Rose oil is sacred in Bulgaria – yet the EU is labelling it as a health risk
28 May 2025
Every May, Bulgaria's Rose Valley, situated in the heart of the country, turns pink with blooming roses. The whole region comes alive with the traditional Rose Festival celebrating this unique flower.
Bulgaria produces about 70% of the world's rose oil. But it's more than a business, it's a symbol of cultural heritage. The tradition dates back to the 18th century. Bulgaria already became the world's largest producer of rose oil by mid-18th century, and today earns the country an estimated €24 million per year.
Rose oil supports thousands of farmers and rural communities, providing vital income in an area with few other economic opportunities.
But a new EU rule from 2023 says some allergens in cosmetics need to be labelled, when they pose health risks. Seven of those are found in rose oil, though it should be stressed that none of those are added allergens, but naturally occur during the production process. Bulgaria worries this could hurt sales and has lobbied the EU to delay the rule until 2028.
 | Kai Iliev Rose oil products have always been around the house for my entire life, which makes it strange to think they could harm our health. The EU should find a way to protect people's health without risking important local products. In 2008, the EU tightened hygiene procedures for the production of Parmesan in order to avoid unhealthy, poor-quality replicas and now only allows local Italian producers to label it "Parmesan cheese", which helped independent farmers. Just like the case of Parmesan cheese, there's a way to respect both safety and tradition. Bulgaria's rose oil deserves that balance, especially in a country where many people already feel sceptical about the EU. The scheduled accession to the Eurozone in January 2026 has left many Bulgarians doubtful of how much the EU should be involved in local affairs, and harming a national symbol like rose oil sales is only likely to increase this feeling. |
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