and p. 15.2 of the Additional Stipulations of the Ordinance on Packaging and Packaging Waste, they need to be reported to Bulecopack Jsc. by the trader/producer and the fee is according to the price for “plastic packaging”.
4.2. The bags pointed in 3.2 – very thin (less than 15 µm) plastic shopping bags, without a handle, and which function as packaging, according to the definition for packaging in § 1, p. 15, p. 15.1 and p. 15.2 of the Additional Stipulations of the Ordinance on Packaging and Packaging Waste, they need to be reported to Bulecopack Jsc. by the trader/producer and the fee is per kg. according to the price for “plastic packaging”. Usually these bags are primary packaging and are sold together with the product. (Primary packaging is a packaging containing the product that is going to be used /consumed/ and without which the product cannot be sold).
Please, note that if the bag is very thin (less than 15 µm) but it has a handle, for that bag a product fee for plastic shopping bags should be paid to EMAEP!
4.3. The bags pointed in 3.3- biodegradable, and which function as packaging, according to the definition for packaging in § 1, p. 15, p. 15.1 and p. 15.2 of the Additional Stipulations of the Ordinance on Packaging and Packaging Waste, a product fee for packed goods/packaging material is due. The fee is calculated per kg. and is according to the tariff for “other materials”. With a declaration issued by the producer is certified that the bag meets the requirements of the standard EN 13432. This declaration needs to be kept by the trader and upon request, presented to the competent bodies.
5. What are the responsibilities of the traders that pack their goods in plastic bags, for which a product fee for plastic shopping bags is due?
According to the stipulations of Art. 7, Para. 3 of the Ordinance, the thin (less than 50 µm) plastic bags, except for very thin plastic bags without a handle, are offered to the end-user only against remuneration. For the plastic bag sold to the end-user, the trader does not owe a product fee, it should be already paid by its producer/importer.
6. How could the trader be sure that the product fee is already paid by the producer/importer of the bag?
For this purpose, the trader should require from his supplier a declaration according to Appendix 9 of the Ordinance. According to Art. 6 of the Ordinance, “The persons that place on the market of the Republic of Bulgaria products according to Art. 3, Para. 1, except for the persons that participate in collective schemes such as packaging recovery organizations, or attain their targets individually, are obliged, at request to present to their distributors a declaration according to Appendix 9 certifying the payment of a product fee for each deal and a copy of the document for payment.
7. Is the trader obliged to issue and submit monthly reports – declarations for the sold plastic bags?
No, according to the Ordinance, he is not. His suppliers are obliged to issue monthly reports – declarations according to Appendix 10 of the Ordinance.
But if the trader cannot point his suppliers and is not sure if a product fee has been paid, he is obliged to issue and submit monthly reports – declarations for the plastic bags sold by him and to pay the product fee to EMAEP.
