Regulation of the Council of Ministers No.  120 of  25 March 1997 on the 
establishment of Council for Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection. 
Amendment published in State Gazette No.  53 of 8  July 2022  
 
THE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL  
RESOLVED:  
 
Art. 1. Establishes a Council for Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection under 
the Council of Ministers as a body for coordinating the activities and measures taken by state 
institutions against the illegal use of objects protected under the Copyrigh t and Related Rights  
Act. 
Art. 2. Adopts Rules of procedure  on the structure and organization of the activity of the 
Council for Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection according to Annex No. 1.  
Art. 3. (1) Determines the composition of the Council for Copyright and Neighbouring 
Rights Protection according to Annex No. 2. The composition of the Council is determined by a 
Decision of the Council of Ministers.  
(2) (Amended - State Gazette  No. 30 of 1999) Proposes to the Prosecutor General of the 
Republic of Bulgaria to designate a representative for participation in the Council for Copyright 
and Neighbouring Rights Protection . 
 
Final provisions  
Paragraph only. (Amended - State Gazette  No. 38 of 2000) This  regulation is issued on the basis 
of Art. 105 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and Art. 21 of the Administration Act.  
Final provisions  
TO REGULATION No. 156 OF 5 JULY, 2022 AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING 
REGULATORY ACTS OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS  
(PUBLISHED - STATE GAZETTE No. 53 OF 2022, ENTRY INTO FORCE  08.07.2022)  
§ 73. This  regulation enters into force from the day of its promulgation in the "State 
Gazette".  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
APPENDIX NO. 1 TO ART. 2  
 
RULE S OF PROCEDURE  
on the structure and organization of the activity of the Council for Copyright and 
Neighbouring Rights Protection.  
 
Section I  
General  Principles  
 
Art. 1. The Rules of procedure regulate the tasks, structure and organization of the 
activities of the Council  for Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection , hereinafter referred 
to as "the Council".  
 
Section II  
Tasks  
 
Art. 2. The Council:  
1. Develops programs to prevent and terminate the illegal use of objects protected by the 
Copyright and Related Rights Act;  
2. Coordinates the activities and measures undertaken by state bodies, organizations and 
institutions in the field of copyright and related rights, as well as by local self -government bodies;  
3. Collects, processes and analyzes information regarding the s tate and trends of the 
domestic and foreign market regarding  objects protected by the Copyright and Related Rights 
Act; 
4. Provides assistance to organizations for the protection or management of copyright 
and related rights;  
5. Submits to the Council of M inisters for consideration changes in the national 
legislation in connection with the country's international legal obligations;  
6. M akes motivated proposals for joining international agreements in the field of 
copyright and related rights.  
 
Section III  
Structure  
 
Art. 3. (1) The Council is a colle ctive  body that consists of a chairman, a deputy 
chairman, members and a secretary.  
(2) The chairman of the Council is the Deputy Prime M inister, appointed by the Council 
of Ministers, and the deputy chairman - the M inister of C ulture.  
(3) The o perational coordination of the C ouncil's work is carried out by a secretary -
official in the Ministry of Culture, designated by the Minister of Culture.  
 
Art. 4. (1) The Chairman:  
1. Represents the C ouncil;  
2. Determines the agenda for the meetings;  
3. Schedules and direct s the meetings and work of the C ouncil;  
4. Organizes and cont rols the implementation of the C ouncil's decisions;  5. Submits to the Council of Ministers for consideration the materials, opinions and 
proposals adopted  by the Council.  
(2) In the absence of the chairman, their functions are performed by the deputy 
chairman.  
 
Art. 5. Council members express the positions of t he institutions they represent.  
 
Art. 6. The Secretary:  
1. Organizes the preparation of the C ouncil meetings;  
2. Records the opinions and decision s taken at the meetings of the C ouncil, coordinates 
their implementation and assists the chairman in the organization and control of their 
implementation.  
 
Art. 7. The Council may attract experts in the field of copyright and related rights to 
participate in the Council’s work and to complete  its tasks and implement its decisions.  
 
Section IV  
Organization of the activity  
 
Art. 8. (1) The meetings of the Council are convened by the chairman by his initiative 
according to a decision adopted at the last Council meeting or at the request of at least three of its 
members.  
(2) The agenda is sent to the C ouncil members no later than 10 days before the date of 
the meeting.  
(3) Each member of the C ouncil may propose changes to the agenda, as well as the 
inclusion of new items  in it no later than 5 days before the meeting. Additional proposed i tems 
are included in t he agenda and considered when none of the Council meeting attendees have any 
objections.  
 
Art. 9. (1) The meetings of the C ouncil are regular if at least two -thirds of its members 
are present according to the composition of the Council . Decisions are made by a simple majority 
of the attendees of the Council meeting.  
(2) As an  exception, the Council members may be represented at the meetings by civil 
servants  appointed by the relevant minister or head of department after consultation with the 
chairman. When making decisions, these persons participate with the right of an advisory vote.  
(3) A report  shall be dr awn up for each meeting of the C ouncil, which shall  be signed by 
the chairman, the deputy chairman and the attendees . The documents on the items of the agenda 
are attached to it.  
(4) The Council may send invitations to experts nominated by relevant ministers, 
representatives of state departments that do no t have a representative in the Council, 
representatives of local self -government bodies, as well as to representatives of non -
governmental and artistic and creative organizations and associations that are releva nt to a matter 
considered at the Council meeting.  
 
 
 
  
APPENDIX NO. 2 TO ART. 3, PARA GRAPH  1 
 
(Amended - State gazette  No. 53 of 2022 entry into force  08.07.2022)  
 
Composition of the Council for Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection  
 
1. Chairman: Deputy Prime Minister . 
 
2. Deputy -Chairman: the Minister of Culture . 
 
3. Secretary: representative of the Ministry  of Culture . 
 
4. Members:  
- the D irector of the National Service "Combating Organized Crime";  
- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs;  
- Deputy Minister of Finance;  
- Deputy Minister of Justice;  
- Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry;  
- Deputy Minister of Education and Science;  
- Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works;  
- Deputy Minister of Health;  
- the D irector of the "Customs" Agency;  
- Representative of the Main Tax Administration;  
- Representative of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassation ; 
- Senior officer of the Directorate of National Service "Police";  
- Senior officer of the National Service "Combating Organized Crime";  
- the Chief S ecretary of the State Telecommunications Commission.