New Competition Rules In October 2010

This article was originally published in the schoenherr roadmap`10 - if you would like to receive a complimentary copy of this publication, please visit: http://www.schoenherr.eu/roadmap.

Although the Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) is a sophisticated authority, public enforcement in Croatia lacks any deterrent effect as the CCA has not been equipped with the necessary enforcement tools. Cartel proceedings before the competent courts are very lengthy and the imposed fines are anything but a deterrent. This problem is being tackled with a new competition act (the New Act).

The New Act was adopted on 24 June 2009 and will enter into force on 1 October 2010. The act addresses all aspects of competition rules and serves two main purposes. First, it will further align Croatian competition rules with EU competition rules. Second, and more importantly, it will improve the effectiveness of the existing competition regime in Croatia. The major amendments are discussed