Modern competition rules were introduced in Croatia in 1995 amidst the democratic and economic transition that ensued in the early 1990s throughout Eastern Europe.' The first Competition Act, adopted in 1995, predated the beginning of Croatia's EU rapprochement process.? It established the Croatian Competition Agency (AZTN) as an independent authority entrusted with enforcing competition rules.' The institutional set-up included a Director, i.e., the head of the authority, and a Competition Council, a nine-member advisory body. The legal framework at that time, somewhat lacking in precision and scope, particularly as regards procedural rules, was broadly inspired by the then valid EU competition law template, including the obligation of the parties to notify their agreements to the AZTN for clearance. Many enforcement tools, such as dawn raids or a leniency programme, were unavailable at that stage.

Published: 12 September 2024