There are four available options for fuel oil trade in Bulgaria, either by foreign or Bulgarian companies.

The first option includes receiving of excise goods (like fuel) on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria, which have been released for consumption on the territory of an EU member state. This means that the excise needs to be paid to the member state from which the excise goods are bought. After the goods arrive in Bulgaria and the excise is paid again to the Bulgarian authorities (it is obligatory and in order to be avoided the double payment of the excise) the seller could return back the paid excise. Then the seller could return this amount to the buyer – the actual payer of the excise. In this case:

1. It is not required the Bulgarian commercial company to possess special registration (for diesel and gasoline trade);
2. It is not required to be concluded an agreement with excise storehouse;
3. It is not required a special license for importing of excise goods from member states;
4. It is required a payment of the excise to be done to the member state from which the goods are bought;
5. It is required a payment to be done to the Bulgarian authorities.

In the second option it is possible the excise goods to be delivered directly from the storehouse of the seller to a licensed storehouse on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria. In this case the goods will be received after paying the excise fee (in Bulgaria). An agreement with the Bulgarian storehouse shall be concluded.

The third option includes receiving of excise goods as a registered receiver. In this case it is not necessary a preliminary payment of the excise fee to be done and contrary to the first option the excise goods could be bought from the foreign trader without paying the excise fee in the foreign member state. In this case:

1. It is required a special procedure and special requirements to be met in order the registration to be fulfilled;
2. It is required an agreement with licensed excise storehouse to be concluded;
3. It is required a permanent security to be provided;
4. It is not required a special license in order goods to be imported from EU;
5. The registered receiver may not pay the excise fee, it provides as an evidence not the paid excise fee but a document for the provided security;

The last and most used option for fuel trade in Bulgaria is where the trader is registered as a temporary receiver. In this case the trader may import fuel to the territory of Republic of Bulgaria once in two months. For each import a set of documents shall be drafted. In this case the excise fee shall be paid to the relevant Bulgarian authorities. It is possible the goods to be delivered directly to the consumer.

Any foreign or Bulgarian companies dealing with oil and other excise goods should bear in mind that in options 3 and 4 the goods are not required to enter into an excise storehouse. The goods could be directly received by the consumer.

And finally, when making a strategy for trading with fuel it shall also be taken into account the final value of the goods (incl. price, excise, custom fees, transport), then a profit percentage shall be included and finally the VAT, then you should decide whether the goods that you will offer to the market are competitive.