Bulgaria

The other direction

What America sells to Bulgaria

$1.1B in 2025 — a trade rupture cuts both ways, for American producers as well as American prices.

Policy in motion

Tariff status: a moving target

U.S. tariff policy toward the European Union — and with it Bulgaria — has changed 11 times since 2025. This page tracks it.

1. 2026-04-06

   EU treatment preserved in expanded metals tariffs

   In effect

   The April 2026 proclamation expanding Section 232 coverage of aluminum, steel, and copper derivatives expressly does not alter or supersede the prior U.S.–EU agreement implementation, and lists the EU among 'Trade Agreement Partners' eligible for its exclusion process.

   91 FR 18201 →

2. 2026-02-24

   IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122

   In effect

   Executive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions) terminated the IEEPA tariff duties — including those under EO 14257, the basis of the EU's 15% all-inclusive structure — effective February 24, 2026. A flat 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge (Proclamation 11012 of February 20, 2026) replaced them. The framework's Section 232 terms (the 15% EU autos cap, metals carve-outs) rest on separate authority and were expressly unaffected.

   91 FR 9437 →

3. 2025-09-25

   Framework implemented: preferential treatment for certain EU goods

   In effect

   Acting under the September 8, 2025 procedures order, Commerce and USTR modified the HTSUS to implement the framework — preferential (zero) reciprocal treatment for certain EU goods and a reduction of the Section 232 automobile and parts duty to 15% for EU-origin vehicles.

   90 FR 46136 →

4. 2025-08-21

   U.S.–EU Framework Agreement joint statement

   Agreement

   The United States and the European Union issued the Joint Statement on a Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade: the U.S. committed to the 15% all-inclusive ceiling, zero reciprocal duty on certain products, and a cut of the Section 232 automobile duty to 15%; the EU committed to eliminate tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and expand agricultural access, plus $750B in U.S. energy procurement through 2028.

   Source ↗

5. 2025-08-07

   15% all-inclusive structure replaces the 20% rate

   In effect

   The July 31, 2025 order ('Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates') gave the EU a unique structure effective August 7, 2025: for goods with an MFN (Column 1) rate below 15%, the reciprocal duty tops the total up to exactly 15%; goods with an MFN rate of 15% or higher pay no additional reciprocal duty.

   Federal Register · 2025-15010 →

6. 2025-07-09

   Reciprocal-rate pause extended to August 1

   In effect

   The July 7, 2025 order extended the suspension of country-specific reciprocal rates through August 1, 2025, keeping the EU at the 10% baseline while framework talks continued.

   90 FR 30823 →

7. 2025-06-04

   Section 232 steel and aluminum duties doubled to 50%

   In effect

   The June 3, 2025 proclamation raised Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum articles and derivatives from 25% to 50% effective June 4, 2025, with no EU carve-out.

   90 FR 24199 →

8. 2025-04-10

   90-day pause suspends the 20% rate back to 10%

   In effect

   The April 9, 2025 modification order suspended country-specific reciprocal rates for 90 days for all partners except China, returning the EU to the 10% universal baseline effective April 10, 2025 while negotiations proceeded.

   90 FR 15625 →

9. 2025-04-09

   EU country-specific reciprocal rate of 20% takes effect

   In effect

   Annex I of Executive Order 14257 assigned the European Union a 20% country-specific reciprocal rate, effective April 9, 2025 — the rate still carried for the EU in the HTS Chapter 99 Subchapter III note.

   Federal Register · 2025-06063 →

10. 2025-04-05

    Universal 10% reciprocal baseline takes effect

    In effect

    Executive Order 14257 (signed April 2, 2025) imposed a 10% ad valorem reciprocal duty on imports from all trading partners, including the EU, effective April 5, 2025. The order singled out the EU's 5% average MFN rate and 10% passenger-vehicle tariff as examples of non-reciprocal treatment.

    Federal Register · 2025-06063 →

11. 2025-03-12

    Section 232 steel and aluminum arrangements terminated — 25% duties on EU metals

    In effect

    Proclamations of February 10, 2025 ended the EU's tariff-rate-quota arrangements for steel and aluminum and raised the aluminum duty from 10% to 25%, applying 25% Section 232 duties to EU steel and aluminum effective March 12, 2025.

    90 FR 9817 →

Reference

The country itself

Europe · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.

The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century, the Ottoman Turks overran the country. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878, and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024.