The purpose of the current research is to introduce the New Institutional Economics (NIE) with the focus placed on Bulgarian agriculture. On the one hand, this includes the description of institutional impact on the separate actors, operating within agricultural organizations. On the other hand, attention should be paid to the way in which the transaction costs of different economic agents are measured. Another aspect of great significance for the study is the application of this approach. This means to adjust the specific research frameworks. The article also includes a methodical dimension. Five methods have been presented: (1) a method for evaluation of the impact of institutional change on adaptability; (2) a method for evaluation of institutional alternatives on a micro-level by measuring transaction costs; (3) a method for evaluation of the effects of change in different time periods; (4) a method for evaluation of processes through the number and type of transactions; (5) a method for analysis of the relation between property rights and transactions for assessment of asset specificity. The methods can integrate various types of evaluation of one and the same economic organization (system) in a single analytical framework.

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Viticulture is a traditional and important sector of Bulgarian agriculture and alongside with wine production has a strong export potential. Traditions, combined with favourable natural conditions promote the sector on international markets. The accession of Bulgaria to the European Union brought about a number of challenges and new requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy referring to product quality and competitiveness. The aim of the research is to analyse the competitive advantages of viticulture after the Accession and to highlight the opportunities for the sector in the programing period 2014-2020. Several of the commonly used indicators for the evaluation of competitive advantages have been applied such as the Relative index of export advantages -RXA, the Relative trade advantage -RTA and Related competitiveness -RC. The results of the study show the need for measures directed towards a balanced development of the viticultural sector in a few directions.

Viticulture and wine production are traditional sectors of Bulgarian agriculture, which provide employment and generate revenue for a large part of the population. The membership of the country in the European Union has led to changes in the economic, social and institutional conditions for their development. The concrete manifestation of these changes is related to the production and regional structure, the specialization and concentration of production and institutional support. The main purpose of the current research is to evaluate the general condition, regional characteristics and the possibilities for development of the production potential of Bulgarian viticulture, through the results from the retrospective analysis and the changes in the institutional medium, which have taken place following the accession of the country to the EU. The dynamics of the production potential in the sector has been analyzed for the period 1961 -2013. by studying the extensive and intensive component. Special attention has been paid to the recent years of sector development, including the influence of transformation and preparation processes connected with the accession of Bulgaria to the EU and the pre-accession funds, as well as the membership period. The current possibilities for the development of the production potential of the viticulture and wine production sector in Bulgaria have been studied, through analyses of the trends in the rate and dynamics of production and export of the sector's products -grape and wine. It has been found that various changes have occurred throughout the separate periods, regarding the age and varietal structure of vineyards, as well as their area. The possibilities have been outlined for increasing the quantity and quality of production based on a more efficient application of programmes for rural development and development of viticulture and wine production. The institutional prerequisites for broadening of the production potential of Bulgarian viticulture have been assessed.

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