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The concept of sustainable agriculture is widely used to develop international and national policies for the sector. The European Green Deal, which promotes stable food supply, guarantees revenues for farmers and green living environment. Overcoming rural deprivation is usually the central topic of its implementation. The path to sustainable agriculture requires a holistic approach, considering the complexity of social, economic, cultural, technical, and environmental aspects. In this paper we explore the main preconditions to sustainable development of the agricultural sector in Bulgaria based on select indicators, structured in three main groups: economic, social and environmental. We prioritize certain critical challenges, matching them with appropriate interventions with a great potential for impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to successfully meet the EU's resource efficiency targets by 2030, the transition to a circular economy model should become a state priority. This implies that the concept should be expanded not only to waste reduction and recycling, but also to the disruption of the dependence between economic growth and waste production. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how far in Bulgaria is done the transition to a circular model, while making a comparison with the EU and to prove the need for an accelerated implementation of adequate measures on the part of public authorities to promote such a change. Work is based on a descriptive analysis of secondary data on the performance of the selected indicators of circular economy and comparative analysis within the EU. The analysis shows the presence of a certain delay compared to the EU average indicators as well as unused opportunities not only related to more efficient use of resources, but also to a radical change in the business model. The conclusions reached indicate the existence of a number of obstacles that delay the transition. This calls for accelerating the reform of eco-fiscal and innovative government policies. The added value of the article is not only the analytical consideration of the problems, but mostly in drawing up recommendations for future measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rural regions and rural disparities are the main issues in the European Union regional policy. The topic continues to be an object of serious discussion among policymakers and scientist. Agriculture plays an important role in rural areas and contributes to generating employment and income. In the past decades, the CAP is reforming and changing to address the challenges in the EU rural regions. The aim of the study is based on the socio-economic analysis of the rural regions in Bulgaria to formulate opportunities for more balanced and sustainable development. The paper observes possibilities and prospects for the rural areas in Bulgaria in the context of the CAP post-2020. The study reveals that depopulation and marginalization of rural regions remain major issues in Bulgaria. Therefore, the implementation of the territorial and local model should dominate in Pillar II for the 2014-2020 programming period. These approaches could stimulate transformations and transition to sustainable regional development. In order to maximize the potential of the Pillar II funding, the national regional policy also should be reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]