This year’s edition of Green Transition Forum 6.0: Europe’s Next Chapter dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of achieving the green transition in Europe is taking place from June 1 to 5 at the Sofia Event Center.

On the first day of the forum, Assoc. Prof. Blagoy Burdin, PhD, from the “Academician Evgeni Budevski” Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems of BAS (IEES-BAS) participated in the panel discussion “Electrifying Mobility – Where We Are and Where We Are Going.” In his capacity as a researcher at BAS and an expert at the “HITMOBIL” Center of Competence, he presented his vision for the development of sustainable mobility and the prospects for the electrification of transport in Europe and the Southeast European region. During the discussion, Assoc. Prof. Burdin emphasized the importance of hydrogen technologies as a key element of the future transport system. He highlighted the need for the parallel development of electric and hydrogen mobility as well as the construction of appropriate infrastructure for hydrogen production, storage, and refueling. According to him, hydrogen has significant potential as a low-carbon alternative to conventional fuels, especially in heavy-duty transport and applications requiring long ranges and short refueling times.

The panelists included representatives from leading European and Bulgarian companies and organizations in the fields of electric mobility, the automotive industry, and sustainable transportation. The discussion was moderated by Petar Georgiev, Policy Committee chair at ChargeUp Europe and Vice President of “Corporate Affairs and Sustainability” at Ampeco.

During the forum, it was noted that in 2026 electric mobility in Europe continued to show steady growth, with the share of fully electric vehicles (BEVs) exceeding 20% of new registrations. The sector’s development is supported by European decarbonization policies, the expansion of charging infrastructure, and the introduction of more affordable models on the market. Participants in the discussion agreed on the need for Europe to accelerate the pace of development, including in smaller towns and rural areas, in order to maintain its competitiveness against the U.S. and China.

The forum is organized by Dir.bg, and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is among the event’s partners.