World Bank2023-11-132023-11-132023-11-13https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/40598Over the past decade, material efficiency and resource productivity have surfaced on the global policy agenda. The rise of the circular economy (CE) agenda reflects the objective of moving away from the current systems of production and consumption based on the ‘take-make-use-waste’ linear economic model toward economies centered on minimizing the use of virgin materials without adversely affecting welfare. The focus is on a life-cycle approach to resource management, which starts with reducing raw material demand by looping resources back into consumption and production systems through innovations in material design, production, and reutilization processes. In addition to reducing pollution and other harmful emissions, the CE can be a driver of private sector growth and jobs and can increase the strategic autonomy of countries by reducing dependence on raw material imports. The objective of this rapid analysis is to identify the CE-related priority areas, sectors in Bulgaria and potential areas of focus for follow-up interventions. The study also aims to highlight concrete barriers that prevent the national and local governments from undertaking these interventions, as well as enabling factors and approaches to overcome them.enCC BY-NC 3.0 IGOEUROPEAN GREEN DEALRESOURCE PRESERVATIONENERGY RECYCLINGLABOR VALUE PRESERVATIONSUSTAINABLE ECONOMY POLICYCIRCULAR ECONOMY POLICY AGENDARAW MATERIAL IMPORT DEPENDENCEReportWorld Bank10.1596/40598