EC Warns Bulgaria of Non-compliance with he EU Regulations on Spring and Mineral Waters Trade

Bulgaria continues to allow mineral and spring waters originating in the same spring to be marketed with more than one commercial description, the EC points out. The requirement for one spring - one trade name is recorded in Directive 2009/54/EO. Furthermore, unlike that directive, the Bulgarian legislation does not require the name of the spring to be indicated on the labels of those waters.

The EC decided today to send a reasoned opinion to Bulgaria for non-compliance with EU rules on natural mineral and spring waters. Directive 2009/54/EC was adopted in order to eliminate differences between the laws of the Member States governing natural mineral and spring waters in order to protect consumer health, protect consumers from being misled and ensure fair trade  Bulgaria has two months to take the necessary measures to implement what is stated in the reasoned opinion of the Commission. Otherwise, the EC may decide to refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union.