The New Croatian Competition Act (2003) as an Instrument for Achieving Greater Economic Development through the Liberalization of the Market Access

Abstract

The Competition Act in the Republic of Croatia has been in force since 1995. It was reviewed in 1997 and 1998. In 2003 there was another review of the Competition Act that had to be brought into compliance with the EC acquis communautaire. The legal ground for the harmonization with the acquis was set forth in the Stabilization and Association Agreement between the European Communities and its member states and the Republic of Croatia. The new Competition Act 2003 regulates more precisely the rules of protection of competition, but also conforms to the new solutions that have been recently incorporated in the EC regulations. The new Competition Act entered into force in July 2003 and it has been in application since 1. October 2003.