Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. Low inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000 and has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment.
As a result of a liberal financial policy and continuous economic growth, Bulgaria has become very attractive to foreign investments. In addition, local companies are also increasing their share of business in Bulgaria and abroad.

Key benefits in investing Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Basic facts

Population	7,718,750
GDP per capita	$4,090
GDP growth	6.1%
Inflation	7.3%
Unemployment rate	9.6%
Minimum wage	EUR 92.0
Corporate tax	10%
VAT	20%

There are several key benefits in investing in Bulgaria, including the following:

• Low taxes
  Bulgaria is making a considerable effort to offer the lowest corporate taxes in Europe. Corporate tax rate in 2005 will go down to 15% and is already 0% in areas of high unemployment.
• Quality workforce
  Bulgaria's working-age population consists of around 4.8 million highly educated and skilled men (52 percent) and women (48 percent). The literacy rate in Bulgaria is 93 percent. A high percentage of the work force has completed some form of secondary, technical, or vocational education. Many Bulgarians have strong backgrounds in engineering, medicine, economics and the sciences. The aptitude of workers and the relative low cost of labor are considerable incentives for foreign companies to invest in Bulgaria.
• Traditionally strong education
  Bulgaria has a traditionally strong education system. There are over forty Higher Education institutions in Bulgaria offering degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level.
• Strategic location
  Bulgaria has a very strategic geographic location. Its position on the European continent allows investors to reach the entire market of the European Union and the markets of central and eastern Europe, which represent a total population of 853 million.