In accordance with Article 24 (1) of the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union of 29 May 2000 (“the Convention”), the declaration made to the Council of Europe by the Republic of Bulgaria on 10 March 2022 in respect of the 1959 European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and its Protocols also applies to this Convention.

In accordance with Article 24 (1) of the Convention the Republic of Bulgaria, declares that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘EPPO’), in the exercise of its competences, as provided for by Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, is competent to issue requests in accordance with Article 18 of the Convention and to act as competent authority in accordance with Article 19 (2) and Article 20 (1) to (5) of the Convention.

Requests addressed to the EPPO as requested authority, should be transmitted to the Central Office of the EPPO. In urgent cases they may be transmitted directly to a Delegated European Prosecutor in the Republic of Bulgaria. In such cases a copy should be sent to the Central Office of the EPPO. The notification made in accordance with Article 24 (1) (b) of the Convention, requiring requests or communications to be transmitted via the Central Authority, shall not apply to requests or communications issued by or addressed to the EPPO.

In accordance with Article 6(3) of Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA of 13 June 2002 on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States, Republic of Bulgaria, as a Member State of the European Union participating in the enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, hereby informs the General Secretariat of the Council that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), in the exercise of its competences, as provided for in Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, is competent to act as issuing authority as defined in Article 6(1) of Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA.

In accordance with Article 6(1) of Council Framework Decision 2009/829/JHA of 23 October 2009 on the application, between Member States of the European Union, of the principle of mutual recognition to decisions on supervision measures as an alternative to provisional detention, the Republic of Bulgaria, as a Member State of the European Union participating in the enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, hereby informs the General Secretariat of the Council that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘EPPO’), in the exercise of its competences, as provided for in Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, is competent to act as issuing authority in accordance with Framework Decision 2009/829/JHA.

In accordance with Article 4(2) of Council Framework Decision 2009/948/JHA of 30 October 2009 on prevention and settlement of conflicts of exercise of jurisdiction in criminal proceedings, the Republic of Bulgaria, as a Member State of the European Union participating in the enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, hereby informs the General Secretariat of the Council that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘EPPO’), in the exercise of its competences, as provided for by Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, is a ‘competent authority’ as defined in point (b) of Article 3 of Framework Decision 2009/948/JHA.

1. In accordance with Article 33 of Directive 2014/41/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 regarding the the EIO Directive Republic Bulgaria, as a Member State of the European Union participating in the enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, hereby notifies the European Commission that the EPPO, in the exercise of its competences, as provided for in Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, is competent to act as issuing authority as defined in Article 2(c)(i) of the EIO Directive. The EPPO furthermore is competent to act as executing authority as defined in Article 2(d) EIO Directive for the purpose of providing information or evidence which the EPPO has obtained already or may obtain following the initiation of an investigation within its competence.

2. Where a European Investigation Order is addressed to the EPPO as executing authority, it should be transmitted to the Central Office of the EPPO. In urgent cases it may be transmitted directly to a Delegated European Prosecutor in the Republic of Bulgaria. In this case a copy should be sent to the Central Office of the EPPO.