Central
State authorities are responsible for:
ERDF and ESF
- Management of EUR 8.6 billion in total funding for the period 2014‑2020;
- European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund;
- Managing authority for the Cohesion Fund, European Territorial Cooperation, and the Youth Employment Initiative;
Spatial planning:
- Strategy of spatial development;
- Programme for spatial planning.
Regional development:
- Planning, implementation and coordination of regional development policy;
- Coordination of participants and activities related to planning, programming, implementation and evaluation of annual regional development programs and projects;
- Proposing changes to the regional development management system;
- Policies aiming at cross-border, transnational, and inter-regional cooperation;
- Preparation of strategic and operational documents and plans on the use of EU funds;
- Actions aiming at the reduction of disparities and at the creation of sustainable economic and social development;
- Approval of the Regional Development Strategy for the Croatian Regional Development;
- Agency for Regional Development;
- Assessment and determination of supported areas, which benefit from various incentives (such as tax relieves, extra revenues, direct subsidies etc.) on the basis of the Development Index.
Urban development:
- Defining urban areas and urban agglomerations on the proposal of towns that are the seat of an agglomeration
Regional
Regional authorities are responsible for:
Spatial planning
- First instance for the issuance of the regulations for planning and construction of buildings;
- Conducts expert tasks related to the preparation of spatial planning documentation of a county;
- Co-ordination of local government units with the national managing authority;
- County spatial plan – must be in accordance with national spatial documents;
- Regional and urban planning;
- Issuing location and construction permits (except in territories of large towns);
- Economic development;
Regional development:
- Regional development agencies (one in each County);
- Three Partnership Councils (advisory bodies);
- Approval of the County Development Strategy (and the development strategy of the City of Zagreb) in cooperation with local self-government units;
- Establishment of County partnership councils.
Local
Local authorities are responsible for:
Spatial planning:
- Spatial planning (organisation of settlement; town and urban planning) – must be in accordance with the spatial plans of higher levels;
- Large towns also have competences in the field of construction and location permits.
Regional development:
- Liaising with regional and national authorities over implementation of ESF and ERDF projects in areas of responsibility;
- Participation in the drafting of the County development strategies.
Urban development:
- Adopting the strategy of urban development (only towns that are the seat of an agglomeration/urban area);
- Establishment of Urban area partnership council (only towns that are the seat of the agglomeration/ urban area).
Responsible ministries/bodies
Central
Regional
Regional authorities – counties (županije)
Administrative Department for Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection , Development Agencies, Partnership Councils,
Local
Local authorities (općine i gradovi)
Councils for the urban area
Department for Spatial Planning and Construction
Sources:
Cohesion Policy, Croatia
Law on the functioning and activities of the Ministry and other central bodies of the State Management Article 12, Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, under Law on Structure and Scope of Ministries
Ministry on regional development, Regional development
Law on spatial regulation and construction: (NN 76/07, 38/09, 55/11, 90/11, 50/12, 55/12, 80/13, 78/15).
Law on regional development (NN 147/14).
Law on areas of special state concern (NN 86/08, 57/11, 51/13, 148/13, 76/14, 147/14, 18/15, 106/18).
Law on islands (NN 116/18).
Law on hilly and mountainous areas (NN 118/18).
Law on Local and Regional Self-Government (NN 33/01, 60/01, 129/05, 109/07, 125/08, 36/09, 36/09, 150/11, 144/12, 19/13, 137/15)
Zakon o prostornom uređenju (NN 153/13, 65/17, 114/18)
