Serving documents between Italy and Bulgaria: documents, translations and procedure

Envelope and sheet of paper between two gateways connected by a burgundy ribbon, illustrating cross-border service of documents. — Original illustration created using artificial intelligence.

Identify the document and recipient before transmission

A claim form, court order or extrajudicial document to be served between Italy and Bulgaria requires a procedure that allows proper service to be documented. The relevant European framework is Regulation (EU) 2020/1784, which has applied to civil and commercial matters since 1 July 2022. It excludes, among other areas, revenue, customs and administrative matters: the presence of a recipient abroad does not place every communication under the same rules.

The individual or company receiving the document, their address and the document’s purpose must be identified. For a company, its name, registration number and registered office should be checked against the documents relating to the underlying transaction. If the address is unknown, the Regulation does not apply, except for the assistance mechanisms in Article 7 for determining it. Requests to the designated authorities and register checks should be carried out before selecting a method of service on the basis of incomplete information.

Which authorities are involved in each country

Transmission through transmitting and receiving agencies is one of the available routes. The European Judicial Atlas identifies the authority competent for the location concerned and the information communicated by the relevant State. Italy has designated the UNEP offices at Courts of Appeal and Tribunals. In Bulgaria, the receiving agencies are the district courts (rayonen sad) competent for the place of service; documents relating to pending proceedings are transmitted by the court hearing the case.

The request must be prepared using the appropriate form and in a language accepted by the requested authority. The country information specifies Bulgarian for requests sent to Bulgaria, and Italian, English or French for requests sent to Italy. This choice concerns the transmission form and must be distinguished from the language of the document intended for the party.

IT system and alternative methods

Since 1 May 2025, the decentralised IT system has applied to exchanges between the agencies and authorities involved. The Regulation provides for alternative means where disruptions or exceptional circumstances prevent transmission through that system. The channel must therefore be coordinated with the competent office and the operational requirements of the request.

The Regulation also provides for other methods, including postal and electronic service, each subject to its own requirements. Article 19 lays down specific conditions, including the addressee’s prior express consent and, where documents are sent to an agreed email address, an acknowledgement of receipt stating the date of receipt. An email or Italian certified email (PEC) address alone does not establish that this route is available. Electronic transmission between authorities is distinct from electronic service directly on the party.

The language of the document and the right to refuse

Article 12 protects the addressee where the document is neither drawn up in nor accompanied by a translation into a language they understand or the official language of the place of service. In the cases considered here, Italian and Bulgarian are therefore the key languages to consider. Knowledge of English should not be assumed solely because a company operates internationally: the language choice requires concrete supporting information.

Refusal on language grounds may be made at the time of service or in writing within two weeks of service, under Article 12. Form L explains the right and how to exercise it. Refusal does not automatically invalidate every step taken: the grounds must be assessed, and the Regulation allows the defect to be remedied by serving the document with the necessary translation. The implications for dates and time limits require a specific assessment.

Prepare consistent translations and exhibits

Before translation, the text should be finalised, the exhibits numbered and the accompanying documents identified. Names, amounts, dates, claims and internal references must match between the original and translation. The extent to which exhibits need to be translated must be assessed according to their purpose and whether the document can be understood: it is unwise to omit them indiscriminately or rely on unchecked machine translation.

The specific formalities required for copies, certifications and translations must also be checked. Translation, any certification and service perform different functions; completion of one does not establish that the requirements for the others have been met.

Retain proof and check deadlines

Sending the request does not mean that service has been completed. Where agencies are involved, the certificate provided for in Article 14, using Form K, records the outcome; for other channels, the relevant evidence must be retained. Transmission receipts, certificates and exact copies of the documents and translations must remain identifiable as part of the same case file.

Relevant dates must be checked against the applicable law and the specific deadline to be met. For proceedings already under way, the hearing date, deadlines and court orders must be communicated immediately: a general estimate of service times does not guarantee completion by a particular date.

Documents for an initial coordinated assessment

Organising the work requires the complete document, exhibits, relevant court orders, the parties’ identification details, a verified address, any powers of attorney and a note of deadlines. Previous attempts, receipts, refusals and reliable information about the language understood by the addressee are also useful.

Proper service remains distinct from recognition and enforcement of a decision. Further documents and steps may be required to enforce against the debtor’s assets. Coordination between professionals in the two countries helps identify the appropriate route and prepare a file usable in subsequent stages, without conflating formalities that have different requirements.