Highlights
- Bulgaria possesses rare earth element reserves but lacks industrial capacity and strategic investment infrastructure.
- Current policy strategies prioritize conventional industries over critical mineral and clean tech sectors.
- The country risks being left behind in the EU’s green industrial sovereignty and critical raw materials development.
A newly published study in Investments (No. 6, 2025) by Dr. Vladimir Ivanov of Trakia University offers a rare and policy-relevant glimpse into Bulgaria’s positioning within the global rare earth value chain. The study, titled “The Place of Bulgaria in the System of Global Investment Flows and Technological Change Related to Rare Earth Elements”, blends macroeconomic analysis with a strategic overview of Bulgaria’s underleveraged REE potential and makes the case for stronger national alignment with the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act.
Core Findings
- Strategic Underdevelopment: Bulgaria has known reserves of rare earth elements (REEs) but lacks industrial capacity, political prioritization, and investment infrastructure to capitalize on them.
- Dependency Risks: Like many EU nations, Bulgaria is entirely dependent on Chinese-dominated REE imports—a vulnerability that contradicts the EU’s de-risking strategy outlined in its 2023 Critical Raw Materials Act.
- Missed EU Integration Opportunities: Despite being a recipient of EU structural and cohesion funds, Bulgaria has not successfully tapped these to develop a competitive rare earth sector, especially in mining, processing, or magnet production.
- Policy Lag: Bulgaria’s national investment strategies remain oriented toward conventional industries (e.g., agriculture, tourism) rather than forward-looking sectors such as clean tech, EVs, and REE processing, where critical minerals are key inputs.
Implications
Dr. Ivanov calls for urgent policy coordination between the Bulgarian government and EU bodies to ensure the country is not left behind in the scramble for green industrial sovereignty. Bulgaria has the geological footprint, EU membership, and industrial legacy to become a regional REE node—but must act swiftly. Investors may find upstream exploration opportunities or technology transfer deals attractive—especially if regulatory frameworks are modernized.
Limitations
- Data Gaps: The study notes limited up-to-date geological surveys and lacks firm-level data on Bulgarian rare earth firms, if any exist.
- Policy Speculation: Some policy forecasts (e.g., Bulgaria becoming a regional magnet hub) are aspirational and not yet grounded in concrete public-private partnerships or pilot investments.
- Lack of Processing Capacity: Even if mining expands, Bulgaria currently lacks the separation and purification infrastructure to move up the REE value chain.
Conclusion
Dr. Ivanov’s analysis is a wake-up call for Bulgaria and its EU partners: the rare earth race is not just about geology—it’s about governance, vision, and investment. If Bulgaria aligns its resource base with industrial modernization, it could evolve from a passive importer to an active contributor in Europe’s clean-tech transition. But the clock is ticking.
Citation:
Ivanov, V. (2025). The Place of Bulgaria in the System of Global Investment Flows and Technological Change Related to Rare Earth Elements. Инвестиции (Investments), No. 6(1), 2025. Trakia University, Faculty of Economics.
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