In the last couple of years Bulgaria has established itself to be one of the main outsourcing destinations in the CEE region. As the tendency of outsourcing companies to set up their business in Bulgaria or to invest in expansion is expected to remain, ITO and BPO companies shall consider compliance of their activities with a number of local and EU law requirements without impeding the day-to-day business process, including ensuring proper protection of personal data. Aiming to facilitate the outsourcing business in its daily activities, Wolf Theiss produced a legal summary to the Outsourcing Destination Guide – Bulgaria with a special focus on data protection issues concerning the outsourcing industry.
The article is focused on specifics how a Bulgarian data controller (e.g. an outsourcing company) may conduct transfers of personal data, examining the regimes for such transfers depending on the territory and reach of the transfer: (i) data transfers across EU and EEA and (ii) data transfers to third countries. Furthermore, the article also aims to give an outline of the upcoming EU legislative updates (expected at the end of 2015 – beginning of 2016) setting a common framework on data protection, which will be directly applicable for all member states and will impact the flow of personal data both outside the EU/ EEA and within international companies.
Wolf Theiss has supported a number of outsourcing companies in the region amongst which SYNNEX Corporation with respect to the acquisition of IBM’s customer care services business in Bulgaria and subsequently with data protection, employment and tax issues; EXL Service, a leading provider of decision-analytics, operation management, and outsourcing and transformation services in relation to advice on data protection matters and all tax aspects of the client's internal reorganization; Wacom, a worldwide leading technology company, with respect to the establishment of a local branch office for the purpose of outsourcing software development and other business processes.
The article is available free of charge upon subscription at http://www.outsourcing-destinations.org/bulgarian-outsourcing-guide/.
