The commercial registration number for natural persons exercising free professions or craft activity, and for natural persons who are insurers is being reduced from 10 to 9 digits. This was approved definitively at second reading in parliament of the amendments to the Commerce Act, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reports.

Within 14 months of publication of the act, the Registry Agency will transform the 10-digit unique identifier for natural persons to a 9-digit code. At the moment the 10-digit commercial registration number of natural persons coincides with the identity number of Bulgarian and foreign citizens. The aim of the change is to better protect personal data. The transformation from 10 to 9 digits will take place automatically within the 14-month transition period.