According to the InvestBulgaria Agency, there are some 50 companies in this country producing components and systems for the world automotive industry – 27 of them are foreign companies while 22 are Bulgarian firms. Their factories produce various parts for brands like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ford, Volvo, Peugeot, Renault, Dacia, and others. The whole production goes for export and equals 4.5 percent of the whole export of the country, as well as 2.5 percent of the GDP. About 25,000 people work in the sphere, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev announced during the recent opening of the factory for auto parts of German company Witte Automotive near the Danube city of Ruse. The President did not miss to say that the new factory will open 550 new jobs. Data show that foreign companies in Bulgaria have invested 200 million euro in the industry.

There are factories producing auto parts throughout the country. In Rousse French company Montupet produces aluminum components and engine parts. Their investment totals 36 million euro. Belgian Melexis, which has an office in Sofia, has invested 14 million euro in their electronics factory. “Integrated Microelectronics” Botevgrad also produces electronic components and the investment reached 44 million euro. German company Grammer produce seats, upholstery and other interior components in Trudovets. Sumitomo has three factories - in Mezdra, Karnobat and Sliven and the main product are seat belts. To the names of auto part companies working in Bulgaria we can add leaders in the industry like Johnson Controls, SKF, Yazaki and many more. Recently the head of the BulgariaInvest Agency Svetoslav Mladenov told the press that one out of 8 European car parts is produced in Bulgaria. This country used to be an importer of cars and auto parts in the past, but it has turned into an exporter of auto components and taken an important place in the global market. The main advantages for which car companies choose Bulgaria are lower taxes and labor costs, well-trained experts and traditions in the electronics industry. A big advantage is said to be the fact that the Bulgarian lev is anchored to the euro.

Bulgarian authorities have made special efforts to offer favorable terms in order to support high-level investors, such as providing land for construction at preferential prices and paying the social security taxes of employees for a certain period of time. However, foreign business in Bulgaria encounters a number of problems such as bureaucracy and poor infrastructure, which hinder development. According to foreign analysts, these problems may prevent the sector from changing the country's economy, and are the reason why Bulgaria remained away from the boom of automotive industry, which took place in the 90s in countries like Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. But the situation has been changing. In 2012, for the first time after the fall of communism automobile production was restored in Bulgaria in collaboration with Chinese giant Great Wall Motors. The cars assembled in Bulgaria are already being sold in EU countries.

English: Alexander Markov