The long-awaited study visit to Bulgaria was organized by CILC BESp on 12th -14th June 2024. It has been requested from the counterparts since the beginning of the project. The purpose of this study visit was to exchange with peers and institutions from the Balkans about challenges, solutions and innovations in the field of enforcement. The study visit included delegates of the Chambers of Enforcement Agents, as well as members of the Disciplinary Committees of the Western Balkans.
Bulgaria is the first legal system in the region to adopt private enforcement, following the Dutch model. It has almost 20 years of successful history and a lot of lessons learned to share.
20 representatives of the Chambers of Enforcement Agents in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro and 2 judges from the Disciplinary Committees from Albania and Kosovo met with their Bulgarian colleagues and exchanged on legal and institutional challenges, current state of the enforcement system and shared their experience regarding disciplinary practice and ethics.
The participants met with the leadership of the Bulgarian Chamber of PEAs that openly discussed their achievements but also the defeats and future endeavors. Western Balkans participants were able to visit four offices of enforcement agents and see first-hand organizational aspects and business processes in the offices.
The insights for the countries in the Western Balkan included the realization that despite the difference in years of experience, Balkan legal systems are met with the same challenges of adopting or implementing additional activities to broader the competences of enforcement agents, like statement of fact, voluntary sales and auctions, service of documents and cross-border enforcement. The capacity and size of offices was impressive for the participants.
All participants confirmed the desire and benefits of maintaining close and open communication and learning from each other.
