Human Rights Watch has accused Bulgarian authorities of approving exports of surveillance technologies to countries with documented human rights concerns, raising new questions about the effectiveness of EU export controls on dual-use equipment.
The claims are based on an analysis published by HRW, which reviewed licensing data from Bulgaria’s Interagency Commission for Export Control and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. According to the report, between 2018 and 2023, the commission approved export licenses for products linked to the surveillance company Circles, which is currently based in Bulgaria.
The approved exports reportedly included telecommunications interception systems, mobile communications monitoring tools, and other forms of surveillance software. The listed destinations include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates. The end users ranged from intelligence and military agencies to police forces, government bodies, and private entities.
HRW emphasized that the licensing records confirm authorization rather than final delivery of equipment. However, the organization argues that the issuance of such permits itself raises concerns about risk assessment standards under EU law.
