Bulgaria Drops in the World’s Digital Competitiveness Ranking for 2024

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) announced that in 2024 Bulgaria slipped down by one spot to the 56^th place in the 2024 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking of the Institute for Management Development (IMD).  Despite the inclusion of three new economies, the drop signals a need for more active efforts to boost digital competitiveness.

For a third consecutive year, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an official partner in that Survey. The Chamber is directly contibuting to the overall survey of the economy, by selecting Bulgarian companies and organisations to take part in it.

Overall Rankings and Knowledge

Bulgaria's drop to the 56^th place reflects the challenges across several key areas. In the Knowledge category, the country dropped by four spots to place 59 which points to weaknesses in expertise and skills. Talent fell by three places and Training & Education dropped by eight spots, showing the need for educational reforms. Scientific Concentration also declined by three spots, highlighting gaps in research infrastructure and funding.

Technology

The Technology category saw a positive shift, with Bulgaria climbing by seven spots to place 49. Capital surged 17 places and the Technological Framework improved by one spot, demonstrating progress in innovation and infrastructure. However, the Regulatory Framework dropped by one spot, signalling the need for a more predictable and supportive legislative environment to foster competitiveness.

Future Readiness

In Future Readiness, Bulgaria slipped down by three spots overall. Adaptive Attitudes saw a significant decline, dropping by eleven spots and underscoring challenges when adopting new technologies. IT Integration fell by three spots but Business Agility improved by five spots, suggesting resilience in adapting to the changing market dynamics.

BCCI emphasised that while there are areas of progress, such as technological investment, the overall results highlight significant challenges in education, research funding and regulatory support. Addressing these gaps is essential for Bulgaria to strengthen its position in global digital competitiveness.