Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

![european flag](./../../../images/eclogo.jpg)EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 8.7.2021

COM(2021) 401 final

2021/0222(NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION

on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Croatia

{SWD(2021) 197 final}

2021/0222 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION

on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Croatia

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility
[1](#footnote2)
 and in particular Article 20 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)The COVID-19 outbreak has had a disruptive impact on the economy of Croatia. In 2019, the gross domestic product per capita (GDP per capita) of Croatia was 42,7% of the Union average. According to the Commission’s Spring 2021 forecast, the real GDP of Croatia declined by 8,0% in 2020 and is expected to decline by 3,4% cumulatively in 2020 and 2021. Longer-standing aspects with an impact on medium-term economic performance include a cumbersome business environment, skills mismatches and labour shortages and low investment in R&D and digital infrastructures, all of which contribute to low potential growth. Moreover, Croatia needs to improve the efficiency of its public administration to better design, coordinate, implement and evaluate public policies and ensure the capacity to absorb Union funds, in view of the potential inflow of Union financing amounting to around 40% of GDP in the period until the end of 2027.

(2)On 9 July 2019 and on 20 July 2020, the Council addressed recommendations to Croatia in the context of the European Semester. In particular, the Council recommended to take all necessary measures, in line with the General Escape Clause of the Stability and Growth Pact, to effectively address the pandemic, sustain the economy and support the ensuing recovery; pursue, when economic conditions allow, fiscal policies aimed at achieving prudent medium-term fiscal positions and ensuring debt sustainability, while enhancing investment; reinforce the budgetary framework and monitoring of contingent liabilities at central and local level; enhance the resilience of the health system; and promote balanced geographical distribution of health workers and facilities, closer cooperation between all levels of administration and investment in e-health. The Council further recommended to strengthen labour market measures and institutions and their coordination with social services, while also consolidating social benefits and improve their capacity to reduce poverty. It recommended to deliver on the education reform and improve both access to education and training at all levels and their quality and labour market relevance while also promoting the acquisition of skills. The Council recommended Croatia to maintain measures to provide liquidity to small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed; further reduce parafiscal charges and restrictions in goods and services market regulation; improve corporate governance in state-owned enterprises and intensify the sale of such enterprises and non-productive assets. The Council recommended Croatia to reinforce the capacity and efficiency of the public administration to design and implement public projects and policies at central and local levels; reduce the territorial fragmentation of the public administration and streamline the functional distribution of competencies; and introduce, in consultation with the social partners, harmonized wage-setting frameworks across the public administration and public services. It was further recommended to Croatia to front-load mature public investment projects and focus investment-related economic policy on research and innovation, sustainable urban and railway transport, clean energy, renewables and environmental infrastructure, green and digital transition, while taking into account regional disparities. Finally, the Council recommended enhancing the prevention and sanctioning of corruption, in particular at the local level and improve the efficiency of the judicial system. Having assessed progress in the implementation of those country-specific recommendations at the time of submission of the recovery and resilience plan, the Commission finds that the recommendation on immediate fiscal policy response to effectively address the pandemic, sustain the economy and support the ensuing recovery and the recommendation to maintaining adequate liquidity for SMEs and self-employed have been fully implemented.

(3)On 2 June 2021, the Commission published an in-depth review under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council
[2](#footnote3)
 for Croatia. The Commission’s analysis led it to conclude that Croatia is experiencing macroeconomic imbalances, in particular due to public, private and external debt, in a context of low potential growth.

(4)On 14 May 2021, Croatia submitted its national recovery and resilience plan to the Commission, in accordance with Article 18(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241. That submission followed a consultation process, conducted in accordance with the national legal framework, of local and regional authorities, social partners, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders. The national ownership of the recovery and resilience plans is underpinning their successful implementation and lasting impact at national level and credibility at Union level. Pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the Commission has assessed the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of the recovery and resilience plan, in accordance with the assessment guidelines of Annex V to that Regulation.

(5)The recovery and resilience plans should pursue the general objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Facility established by Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and of the EU Recovery Instrument set up by Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094
[3](#footnote4)
 in order to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. They should promote the Union´s economic, social and territorial cohesion by contributing to the six pillars referred to in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241.

(6)The implementation of the Member States’ recovery and resilience plans will constitute a coordinated effort of investment and reforms across the Union. Through the coordinated and simultaneous implementation of these reforms and investments and the implementation of cross-border projects, these reforms and investments will mutually reinforce each other and generate positive spillovers across the whole Union. Therefore, about one third of the impact of the Facility on Member States’ growth and job creation will come from spillovers from other Member States.

Balanced response contributing to the six pillars

(7)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (a) and section 2.1 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan represents to a large extent (Rating A) a comprehensive and adequately balanced response to the economic and social situation, thereby contributing appropriately to all six pillars referred to in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, taking the specific challenges and the financial allocation of the Member State concerned into account.

(8)The plan includes measures that contribute to all of the six pillars, with a significant number of components of the plan addressing multiple pillars. Such an approach contributes to ensuring that each pillar is comprehensively addressed in a coherent manner. Furthermore, given the specific challenges of Croatia, the particular focus on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and on economic and institutional resilience, along with the overall weighting across pillars, is considered adequately balanced.

(9)The green dimension of the plan includes relevant measures are expected to contribute to the climate target and to preserving the environment and biodiversity. The main components focusing on the green transition consist of investments in building renovation, renewable energy and energy efficiency, waste and water management and sustainable and innovative mobility. Furthermore, the plan includes investment efforts in R&D and innovation, preserving biodiversity and ecosystems and transitioning to green jobs and the circular economy. There is an explicit focus on the digital transformation of Croatia’s economy and society, with various measures to support the digitalisation of public administration and the provision of online public services. Investments in fixed and wireless digital connectivity and complementary reforms in line with the Union flagship on Digital Connectivity and the common Union toolbox for Connectivity
[4](#footnote5)
 are also included to facilitate investment in digital infrastructures in remote rural areas that are lagging behind in terms of gigabit connectivity services.

(10)The plan’s contribution to the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth pillar is strongly focused on improving the business environment, supporting SMEs and large enterprises, along with incentivising innovation and R&D. The measures entail further reducing the administrative and parafiscal burden of businesses, liberalising several regulated professions, enabling businesses’ access to capital to achieve higher rates of competitiveness and increasing productivity, while at the same time adapting their business processes to the green and digital transition, including by increasing their investments in green technology. Moreover, the plan focuses on increasing the sustainability and uptake of digital technologies of the tourism sector, notably by upgrading infrastructure to increase its energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, while promoting the adoption of new business plans in line with the principles of the circular economy. Social cohesion should be enhanced mainly through active labour market policies that also target vulnerable groups, measures in education and through social policies aimed at reducing poverty. In addition, territorial cohesion, in particular the accessibility and connectedness of less densely populated areas and islands, should be enhanced through expanding, upgrading and improving the management of road, railway and maritime infrastructures, by ensuring a better connection of the south-north electricity grid, and by upgrading the public sewerage and water supply networks.

(11)The pillar on health, and economic, social and institutional resilience benefits from improvements in the healthcare system in terms of necessary structural reforms as well as infrastructure and medical equipment requirements, thereby also enhancing the economic, social and territorial cohesion and convergence within Croatia and the Union. Furthermore, measures are envisaged to achieve full territorial coverage of primary healthcare and medicine availability, thus improving the resilience and preparedness of the health system while at the same time increasing the quality of life in rural, remote and islands areas. Long-term care is supported by the plan with investments to increase the availability, accessibility and quality of home and community-based services, as well as of institutional care exclusively for people who functionally entirely depend on it, while several components are dedicated to strengthening the public administration and institutional resilience. The plan includes important measures in education, most notably increasing participation in early childhood education and care through investment in infrastructure, enabling one-shift schooling and increasing the mandatory teaching hours in primary schools, reviewing the curricula and modernising higher education, which are expected to visibly improve education outcomes. Reforms are expected to reduce the fragmentation of public research institutions, moving to a result-oriented research and innovation funding, and improve research career progression with specific focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and information and communications technology areas.

Addressing all or a significant subset of challenges identified in Country Specific Recommendations

(12)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (b) and section 2.2 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan is expected to contribute to effectively addressing all or a significant subset of challenges (Rating A) identified in the relevant country-specific recommendations, including fiscal aspects thereof and recommendations made pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011, addressed to Croatia or challenges identified in other relevant documents officially adopted by the Commission in the context of the European Semester.

(13)The recommendations related to the immediate fiscal policy response to the pandemic can be considered as falling outside the scope of Croatia’s recovery and resilience plan, notwithstanding the fact that Croatia has generally responded adequately and sufficiently to the immediate need to support the economy through fiscal means in 2020 and 2021, in line with the provisions of the General Escape Clause.

(14)The plan includes an extensive set of mutually reinforcing reforms and investments that contribute to effectively addressing all or a significant subset of the economic and social challenges outlined in the country-specific recommendations addressed to Croatia by the Council in the European Semester in 2019 and in 2020, notably in the areas of public administration, resilience of the health system, employment, education and skills especially for vulnerable groups, climate and digital transition and in the area of the business environment and judicial system.

(15)The recovery and resilience plan contains measures to reinforce the budgetary framework, and it contributes to addressing the challenges of the Croatian public administration, including the wage-setting framework and the fragmentation at the local government level. Specific measures are aimed at reinforcing the capacity and efficiency of the public administration to design and implement public projects and policies. The Croatian plan envisages measures to improve the effectiveness of the justice system and puts forward concrete commitments to shorten the length of court proceedings, reduce the backlog of cases and improve the digitalisation of justice. The plan also envisages to strengthen the prevention and sanctioning of corruption.

(16)The plan addresses the Council recommendation to reform education through measures that increase participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC), increase the number of mandatory instruction hours in primary schools, update school curricula, promote digital skills and modernise higher education. Targeted reforms and investments should improve processes at the Public Employment Service and help increase participation in the labour market by adopting active labour market policies, establishing vouchers for training and upskilling programmes, and amending the labour law. Challenges concerning the Croatian social welfare system are tackled through measures that would improve the coverage, adequacy and targeting of social benefits and enable the development of new social services.

(17)The Croatian recovery and resilience plan should improve the business environment in Croatia and address barriers to growth and investment, as identified in successive Council recommendations. The package of measures addressing the business environment aims at reducing the administrative burden and parafiscal charges, lowering regulatory requirements for professional services, and increasing access to finance. Measures included in the recovery and resilience plan also aim at improving corporate governance of State-owned enterprises and intensifying the sale of such enterprises and of non-productive assets. A significant part of the investments should be oriented to the green and digital transitions. Important investments planned in the recovery and resilience plan are aimed at addressing the Council recommendations on energy efficiency and environmental infrastructure and a more efficient transport system. The Croatian recovery and resilience plan envisages further measures to address also the other Council recommendations to Croatia, including those in the areas of research and innovation, and healthcare.

(18)By addressing the aforementioned challenges, the recovery and resilience plan is expected to also contribute to correcting the imbalances
[5](#footnote6)
 that Croatia is experiencing, notably with respect to high levels of public, private and external debt, in a context of low potential growth.

Contribution to growth potential, job creation and economic, social and institutional resilience

(19)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (c) and section 2.3 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan is expected to have a high impact (Rating A) on strengthening the growth potential, job creation, and economic, social and institutional resilience of the Member State, contributing to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, including through the promotion of policies for children and youth, and on mitigating the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis, thereby enhancing the economic, social and territorial cohesion and convergence within the Union.

(20)Simulations by the Commission show that the recovery and resilience plan has the potential to increase the GDP of Croatia by 2,9%
[6](#footnote7)
 by 2026. The implementation of investments and reforms of the plan should help address Croatia’s key economic weaknesses such as its comparatively low employment and growth potential. Research and innovation investments are set to benefit Croatia’s competitiveness and productivity, while upskilling could improve the competitiveness of the workforce and reduce skills gaps and mismatches on the labour market. Substantial investments in education should help improve learning outcomes. All those measures should raise human capital, labour productivity and hence increase the labour contribution to potential growth.

(21)Continued liberalisation of the services market, including of several professional services, should benefit consumers, increase competition and create more jobs. Reducing administrative burden and parafiscal charges as well as administrative measures related to improving the governance of state-owned enterprises and public procurement, fighting corruption and strengthening anti money-laundering capacities should contribute to fulfilling Croatia’s commitments after joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (‘ERM II’). These steps will positively affect investor confidence, making Croatia more attractive to inbound investments and know-how transfer. Those reforms, and investments in a more efficient transport system, further decarbonising industries, increasing energy efficiency of buildings, and promoting the green and digital transition should boost competitiveness and make the economy overall more sustainable.

(22)The recovery and resilience plan features measures aimed at improving the employability of the most vulnerable persons, thus reducing social exclusion and poverty. The risk of poverty and social exclusion in Croatia is closely linked to unemployment and inactivity. Older people, persons with disabilities and those living in jobless households are relatively more exposed to poverty risks, while both the coverage and adequacy of the unemployment benefit scheme remain low. The recovery and resilience plan commits to increasing the adequacy and broadening the coverage of the ‘Guaranteed Minimum Benefit’, the key benefit designed to reduce poverty. Similarly, the amount of the unemployment benefit should be increased and its duration prolonged and minimum pensions should be raised. Moreover, measures related to training and skills development in the tourism sector and in green and digital areas have a special focus on the most vulnerable groups.

(23)The plan includes various interventions to contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, aimed, among others, at expanding access to early childhood education and care, developing digital solutions to exchange data on social benefits, introducing social mentoring services to promote employment and social inclusion especially to youth.

Do no significant harm

(24)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (d) and section 2.4 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan is expected to ensure that no measure for the implementation of reforms and investment projects included in the recovery and resilience plan does significant harm to environmental objectives (Rating A) within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council
[7](#footnote8)
 (the principle of ‘do no significant harm’).

(25)In line with Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and the ‘do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance adopted by the Commission (2021/C 58/01), Croatia has provided evidence and assurances substantiating that the measures for the implementation of reforms and investment projects included in the recovery and resilience plan should not lead to significant harm to any of the six environmental objectives, namely climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.

(26)By selecting measures that either contribute substantially to environmental objectives, or have no or an insignificant foreseeable impact on environmental objectives, it is expected that many measures in the plan do no significant harm from the outset, such as in education and training, labour market, public administration. Where needed, specific milestones and targets should ensure that significant harm is avoided. In particular, the investment in carbon capture and storage should not involve the purchase or use of equipment for enhanced oil recovery application nor increased oil production. Similarly, for the geothermal investments, a milestone and target should ensure that the projects would not include any exploration or extraction of either oil or gas, that no equipment would be purchased for such purposes, that no methane would be released and that geothermal drilling would have no harmful impact on water scarcity and water quality. The Zadar airport investment project has a specific focus on the electrification of the airport and installation of the photovoltaics, ensuring that no support under Regulation (EU) 2021/241 will be used for the physical extension of the airport. A milestone for the investment in the medical incinerators in the city centre of Zagreb should ensure that incinerators would include lines for energy recovery of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste with flue-gas cleaning system and continuous emissions monitoring system. Particular attention has also been paid to horizontal schemes, where milestones should ensure that the requirements for complying with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ are enshrined in the design of the schemes.

Contribution to the green transition including biodiversity

(27)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (e) and section 2.5 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan contains measures that contribute to a large extent (Rating A) to the green transition, including biodiversity, or to addressing the challenges resulting therefrom. The measures supporting climate objectives account for an amount which represents 40,3% of the plan’s total allocation calculated in accordance with the methodology of Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2021/241. In accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan is consistent with the information included in the National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030.

(28)The recovery and resilience plan includes long-lasting reforms and investments contributing to the green transition. That includes investment in energy efficiency through renovation of the public and private buildings stock, reforms to facilitate the deployment of renewable energy sources, investments in geothermal energy, and in the electricity and distribution grid to facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources. Investments into carbon capture and geological storage should provide demonstration of innovative technologies, with climate mitigation potential. In addition, the recovery and resilience plan supports deployment of advanced biofuels, production of renewable hydrogen and roll-out of refuelling infrastructure which will all foster a shift to sustainable mobility in the next decade. It promotes the modal shift from road to rail, while investing into zero-emission vehicles and vessels and in supporting the related infrastructure. Finally, investments in developing green skills, and supporting SMEs and large enterprises to invest in environmentally-friendly production processes and in making tourism more sustainable should also contribute to achieving the green objectives.

(29)Overall, reforms and investments contributing to the green transition are aligned with existing national plans. In terms of environmental policies, the recovery and resilience plan should directly contribute to improved management of natural resources. The plan includes infrastructure investments to upgrade water and wastewater systems, and to accelerate the shift to circular economy. Funding is allocated for new infrastructure to reduce the share of waste sent to landfills, including recycling facilities and waste sorting centres. The plan includes investments to promote the circular economy in the agriculture sector to contribute to reducing food waste. It also includes dedicated measures to support biodiversity protection, such as restoration of rivers, floodplains and elimination of invasive species in sensitive area of Neretva delta. These measures should ensure a lasting impact of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan on the green transition, including on biodiversity and environmental protection.

(30)Reforms and investments should make a significant contribution to advancing the decarbonisation and climate objectives of Croatia as set out in the Croatian National Energy and Climate Plan for 2030 and long-term strategy for decarbonisation. On the environmental objectives as defined in Regulation (EU) 2020/852, the plan includes noteworthy climate mitigation measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mainly through enhancing energy efficiency of the building stock, investments to promote the uptake of renewables in energy and transport sectors, as well as use of innovative technologies. The plan includes important measures related to climate change adaptation, including supporting the sustainable use of water sources by reducing water losses and energy consumption in the water supply networks. The plan also includes sizeable investments into flood risk prevention which promote nature-based solutions. The Croatian plan is expected to contribute to the Union’s energy and climate targets for 2030 and the objective of the Union’s climate neutrality by 2050.

Contribution to the digital transition

(31)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (f) and section 2.6 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan contains measures that contribute to a large extent (Rating A) to the digital transition or to addressing the challenges resulting from it. The measures supporting digital objectives account for an amount which represents 20,4% of the plan’s total allocation calculated in accordance with the methodology of Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2021/241.

(32)Actions to support the digital transition are present throughout Croatia’s recovery and resilience plan, reflecting the broad and cross-cutting nature of the envisaged digitisation efforts. The recovery and resilience plan dedicates one component exclusively to the digital transformation of Croatia’s economy and society, with consistent measures to support the digitalisation of public administration and the provision of digital public services. It also includes investments in digital connectivity, which are set to improve the digital infrastructure for fixed and mobile internet services in remote rural areas that are lagging behind in terms of digital inclusion.

(33)Beyond that specific component dedicated to the digital transition, most other components also contribute to the digital transformation of Croatia. The plan includes significant measures for the digitalisation of transport, energy, health, justice and education sectors, with specific investment for digital tools for higher education. The development of a comprehensive strategy is planned to steer the digital transformation of Croatia’s society and economy for the next decade, defining strategic objectives for the digital transition of the economy, of the public administration and justice, digital connectivity and the development of digital skills.

(34)The digital-related reforms and investments supported by the recovery and resilience plan are expected to have a lasting impact. For example, the investments supporting the digital transformation of Croatia’s public administration are expected to bring systemic changes towards the development of interoperable systems at national and international level and towards data-driven decision-making in public administration. They are also expected to transform the interaction between Croatia’s public administration and its users. Investments in connectivity are also expected to help reduce the digital divide between urban and rural areas with complementary measures expected from other national or Union funds to ensure the achievement of the Union gigabit objectives.

Lasting impact

(35)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (g) and section 2.7 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan is expected to have a lasting impact on Croatia to a large extent (Rating A).

(36)The reforms to reduce the administrative and financial burden on businesses by easing cumbersome regulations and cutting parafiscal charges are expected to benefit value creation in the private sector. Similarly, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering measures, as well as reforms to reduce backlogs and accelerate resolution times in the justice system should strengthen institutions and increase investor confidence, helping Croatia attract investments and know-how. Reforms to liberalise regulated professions should increase competition in the economy to the benefit of consumers and job creation. Reforms that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the research and innovation framework, including an improved R&D tax incentive scheme and innovation support programmes, are expected to bolster the development of areas of excellence and have a lasting positive impact on productivity and the economy overall. Improvements in the governance of state-owned enterprises and an intensified sale of such enterprises and non-productive assets should have a lasting positive impact on allocative efficiency in the economy. There are also significant initiatives to improve public administration processes, including through their digitalisation, such as for registering a business and paying fees, and support the development of skills of public officials, which should have a lasting positive impact on the quality of service provision to both businesses and households.

(37)Investments in education, healthcare and labour market skills are expected to have long term positive effects on human capital. Investments in research and innovation should benefit the productivity and competitiveness of corporates, while investments in clean energy, sustainable tourism, modernising transport system, digital and green transition should structurally improve the sustainability of the economy and crowd-in additional investments over time. The combination of energy-efficiency and seismic renovation of buildings is also expected to have a lasting impact on both reducing energy consumption and improving safety. 

(38)Lasting impact of the plan can also be enhanced through synergies between the plan and other programmes financed by the cohesion policy funds, notably by addressing in a substantive manner the deeply rooted territorial challenges and promoting a balanced development.

Monitoring and implementation

(39)In accordance with Article 19(3) point (h) and section 2.8 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the arrangements proposed in the recovery and resilience plan are adequate (Rating A) to ensure effective monitoring and implementation of the recovery and resilience plan, including the envisaged timetable, milestones and targets, and the related indicators.

(40)Implementation of the measures of the recovery and resilience plan should involve several government institutions. A Central Coordinating Body, to be established under the Ministry of Finance, would constitute the lead national body tasked with the overall coordination and monitoring of the recovery and resilience plan, including active monitoring of the progress of the measures, on the basis of the milestones and targets set for each component. The immediate responsibility for implementing the reform and investment of the recovery and resilience plan will lie with the competent Ministries, while the Implementation Committee at the level of Ministers should ensure consistency in the use of all Union funds. The recovery and resilience plan defines milestones and targets for each investment and reform included in the recovery and resilience plan. The number of milestones and targets is commensurate with the number of measures and the size of the plan relative to the Croatian economy. The proposed qualitative and quantitative indicators used for the milestones and targets are sufficiently clear, realistic and comprehensive to ensure that their completion can be traced and verified. Whereas the recovery and resilience plan presents comprehensive coordination, implementation and monitoring arrangements, its implementation should crucially hinge on the administrative and implementation capacity of the implementing bodies, some of which are yet to be identified or established. Therefore, particular attention is to be paid to setting up the implementation and coordination structure, of which the Central Coordinating Body is envisaged to be set up by the end of 2021 as reflected in the dedicated milestone.

(41)Member States should ensure that financial support under the Facility is communicated and acknowledged in line with Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241. Technical support is to be requested under the Technical Support Instrument to assist Member States in the implementation of their plan.

Costing

(42)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (i) and section 2.9 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the justification provided in the plan on the amount of the estimated total costs of the recovery and resilience plan is to a medium extent (Rating B) reasonable and plausible, in line with the principle of cost efficiency and commensurate to the expected national economic and social impact.

(43)Croatia generally provided a detailed breakdown of the cost per measure, with references to earlier similar projects or studies carried out to justify cost figures and adequate explanations of the methodology used to establish total costs. For the various measures where costs cannot be determined in detail beforehand, as for instance for projects to be selected through competitive procedures such as calls for proposals, the recovery and resilience plan generally provides justification, using past experience, that the costs are not disproportionate to the aims of the measure. For the significant majority of the measures, the cost estimates are deemed reasonable and plausible. While Croatia has made a substantial effort to provide the necessary information on costing, the methodology and justification of costs do not consistently cover all elements of the measures, with parts of the total cost in some instances lacking explanation. For a limited number of cost estimates, costs exceeded the cost range set by comparable projects to a medium extent. Since, for those cost estimates, the methodology used is not sufficiently well explained and the link between the justification and the cost itself is at times not fully clear, a higher rating of the costing assessment criterion is precluded. Finally, the estimated total cost of the recovery and resilience plan is in line with the principle of cost-efficiency and is commensurate to the expected national economic and social impact.

Protection of financial interests

(44)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (j) and section 2.10 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the arrangements proposed in the recovery and resilience plan are adequate (Rating A) to prevent, detect and correct corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests when using the funds provided under that Regulation, and the arrangements are expected to effectively avoid double funding from that Regulation and other Union programmes. This is without prejudice to the application of other instruments and tools to promote and enforce compliance with EU law, including for preventing, detecting and correcting corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests, and for protecting the Union finances in line with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council
[8](#footnote9)
.

(45)The system for the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan in Croatia is described in an appropriate way. It is coherently designed and based on robust processes and structures, in particular roles and responsibilities of the actors for controls and audits are clear, relevant control functions are appropriately segregated and the independence of actors performing audits is ensured. The coordinating body for the implementation of the plan should be the Directorate for Macroeconomic Analysis within the Ministry of Finance. For each component and sub-component, the competent authority at ministry and central government office level has been appointed for the implementation of the reforms and the investments, in accordance with the sectoral competence provided for in the System of State Administration Act. The National Fund department within the Ministry of Finance should be the body responsible for preparing and sending the payment requests to the European Commission, on a semi-annual basis, upon verification of the achievement of the milestones and targets, and accompanied by the management declaration and the summary of the audits carried out. The tasks of the audit authority are assigned to the Agency for the audit of the European Union programme implementation system (‘ARPA’).

(46)Overall, the arrangements proposed by Croatia in the recovery and resilience plan to prevent, detect and correct corruption, fraud and conflicts of interest when using the funds provided under Regulation (EU) 2021/241, including the arrangements aimed to avoid double funding are assessed as adequate. The milestones pertaining to the establishment of the legal mandate of the bodies involved in the implementation and control, the Coordinating body and the upgrades of the IT system should be fulfilled before the submission of the first payment request. In addition, the actors responsible for controls should have the legal empowerment and administrative capacity to exercise their planned roles and tasks, provided that the milestones pertaining to the workload analysis and the recommendations stemming from it are fulfilled at the latest by the time of the submission of the first payment request.

Coherence of the plan

(47)In accordance with Article 19(3) point (k) and section 2.11 of Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the plan includes to a high extent (Rating A) measures for the implementation of reforms and public investment projects that represent coherent actions.

(48)The Croatian recovery and resilience plan is structured around five components and one initiative, which are coherent and support the common objectives to stimulate the recovery of the Croatian economy and mitigate the impact of COVID-19, to contribute to the green and digital transition and inclusive growth, and to increase resilience and competitiveness of the Croatian economy. The plan’s components, especially the “Initiative: Renovation of Buildings”, should also contribute to the reconstruction of the damage caused by two devastating earthquakes, which in 2020 affected central Croatia with consequences in and around Zagreb, and the Banovina region. Each of the five components and the initiative are built around coherent packages of both reforms and investments, with measures that are mutually reinforcing or complementary or both. Synergies also exist across the different components and initiatives, and no measure contradicts or undermines the effectiveness of another.

Equality

(49)The recovery and resilience plan includes measures that could help increase female labour market participation. The labour reform is expected to contribute to that objective, facilitate work-life balance, indirectly reduce the gender pay gap and address the high gender pension gap. The plan should fund ICT projects addressing equality considerations. It includes a reform of the education system which aims to ensure equal opportunities for all children, mainly by increasing participation in early childhood education and care and the number of instruction hours in primary school. Croatia should develop social mentoring services that should support hard-to-reach groups of beneficiaries such as persons with disabilities, victims of violence, homeless people, migrants, Roma and young people leaving the social welfare system to assist them with employment. The plan provides for several investments to address specific needs of persons with disabilities, such as measures to ensure physical accessibility to buildings and housing environment, to provide adequate mobility services, promote hybrid access to a workplace and ensure access to digital public services.

Security self-assessment

(50)A security self-assessment has been provided, in accordance with Article 18(4), point (g) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 for investments in digital capacities and connectivity. The recovery and resilience plan describes how the national regulator prepared a draft ordinance on the manner and timing of implementing measures to safeguard the security and integrity of communication networks and services, which incorporates requirements to ensure the security of 5G electronic communications networks and services based on recommendations of the Communication of the Commission of 29 January 2020 “Secure 5G deployment in the EU — Implementation of the EU toolbox”
[9](#footnote10)
.

Cross-border and multi-country projects

(51)The plan includes cross-border and multi-country projects in three areas. First, there are measures related to the interoperability of the information systems under the Digital transition component, which includes the establishment, upgrading, interconnection of the core registers and the establishment of a Central Interoperability System in line with the European Interoperability Framework (EIF). Second, under the Education component, the digital transformation of higher education is expected to stimulate and accelerate the stronger involvement of higher education institutions in cross-border and multinational projects, in particular projects for which digital maturity is a necessary condition for participation. Third, under the Water and waste management component, the Public Water Supply Development Programme and the Programme for the Development of Public Sewerage have a positive impact on the environment by reducing pollution the environment and water resources, contributing to the conservation of water bodies, and in this sense their impact is cross-border and global.

Consultation process

(52)Croatia carried out a consultation process before submitting their recovery and resilience plan and carried out a stakeholder public consultation after the submission of the draft plan to the Commission in December 2020. Between January and May 2021, the authorities held more than 15 thematic meetings with different stakeholders where they presented the recovery and resilience plan opportunities for Croatia in specific areas, its structure, criteria, process and complementarities with other Union funds. The summary of the plan was published and presented to the media ahead of the adoption on 1 April 2021. After the adoption by the Government, the summary of the plan was posted on the Government’s website and discussed in the Parliament on 14 April 2021.

(53)Croatia’s recovery and resilience plan does not outline the authorities’ plans on how to include the stakeholders in the implementation of the plan. To ensure ownership by the relevant actors, it is crucial to involve all regional and local authorities and other stakeholders concerned, including social partners and civil society in the monitoring of the territorial allocation of resources throughout the implementation of the investments and reforms included in the plan.

Positive assessment

(54)Following the positive assessment of the Commission concerning the Croatian recovery and resilience plan with the finding that the plan satisfactorily complies with the criteria for assessment set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/241, in accordance with Article 20(2) of that Regulation, this Decision should set out the reforms and investment projects necessary for the implementation of the plan, the relevant milestones, targets and indicators, and the amount made available from the Union for the implementation of the plan in the form of non-repayable financial support.

Financial contribution

(55)The estimated total cost of the recovery and resilience plan of Croatia is EUR 6 393 794 220. As the recovery and resilience plan satisfactorily complies with the criteria for assessment set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and, furthermore, as the amount of the estimated total costs of the recovery and resilience plan is higher than the maximum financial contribution available for Croatia, the financial contribution allocated for Croatia’s recovery and resilience plan should be equal to the total amount of the financial contribution available for Croatia.

(56)In accordance with Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the calculation of the maximum financial contribution for Croatia is to be updated by 30 June 2022. As such, in accordance with Article 23(1) of that Regulation, an amount for Croatia should be made available now for a legal commitment by 31 December 2022. Where necessary following the updated maximum financial contribution, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, should amend this Decision to include the updated maximum financial contribution without undue delay.

(57)The support to be provided is to be financed from the borrowing by the Commission on behalf of the Union on the basis of Article 5 of Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053
[10](#footnote11)
. The support should be paid in instalments once Croatia has satisfactorily fulfilled the relevant milestones and targets identified in relation to the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan.

(58)Croatia has requested pre-financing of 13% of the financial contribution. That amount should be made available to Croatia subject to the entry into force and in accordance with the Financing Agreement provided for in Article 23(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241.

(59)This Decision should be without prejudice to the outcome of any procedures relating to the award of Union funds under any other Union programme than Regulation (EU) 2021/241 or to procedures relating to distortions of the operation of the internal market that may be undertaken, in particular under Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty. It does not override the requirement for Member States to notify instances of potential State aid to the Commission under Article 108 of the Treaty,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1
  
Approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan

The assessment of the recovery and resilience plan of Croatia on the basis of the criteria provided for by Article 19(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 is approved. The reforms and investment projects under the recovery and resilience plan, the arrangements and timetable for monitoring and implementation of the recovery and resilience plan, including the relevant milestones and targets, the relevant indicators relating to the fulfilment of the envisaged milestones and targets, and the arrangements for providing full access by the Commission to the underlying relevant data are set out in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2
  
Financial contribution

1.The Union shall make available to Croatia a financial contribution in the form of non-repayable support amounting to EUR 6 295 431 146.
[11](#footnote12)
 An amount of EUR 4 631 762 551 shall be available to be legally committed by 31 December 2022. Subject to the update provided for in Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 calculating an amount for Croatia equal to or more than this amount, a further amount of EUR 1 663 668 594 shall be available to be legally committed from 1 January 2023 until 31 December 2023.

2.The Union financial contribution shall be made available by the Commission to Croatia in instalments in accordance with the Annex. An amount of EUR 818 406 049 shall be made available as a pre-financing payment, equal to 13 per cent of the financial contribution. The pre-financing and instalments may be disbursed by the Commission in one or several tranches. The size of the tranches shall be subject to the availability of funding.

3.The pre-financing shall be released subject to the entry into force and in accordance with the Financing Agreement provided for in Article 23(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241. Pre-financing shall be cleared by being proportionally deducted against the payment of the instalments.

4.The release of instalments in accordance with the Financing Agreement shall be conditional on available funding and a decision by the Commission, taken in accordance with Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, that Croatia has satisfactorily fulfilled the relevant milestones and targets identified in relation to the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan. Subject to the entry into force of the legal commitments referred to in paragraph 1, to be eligible for payment, milestones and targets shall be completed no later than 31 August 2026.

Article 3
  
Addressee

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Croatia.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council

The President

:   [(1)](#footnoteref2)
       OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17.
:   [(2)](#footnoteref3)
       Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2011 on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances (OJ L 306, 23.11.2011, p. 25).
:   [(3)](#footnoteref4)
       Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094 of 14 December 2020 establishing a European Union Recovery Instrument to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis (OJ L 433I , 22.12.2020, p. 23).
:   [(4)](#footnoteref5)
       Commission recommendation 2020/1307: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32020H1307
:   [(5)](#footnoteref6)
       These macroeconomic imbalances refer to the recommendations made pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 in 2019 and 2020.
:   [(6)](#footnoteref7)
       Such simulations reflect the overall impact of NGEU, which also includes funding for ReactEU, and increased funding for Horizon Europe, InvestEU, JTF, Rural Development and RescEU. Such simulation does not include the possible positive impact of structural reforms, which can be substantial.
:   [(7)](#footnoteref8)
       Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13).
:   [(8)](#footnoteref9)
       Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget (OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, p. 1).
:   [(9)](#footnoteref10)
       COM/2020/50
:   [(10)](#footnoteref11)
       OJ L 424, 15.12.2020, p. 1.
:   [(11)](#footnoteref12)
       This amount corresponds to the financial allocation after deduction of the Croatia’s proportional share of the expenses of Article 6(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, calculated in accordance with the methodology of Article 11 of that Regulation.

[Top](#document1)

![european flag](./../../../images/eclogo.jpg)EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 8.7.2021

COM(2021) 401 final

ANNEX

to the

Proposal for a Council Implementing Decision

on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Croatia

{SWD(2021) 197 final}

ANNEX

SECTION 1: REFORMS AND INVESTMENTS UNDER THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN

1.Description of Reforms and Investments

   A. COMPONENT 1.1: RESILIENT, GREEN AND DIGITAL ECONOMY

This component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan takes a broad, horizontal approach in addressing some of the structural weaknesses of the Croatian economy. Croatia’s economic growth and convergence with the rest of the Union are hampered by low productivity, relatively low investments by the private sector, limited access to financing by the most innovative companies and, in general, a business environment that is characterized by a relatively high administrative and parafiscal burden and excessive regulation of professions. In addition, the share of industrial production is the lowest among Central and Eastern Member States and Croatia also lags behind peer countries in the level of investments going into innovation, higher technological level products and the green and digital transitions.

The objectives of the component are threefold:

-Improving the business environment by continuing the reforms to reduce the administrative and parafiscal burdens and to further liberalise regulated professions.

-Achieving a better allocation of capital resources within the economy by devising changes to the regulatory framework to incentivize private sector investment; supporting through grants and concessional financial instruments productive investments by businesses, particularly for adopting green technologies; and improving access to alternative or innovative ways of financing.

-Supporting businesses in adapting their operations to the new digital environment with a special focus on the cultural and creative sectors which were hit particularly hard by the lockdown measures that restricted in-person services.

The component addresses the country-specific recommendation by providing liquidity to small- and medium-size companies, reducing parafiscal charges and restrictions in the goods and services market regulation, promoting private investments and focusing investments on the green and digital transitions (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020). It also contributes to address the recommendation to reduce the most burdensome parafiscal charges and excessive product and services market regulation (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019).

The component is divided into two sub-components, C1.1.1 (Strengthening competitiveness and green transition of the economy) and C.1.1.2 (Boosting innovation and digitising the economy.)

  

A.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Subcomponent C1.1.1 Strengthening competitiveness and green transition of the economy

The objective of this subcomponent is to promote economic activity, competitiveness and investment through further reducing administrative and parafiscal burden on businesses, further liberalising regulated professions, increasing access to credit with the help of grants, concessional loans and equity instruments, attracting foreign direct investments and supporting the cultural and creative sectors in their digital transition.

Reform C1.1.1 R1 Continuing the reform of the business and regulatory environment.

The objective of this reform is to further improve Croatia’s business environment through:

-digitising the services provided by state and public administrations to businesses and

-improving regulatory conditions for businesses and continuing administrative and fiscal burden relief.

-adoption of a Strategy and Action Plan to improve economic impact assessment

The reform shall include the adoption the 5th Action Plan for reducing the administrative burden and parafiscal and non-tax charges, the setting up an IT system to monitor the implementation of the measures and to update and digitalise the Register of Non-Tax Charges.

The adoption of a strategy and action plan to improve economic impact assessment procedures used in the public administration to better support innovation and the adoption of new business models. In this context, the SME Impact Assessment Test shall be transferred to a digital platform to facilitate the collaboration of the public administrators and to support online training and communication. The continuous training of civil servants in specific areas shall be part of the investment. Measures under the investment shall include the implementation of a Regulatory Sandbox, allowing for controlled testing of new business models.

This reform shall completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C1.1.1 R2 Continuing the reform of regulated professions

The objective of the reform is to boost productivity in the Croatian economy through the continuation of the liberalisation of services markets. The reform shall include the simplification or total removal of at least 50 regulatory requirements for professional services, based on the implementation of the second and third Action Plans on liberalisation of services markets, including the professions of lawyers, notaries, tax advisors, auditors, pharmacists and pharmacies, physiotherapists, architects, engineers and tourist guides, and taking into account the recommendations of the World Bank concerning the registration and membership costs of professional chambers, the fragmented exclusive rights in individual professions (such as for architects and engineers), the provision of the post-graduate professional exam (such as for architects and engineers) and ownership and management restrictions on tax advisors.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C1.1.1 R3 Advancing the strategic framework for the promotion of private investment

The objective of the reform is to make Croatia an attractive destination for investment through the development and adoption of a Strategic Framework to Promote and Facilitate Foreign Direct Investment. The reform shall include three analytical studies: providing i) a review of the institutional landscape, ii) an assessment of the impact of foreign direct investments and iii) recommendations for regulatory, institutional changes and designing of tax incentives; the adoption of the strategic framework including an action plan and the establishment of a digital platform to facilitate implementation. The strategic framework is expected to ensure policy coherence and coordination across different ministries and institutions dealing with the promotion and facilitation of investment, maximise the impact of investment on productivity, job creation and regional development and support Croatia’s digital and climate transition.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C1.1.1 R6 Developing resilient cultural and creative sectors

The reform shall include the entry into force of amendments to the Electronic Media and Copyright and Related Rights Law establishing the effective legal protection of authors of creative, cultural and media content on the Internet, taking into account the need to remove obstacles to the successful commercialisation of protected content on the Internet. The new legal framework is expected to incentivise entrepreneurs to adapt their business processes to the industry standards in the Digital Single Market, by developing new and innovative online business models, and new and innovative products and services.

The reformed copyright framework is expected to foster the cultural and creative industries by providing a stable legal framework for the creation of online platforms and applications, facilitating the online licensing of creative, cultural and media content, thereby promoting cultural, linguistic and media diversity. Changes to the media and copyright legal framework are expected to facilitate the cross-border distribution of television and radio programmes, by providing clear rules on so-called direct signal circulation, and to facilitate the re-use of public content for creation of new innovative products and services on the Digital Single Market. Moreover, the legislative reform shall ensure transparency in the publication of ownership structures linked to the Register of Beneficial Owners and the publication of this information on the provider’s website, and more transparency shall also be introduced with regard to information on amounts and sources of funding.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

Investment C1.1.1 R1-I1 Digitalisation of government and public administration services provided to the business sector (G2B)

The objective of the investment is to improve the accessibility, transparency and efficiency of public services provided to businesses through their digitalisation in selected priority areas such as business registration and licensing. This is expected to allow further integrating information about market entry and investment in Croatia, thereby improving data accuracy and accessibility and, consequently, policy design and implementation by the various levels of government administration. Finally, the aim is to improve the exchange of information and the consolidation of data in government administrations, with a view to implement the ‘once-only’ principle.

The investment shall include the following actions:

-The first action includes investments that shall build on the existing digital platform called START for the setting up of limited liability corporations and allowing users to register new corporations online. This action shall expand the functionalities of the START platform with a view to increasing the volume of services, improve access and availability of the system and ensure that all new business data are integrated into one database. Three investment projects shall be carried out within this action. First, to increase the use of START platform and better integrate the processes that were initiated through the digital and physical platforms, 20 new physical access points to the START platform shall be established, equipped and made operational in different branches of the Financial Agency. Second, new functionalities shall be introduced into the START platform through its upgrading and linking with the various databases of the business registry to allow access to administrative procedure through digital authentication. Third, a digital licensing platform (START Plus) shall be established to increase the transparency of market entry conditions as well as the transparency of business regulations.

-The second action includes a consolidation of the payments of mandatory charges of businesses and is one of the preconditions for Croatia’s accession to the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II (ERM II) and the Banking Union. The action shall establish a single digital fee platform that shall allow the online payment of the seven most frequent and cost-intensive mandatory charges for companies and shall contribute to optimising the existing administrative process by offering the following functionalities: i) listing the fees to be paid by the business operator, ii) maintaining a payment calendar with deadlines for settlement, iii) providing the possibility to complete and submit to the competent institutions the required forms in electronic format, iv) providing the possibility of direct online payment of fees and v) providing an overview of fees paid.

-The third action shall simplify and digitise the procedures related to the Law on Strategic Investment Projects, the Law on Investment Promotion and the Law on State aid for Research and Development Projects; and further develop and upgrade the electronic database on enterprises, established under the Enterprise Infrastructure Improvement Act. The digitisation of the above procedures shall entail implementing a digital platform for submitting and accessing applications.

The first and third actions shall be completed by 31 December 2024 and the second action shall be completed by 30 June 2022.

Investment C1.1.1 R1-I2 Continuing administrative and fiscal burden relief

This investment forms an integral part of the ongoing reform of the business environment aimed at further reducing the administrative and fiscal burden on businesses and shall include measures to implement four Action Plans that are expected to substantially improve the business environment in Croatia.

This investment is divided into two subsets of actions that shall include:

-The implementation of the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Action Plans for the reduction of administrative burden in the areas of fisheries, phytosanitary and veterinary control, tourism and hospitality industry, waste management, social welfare, scientific activities and judicial proceedings through the optimisation and digitisation of the most burdensome administrative processes. This sub-investment shall also underpin the full implementation of the Action Plan to reduce parafiscal charges in the areas of energy activities, agriculture and the land cadastre.

-The implementation of the 5th Action Plan for administrative burden reduction by an additional EUR 265 445 617 (HRK 2 000 000 000), reducing parafiscal and non-tax charges by EUR 132 722 808 (HRK 1 000 000 000), and setting up an IT system to monitor the implementation of the measures and to update and digitalise the Register of Non-Tax Charges.

The first subset of actions shall be completed by 31 December 2022. The second subset of actions shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.1.1 R4-I1 Support to enterprises for the transition to an energy- and resource efficient economy

The investment shall finance, through grants, productive investments by small, medium-sized and mid-cap companies in green technologies that contribute to an energy- and resource-efficient economy in energy-intensive industries, including metalworking, textile, food, chemical, construction and woodworking industries. These energy-intensive industries employ a large number of people and the decarbonisation process requires considerable investments. Grants shall only be awarded to financially viable companies from the above eligible sectors only if they demonstrate that the planned investments contribute to one or more of the following objectives:

-promote a circular economy by introducing resource efficiency in the production cycle and life cycle of products, including the sustainable supply of primary and secondary raw materials;

-decarbonisation and emission reduction of energy-intensive industries, including demonstration and deployment of innovative low-emission technologies.

The contribution to the above objectives shall be demonstrated with reference to the intervention fields of Annex VI and Annex VII of Regulation (EU) 2021/241. The expected impact of the investments financed through this measure is a reduction of harmful emissions of at least 20% compared with investments not aimed at energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, the use of recyclates and recyclable materials in the total material volume in production shall be at least 20%.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall

I.require the application of the Commission’s Technical Guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund
[1](#footnote2)
; and

II.exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[2](#footnote3)
; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[3](#footnote4)
; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators
[4](#footnote5)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[5](#footnote6)
; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

III.require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation of the projects for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C1.1.1 R4-I2 Financial instrument for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

The objective of the investment is to further encourage investment activity on the Croatian market by providing more favourable financing conditions for SMEs in the growth and development phase (entities with access to finance) and supporting access to finance of specific target groups that usually do not have such access (such as micro entrepreneurs, start-ups, young entrepreneurs, investments in RDI, economic operators investing in less developed areas). The financial instruments expected to be used under this investment are i) direct loans from Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG BICRO) and Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises which, due to their size, lack of business history and generally higher financing risks usually have difficult access or no access to bank credit; and ii) interest subsidies to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, in the growth and development phase, granted by HAMAG BICRO and HBOR through their regular guarantee and loan programmes and implemented in cooperation with financial intermediaries or through direct lending from HBOR.

The investment shall include the following financial instruments:

-HAMAG BICRO shall directly provide micro-credits up to EUR 100 000 to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which, due to their size and the size of the credit, usually have more difficult access to funding, for a period of up to ten years, with concessional interest rates and lower loan collateral requirements. This financial instrument is expected to provide EUR 39 816 843 (HRK 300 000 000) of funding. A minimum of EUR 7 608 756 (HRK 57 328 173) shall be dedicated to supporting environmentally friendly production processes and improving resource efficiency in SMEs, EUR 6 327 139 (HRK 47 671 827) shall be used to help SMEs to digitalise their operations, and the remaining EUR 25 880 948 (HRK 195 000 000) shall be dedicated to investments aimed at strengthening competitiveness and resilience. This financial instrument shall be managed separately from other instruments of HAMAG BICRO to ensure that any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purposes and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to environmental impact.

-HBOR shall directly provide loans of more than EUR 100 000 to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which, owing to a higher level of risk, tend to have more difficult access to funding, with concessional interest rates and lower loan collateral requirements. The measure is expected to primarily target the financing of projects by start-ups, young entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, investments in RDI, investments in economically less developed areas. This financial instrument is expected to provide EUR 66 361 404 (HRK 500 000 000) of funding. A minimum of EUR 12 681 260 (HRK 95 546 955) shall be dedicated to supporting environmentally friendly production processes and improving resource efficiency in SMEs, EUR 10 545 231 (HRK 79 453 045) shall be used to help SMEs to digitalise their operations, and the remaining EUR 43 134 913 (HRK 325 000 000) shall be dedicated to investments aimed at strengthening competitiveness and resilience. This financial instrument shall be managed separately from other instruments of HBOR to ensure that any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purposes and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to and environmental impact.

-Setting up an interest subsidy fund for easing lending conditions of bank loans granted under the existing HAMAG BICRO guarantee schemes to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. This financial instrument is expected to provide EUR 13 272 281 (HRK 100 000 000) of funding. A minimum of EUR 2 536 252 (HRK 19 109 391) shall be dedicated to supporting environmentally friendly production processes and improving resource efficiency in SMEs, EUR 2 109 046 (HRK 15 890 609) shall be used to help SMEs to digitalise their operations, and the remaining EUR 8 626 983 (HRK 65 000 000) shall be dedicated to investments aimed at strengthening competitiveness and resilience.

-Setting up an interest subsidy fund for easing lending conditions of bank loans granted under the existing credit instruments of HBOR provided to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. This financial instrument is expected to provide EUR 26 544 562 million (HRK 200 000 000) of funding. A minimum of EUR 5 072 504 (HRK 38 218 782) shall be dedicated to supporting environmentally friendly production processes and improving resource efficiency in SMEs, EUR 4 218 093 million (HRK 31 781 218) shall be used to help SMEs to digitalise their operations, and the remaining EUR 17 253 965 million (HRK 130 000 000) shall be dedicated to investments aimed at strengthening competitiveness and resilience.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the legal agreement between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG BICRO) or the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and the subsequent investment policy of the financial instrument shall

I.require the application of the Commission’s Technical Guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund; and

II.exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[6](#footnote7)
; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[7](#footnote8)
; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators
[8](#footnote9)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[9](#footnote10)
; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

III.require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation of the projects by HAMAG BICRO, HBOR or the financial intermediaries for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.1 R4-I3 Financial instrument for mid-cap and large enterprises

The objective of the investment is to promote the competitiveness and green and digital transition of mid-caps and large companies by providing more favourable sources of financing as a key condition for investment growth in the short and medium term. The financial instruments expected to be used under this investment are:

-A new ‘umbrella’ guarantee fund aimed at issuing individual or portfolio guarantees for investment loans and working capital loans to mid-cap and large enterprises with a planned allocation of EUR 79 633 685 (HRK 600 000 000). Any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purposes and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to environmental impact;

-And interest subsidy fund to reduce financing costs (such as interest payments, fees and premiums) of loans to mid-caps and large entities with a planned allocation of EUR 26 544 562 (HRK 200 000 000).

The financial instruments shall be used for investments in new, up-to-date and advanced technologies (machinery and equipment), in the expansion and strengthening of business capacity (expansion of manufacturing and service facilities and capacities), with a preference for projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency, circular economy, environmental protection, digitalisation of production, procurement and sales processes.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the legal agreement between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and the subsequent investment policy of the financial instrument shall:

I.require the application of the Commission’s Technical Guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund; and

II.exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[10](#footnote11)
; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[11](#footnote12)
; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators
[12](#footnote13)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[13](#footnote14)
; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

III.require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation of the projects by HBOR or the financial intermediaries for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.1 R4-I4 Financial instrument for public sector entities

The objective of the investment is to provide concessional financing to public entities for projects in economic, municipal, transport and social infrastructure, as well as projects in technology contributing to the green and digital transition of the public sector with a planned allocation of EUR 26 544 562 (HRK 200 000 000). A minimum of 30% of the budget or EUR 7 963 368 (HRK 60 000 000) under this investment is expected to support environmentally friendly production processes and resource efficiency in the public sector.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the legal agreement between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and the subsequent investment policy of the financial instrument shall

I.require the application of the Commission’s Technical Guidance on sustainability proofing for the InvestEU Fund; and

II.exclude the following list of activities and assets from eligibility: (i) activities and assets related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[14](#footnote15)
; (ii) activities and assets under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[15](#footnote16)
; (iii) activities and assets related to waste landfills, incinerators
[16](#footnote17)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[17](#footnote18)
; and (iv) activities and assets where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment; and

III.require the verification of legal compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation of the projects by HBOR or the financial intermediaries for all transactions, including those exempted from sustainability proofing.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.1 R5-I1 Investment in equity and quasi-equity financial instruments

The objective of the investment is to ensure a faster development of private companies that are unable to obtain financing from traditional financial institutions with a planned allocation of EUR 29 862 632 (HRK 225 000 000). The investment shall include investing or co-investing in i) active or forthcoming venture capital funds and in ii) private equity funds with particular focus on financing the start-up and growth stages of innovative and scale-up SMEs. The funds under this investment shall include participation by professional private investors of at least 30% of the expected size of each fund and are expected to be developed in cooperation with the European Investment Fund. The funds shall apply an Environmental and Social Management System to ensure their use only for projects complying with the Do No Significant Harm principle. Any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purpose and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to environmental impact.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.1 R6-I1 Transforming and strengthening the competitiveness of cultural and creative industries

The investment shall provide funding, through grants, for building the capacity of micro, small, medium-sized enterprises and other legal and natural persons active in the field of cultural and creative sectors (such as architecture, audio-visual activities, media, heritage, design, performing arts, books and publishing, applied and visual arts) to adapt to the new regulatory and legislative framework of the Digital Single Market.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.1 R6-I2 Establishment of media fact-checking and public disclosure system

The investment shall support establishing a system of media fact-checking by the Electronic Media Agency, including the development of procedures and rules, the creation of the Register of Beneficial Owners and the strengthening of the digital competence capacities of fact-checkers, as well as the development of technological programmes, platforms and media communication systems, and the creation of a database. The investment shall include:

-Grant to the Electronic Media Agency for the establishment of a system for building fact-checking capacity, including developing procedures and rules, registers and databases for fact-checking purposes and developing technological programmes and platforms and media communication systems, strengthening the digital competence capacity of fact-checkers.

-Grant for creating a database and setting up a system for publishing proprietary data and funding sources.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Subcomponent C.1.1.2 Boosting innovation and digitising the economy

The objective of this subcomponent is to improve the position of the Croatian economy on the value chain by boosting innovation and digitisation in the private sector. The measures of this subcomponent shall include adopting a more investment-friendly legislative framework, providing young and innovative businesses with administrative and financial support to promote the development and commercialisation of innovative products, and providing support to businesses for their digital transition.

Reform C1.1.2 R1 Reform of the R&D incentive system

The objective of the reform is to increase the number of enterprises investing and the size of investments in R&D. The reform shall consist of an analysis of the existing R&D tax incentive scheme and amending and complementing the legal framework for R&D tax incentives to encourage the private sector to increase the intensity of its R&D investment, increase the number of beneficiaries of R&D tax incentives, simplify the procedures and reduce the administrative burdens, while improving transparency and accessibility. Amendments to the State Aid Act on Research and Development Projects shall be based on an analysis of appropriateness and effectiveness of the current tax relief system.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C1.1.2 R2-I2 Investing in the management capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises

The objective of the investment is to help businesses expand their activities, increase their productivity and create jobs through providing business consultancy support to SMEs to increase their management capacity. The support is expected to include i) the evaluation of the business model and creation of an action plan, ii) group training for employees and managers, iii) special advisory support and iv) results-oriented coaching and mentoring.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.1.2 R2-I3 Start-up grant funding

The objective of this investment is to stimulate the growth of start-ups in the high-tech and knowledge-based sectors in the pre-commercial phase through support for product development, increased production capacity and investment readiness.

The investment shall provide grants for investment readiness for start-ups for projects that are mature outside the proof-of-concept phase but which are not yet market ready. This includes upgrading, design, performance validation, market validation, testing, development of pilot lines, intellectual property protection and external services aimed at developing an innovative idea, as well as training on mitigation and risk assessment of funding needs. Funded activities may also include part of the costs of access to global business networks or clusters, the adoption of new marketing tools and access to new markets.

Eligible beneficiaries shall include innovative SMEs, up to five years from registration, which are not generated by a merger and fall under the definition of an innovative SME according to the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment C1.1.2 R2-I4 Strengthening Enhancing Accelerating Activities

The investment shall provide financial support for a period of four years for establishing an acceleration programme in Croatia. The acceleration programme shall provide mentoring, support for investment readiness and access to investor networks for groups of up to 120 start-ups over a period of at least three months. Investment readiness support is expected to include access to mentoring and advice for business managers and entrepreneurs, advice on business and product development strategies, access to technology professionals, intellectual rights professionals, technology suppliers, access to potential clients, guidance on initial investment activities.

Beneficiaries of the investment are expected to include i) early-stage start-ups needing support in product development and ii) more mature start-ups that are better prepared for investment. Beneficiaries in the first group shall receive basic training on investment readiness, focusing on first presentation, understanding customers’ needs; while beneficiaries in the second group shall receive more advanced training focused, such as on negotiation, customer search.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.2 R2-I5 Commercialisation of innovation projects

The objective of the investment is to encourage the commercialisation of innovation projects for mature projects close to market entry, and increase exports of innovative products, services or technologies by SMEs by supporting the creation of sales and distribution channels on foreign markets and through strengthening the links between scientific institutions and industry, as well as between small and medium-sized enterprises and larger companies. The investment is expected to provide opportunities for SMEs to enter the value chain at a larger scale.

The investment shall support the adaptation of a developed product or service and the preparation for their launch on the market. Eligible activities for the adaptation of a developed product include additional testing and integration of test results into the final product, advisory services, capacity building, feasibility studies audits, product design, and intellectual property rights protection. Eligible activities for the preparation of product launches include preparation or revision of a business plan or marketing plan, market research and testing, product testing with potential customers, production preparation and investment in zero series product, and operational marketing activities.

The investment shall support SMEs with mature innovation projects that are close to market launch and is expected to prioritise proposals that contribute to the green transition.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C1.1.2 R3-I1 Preparation of strategic documents for the digital transformation of the economy and artificial intelligence

The objective of the investment is to support Croatian companies introduce digital tools in their operations, develop digital business models and acquire digital skills. The investment shall provide financial support for procuring technical assistance for the drafting of the National Plan for the Digital Transformation of the Croatian Economy and the National Plan for the Development of Artificial Intelligence of the Republic of Croatia.

The investment shall be completed by 31 March 2022.

Investment C1.1.2 R3-I2 Digitalization vouchers

The objective of the investment is to support SMEs to develop a digital business model, strengthen their capacity to digitalise, or improve their cybersecurity through the introduction of a voucher system. The voucher system is expected to cover training and services for improving digital skills, including skills related to cloud technologies, adapting business models to the digital transformation, digital marketing, cyber resilience and the deployment of complex digital products and services.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.2 R3-I3 Grants for digitalisations

The objective of the investment is to support the digital transformation of Croatian companies by providing financial support for the deployment of digital solutions in their business operations. This investment shall provide grants for the purchase of digital tools and equipment and for strengthening digital skills, including skills related to cloud technologies, to develop and deploy new products, services and processes.

Eligible activities under the investment shall include introducing a new business model or a visible improvement in terms of new production capacities or delivery options or business practices. Grants shall only be awarded to financially viable companies that demonstrate that the planned investments comply with the Do No Significant Harm principle.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.1.2 R4-I1 Support for Digital Innovation Hubs

The investment shall provide financial support for the establishment and operation of European Digital Innovation Hubs. The investment shall include:

-The financing of technical assistance for the development of the National Framework for the Establishment and Monitoring of Systems for Digital Innovation Hubs in Croatia;

-The national co-financing for the establishment and operation for three years of at least three national European Digital Innovation Hubs and;

-The establishment of a National Contact Point, within the European Centre for Innovation, Advanced Technologies and Skills Development and establishing a mechanism for the development and monitoring of the national Digital Innovation Hub ecosystem.

The activities of European Digital Innovation Hubs are expected to include pre-investment testing, skills development and training, access to finance and development of an innovation network.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

A.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 1 | C1.1.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Strategy for the Evaluation of the Economic Effects of Regulation on the SME sector by the Croatian Government and the accompanying Action Plan | Adoption of the Strategy and Action Plan |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Focusing primarily on the economic impact of regulation on the SME sector, MINGOR shall adopt a binding Regulatory Policy Strategy for Ministries, which clearly assigns management and operational responsibilities during the stages of conducting obligatory SME test during the regulatory process. Based on the Regulatory Policy Strategy, an Action Plan shall be adopted to organise, plan, coordinate and monitor the implementation by line Ministries of relevant tools and methodologies (primarily, for SME test and other economic analyses of regulation, if there is a significant economic impact detected). |
| 2 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | M | Operational digital platform to pay fees | Digital platform to pay fees in operation |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | A single payment platform for mandatory fees as a new digital public service shall be established to optimise the existing administrative process and offer the following functionalities:  (1) List of fees to be paid by the business operator  (2) Payment calendar with deadlines for their settlement  (3) Possibility of direct online payment of fees  (4) Overview of commitments paid. |
| 3 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | M | Upgrading START systems | START platform with additional services upgraded |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The digital platform for setting up limited liability corporations, called START platform, shall be upgraded by digitising additional services for the purposes of registration and reporting and the integration of existing start-up systems; |
| 4 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | T | Setting up physical access points to the START platform |  | Number | 0 | 20 | Q4 | 2024 | Physical access points to the START platform shall be set up. |
| 5 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | M | Digitalisation of MINGOR targeted processes under the Law on Strategic Investment Projects of the Republic of Croatia, the Law on Investment Promotion and the Law on State Aid for Research and Development Projects and the further digitalisation and networking of the JRPI system | Digitalisation of MINGOR targeted processes |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | Digitalisation of the processes implementing the Croatian Law on Strategic Investment Projects, the Law on Investment Promotion and the Law on State Aid for Research and Development Projects and the further digitalisation and networking of the Single Register of Enterprise Infrastructure (JRPI) |
| 6 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the Action Plan to reduce non-tax and parafiscal charges 2020 |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 100 | Q1 | 2022 | The implementation of the Action Plan to reduce non-tax and parafiscal charges 2020, adopted by the Croatian Government in May 2020 and containing 33 measures to reduce non-tax and parafiscal charges and 17 measures to reduce fees for professional examinations, shall bring direct cost relief to the private sector. |
| 7 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of measures in the Action Plans to alleviate the administrative burden on the economy 2018, 2019, 2020 |  | % (Percentage) | 61,02 | 95 | Q4 | 2022 | Implementation of administrative burden reduction measures identified in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Action Plans, amounting to at least 95% of the envisaged cost reduction. The Action Plans for administrative burden relief shall optimise and digitalise the administrative processes identified as the most burdensome for the private sector. All burden relief measures shall be established in cooperation with representatives of the business community, chambers and professional associations. |
| 8 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | M | Digitalisation of the SME Impact Assessment Test through the development of a digital platform for coordinators’ collaboration, online training and mutual communication | Digital Platform in operation |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The use of IT consultancy services shall develop and set up a digital platform for the implementation of the SME test. The platform shall consist of an IT database of SME tests, a database of standardised values used to calculate the impact assessment, and shall allow for systematic monitoring and monitoring of calculated impacts, analytical reports and impact simulations. An integral part of the platform, in addition to the database, shall form a portal dedicated to mutual communication and exchange of experience between national experts who form the Better Regulation network.   All activities shall be implemented through technical assistance projects (TSI). |
| 9 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the actions of the new Action Plan to reduce non-tax and parafiscal charges |  | Number (EUR) | 0 | 132 722 808 | Q4 | 2023 | An important element in assessing the business environment is the different charges in the form of parafiscal levies and administrative charges. All fees resulting from public regulation provisions paid by undertakings to central government bodies, local and regional authorities or other bodies with public powers shall be analysed and considered.  The implementation of measures to reduce the burden on businesses from parafiscal and non-tax charges in the new/second Action Plan to reduce parafiscal and parafiscal charges shall result in a direct cost relief of no less than EUR 132 722 808. |
| 10 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the first set of measures set out in the new/fifth Action Plan for administrative burden relief for entrepreneurs |  | Number (EUR) | 0 | 132 722 808 | Q4 | 2024 | The development of a new/fifth Action Plan on administrative burden relief shall continue the optimisation and digitalisation of the administrative processes identified as the most burdensome for the private sector. It shall provide a more favourable legal and administrative environment for business by continuing to implement measures to reduce burdens, simplify and make business cheaper.      The implementation of the measures set out in the new/fifth Action Plan on administrative burden reduction of the economy shall reduce the burden on entrepreneurs by at least EUR 132 722 808. The implementation of the measures shall be ensured through cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society. |
| 11 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the second set of measures set out in the new/fifth Action Plan to further reduce the administrative burden on entrepreneurs |  | Number (EUR) | 132 722 808 | 265 445 617 | Q4 | 2025 | The implementation of the measures set out in the new/fifth Action Plan on administrative burden reduction of the economy shall reduce the burden on entrepreneurs of at least EUR 132 722 808 compared to the target set up to 4Q/2024.  This burden reduction shall be achieved through optimisation and digitalisation of administrative processes identified as the most burdensome for the private sector through the measurement and analysis process. The implementation of the measures shall be ensured through cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society. |
| 12 | C1.1.1. R2 | T | Simplification or removal of at least 50 regulatory requirements for professional services |  | Number | 250 | 300 | Q4 | 2024 | Implementation of the 2019 and 2020 action plans for the liberalisation of services markets, taking into account the recommendations of the technical assistance project in cooperation with the World Bank, and also recommendations concerning:  - Registration and membership costs of professional chambers;  - Fragmented exclusive rights in individual professions (e.g. architects and engineers);  - Provision of the post-graduate professional exam (e.g. architects and engineers);  - Restrictions on tax advisors on ownership and management interests or voting rights. |
| 13 | C1.1.1. R3 | M | Establishing a strategic framework for the promotion of private investment | Adoption of an Action Plan to boost investment and entry into service of a digital platform to coordinate and ensure effective international, national and regional investment promotion and support. |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | A strategic framework for the promotion of private investment shall be established, based on analysis and recommendations, consisting of the adoption and publication of the National Plan for the Promotion of Investment 2023-2030, the Action Plan to boost investment 2023-2028, and the entry into force of a new Law on Investment Promotion, and the entry into service of an operational digital platform for coordination and effective international, national and regional investment promotion and support. |
| 14 | C1.1.1. R4-I1 | M | Publication of calls for funding for investments targeting environmentally friendly activities with established eligibility criteria for applicants and projects (including DNSH compliance criteria) | Publication of notice of call for proposal for grants |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | Launch of calls for proposals for grants to support the green transition of SMEs and mid-caps towards an energy efficient economy. The grants shall support the development and application of green technologies in companies’ business processes to reduce negative climate and environmental impacts, foster sustainable production, increase employment in more sustainable jobs and strengthen local and regional competitiveness (in line with the EU taxonomy).   The selection/eligibility criteria shall reflect the requirements of the applicable intervention fields in Annexes VI and VII to the RRF Regulation and ensure that the supported projects comply with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), through use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation.  This measure shall not support investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS).  The grants shall support investments by private sector companies aimed at:  - Projects focused on the circular economy by integrating resource efficiency aspects into the production and life cycle of products, including the sustainable supply of primary and secondary raw materials, and/or  - Decarbonising energy-intensive industries and significantly reducing emissions in these industries, including through demonstration of innovative low-emission technologies. |
| 15 | C1.1.1. R4-I1 | T | Award of grants to SMEs and mid-cap companies for investments targeting environmentally friendly activities |  | Number | 0 | 290 | Q4 | 2024 | At least 250 SMEs and at least 40 mid-caps were supported, in accordance with the eligibility/selection criteria set out in Milestone #14.  Indicative breakdown of the distributions of grants:  40% for SMEs and 60% for mid-cap companies.  The maximum amount of EU grants for individual SMEs shall be up to EUR 1 000 000, while for individual mid-caps up to EUR 4 700 000. Maximum levels of support shall be established on the basis of the experience gained in the implementation of Cohesion Policy. |
| 16 | C1.1.1. R4-I2 | M | Establishment of financial instrument to support investment by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises | Agreements published between (i) the relevant ministry (MINGOR or MINFIN) and HAMAG BICRO, and between (ii) the relevant ministry (MINGOR or MINFIN) and HBOR to provide favourable financing conditions for investments and working capital assets necessary to carry out the investments and/or increase the scale of operations of economic operators. |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | The measure shall encourage investment by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in new technologies, the purchase of modern machinery, equipment, and increasing production and service capacity, as well as green transition measures (such as the adoption of green technologies, the introduction of business models based on the circular economy, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency).  This measure shall not support investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS).   The measure shall comprise of 4 financial instruments:  1) Direct microcredits from the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG BICRO) up to EUR 100 000 for businesses that have difficulty accessing commercial bank loans. This financial instrument shall be managed separately from other instruments of HAMAG BICRO to ensure that any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purposes and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to environmental impact.  2) Direct loans from the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) above EUR 100 000 to specific target groups such as start-ups, young entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, investments in disadvantaged areas, and RDI, who, due to a higher degree of risk, do not have access to banking funding. This financial instrument shall be managed separately from other instruments of HBOR to ensure that any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purposed and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to environmental impact.     3) Interest rate subsidy by HAMAG BICRO for lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that use the existing HAMAG BICRO guarantee instruments  4) Interest rate subsidies from HBOR for lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that use the existing HBOR loan programmes     For projects contributing to the green transition, more favourable lending conditions are envisaged than for projects that do not focus on the green transition.  Combining these financial instruments with financing from other EU or national sources shall be allowed under the condition that there is no double funding of the investment.  The investment policy of all four financial instruments shall ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, an exclusion list, and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation  Out of the total amount of the measure:   (i) a minimum of EUR 27 898 772 shall be allocated to supporting environmentally friendly production processes and resource efficiency in SMEs, with the expectation that at least EUR 11 128 934 shall go to reducing greenhouse gases;   (ii) EUR 23 199 509 shall be dedicated to assisting SMEs in the digitalisation of operations;   (iii) EUR 94 896 808 shall be dedicated to investments aimed at strengthening competitiveness and resilience. |
| 17 | C1.1.1. R4-I2 | T | Loans/interest rate subsidies granted to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises |  | Number | 0 | 800 | Q2 | 2026 | Providing 800 loans/interest rate subsidies by HAMAG BICRO to micro, small and medium-sized undertakings in accordance with the investment policy and eligibility criteria defined under Milestone #16. |
| 18 | C1.1.1. R4-I2 | T | Loans/interest rate subsidies granted to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises |  | Number | 0 | 500 | Q2 | 2026 | Providing 500 loans/interest rate subsidies by HBOR to micro, small and medium-sized undertakings in accordance with the investment policy and eligibility criteria defined under Milestone #16. |
| 19 | C1.1.1. R4-I3 | M | Establishment of financial instrument to support investment by mid-caps and large companies | Agreement between the competent ministry (MINGOR or MINFIN) and HBOR to provide favourable (incentivising) financing conditions and guarantees for investments and working capital necessary to make the investments and/or increase the scale of economic activity published. |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | A new ‘umbrella’ guarantee fund shall be set up, targeting mid-caps and large enterprises, to issue guarantees for investment loans and working capital loans necessary for the implementation of investments and the growth of mid-caps and large entities. The total allocation for the umbrella guarantee fund shall amount to EUR 79 633 685  Any unused funds or reflow from this instrument, through the reimbursement of the capital, shall be used for similar purpose and with the same eligibility conditions with regards to environmental impact.  A fund of interest subsidies on loans granted and fees/premiums issued on mid-caps and large entities shall be set up, with a total allocation of EUR 26 544 562, to stimulating new investment and business growth.     The proposed measures include cooperation with financial intermediaries (banks and leasing companies) to achieve a “crowding in private sector” effect.   Both financial instruments shall ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported transactions under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, an exclusion list, and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation.  This measure shall not support investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS).  Beneficiaries that derived more than 10% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities or assets in the exclusion list shall adopt and publish green transition plans.   Out of the total amount of the measure:   (i) a minimum of EUR 26 544 562 shall be allocated to supporting environmentally friendly production processes and resource efficiency in mid-cap and large enterprises, with the expectation that at least EUR 10 617 824 shall go to reducing greenhouse gases;   (ii) EUR 79 633 685 shall be dedicated to investments aimed at strengthening competitiveness and resilience |
| 20 | C1.1.1. R4-I3 | T | Number of supported projects for mid-caps and large enterprises |  | Number | 0 | 150 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 150 projects (totalling at least EUR 331 807 021) of mid-caps and large entities backed by guarantees/subsidies from the RRF of the guarantee fund for investments and working funds for projects in accordance with the investment policy and eligibility criteria under the relevant Milestone |
| 21 | C1.1.1. R4-I4 | M | Establishment of financial instrument for more favourable financing of public entities | Agreement between the competent ministry (MINGOR or MINFIN) and HBOR containing eligibility and compatibility criteria for activities and beneficiaries of the measures |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | Financial support to companies and institutions owned by the State or local, regional and regional government units with favourable conditions to stimulate investment in (i) the necessary economic, municipal, transport and social infrastructure, and (ii) investments in new technologies and systems necessary to increase the efficiency of public sector entities, with a view to improving the quality of public services and reducing the cost of public sector financing.   The measure shall also include investments in green transition projects of the public sector, such as the adoption of green technologies, the introduction of circular economy business models, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency.  The financial instruments shall ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported beneficiaries under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation, and the requirement for beneficiaries that derived more than 10% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities or assets in the exclusion list to adopt and publish green transition plans.  This measure shall not support investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS).  Out of the total amount of the measure:   (i) a minimum EUR 7 963 368 shall be aimed at supporting environmentally friendly projects, with the expectation that at least EUR 3 185 347 shall go towards reducing greenhouse gases; (ii) EUR 18 581 193 shall be dedicated to investments aimed at enhancing the sustainability and quality of infrastructure. This distribution of funds shall be defined both in the HBOR contract but also in the contracts with financial intermediaries (banks and leasing companies) |
| 22 | C1.1.1. R4-I4 | T | Credits granted for public sector projects |  | Number | 0 | 132 722 808 | Q2 | 2026 | Provision of at least EUR 132 722 808 of subsidised loans by HBOR for public sector projects in accordance with the investment policy and eligibility criteria under Milestone #21. |
| 23 | C1.1.1. R5-I1 | M | Creation of an equity and quasi-equity financing instrument (PE) | the Agreement published between the competent ministry (MINGOR or MINFIN) and HBOR for investments in VC funds, the increase of existing PE funds developed in cooperation with the EIF and/or the development of new funds and/or co-investments |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | As part of the existing cooperation with the European Investment Fund (EIF), HBOR shall set up financial instrument aimed at increasing or reaching the maximum size of private equity and venture capital funds active in the Croatian market and setting up new funds and/or co-investments.   Private equity and venture capital funds shall be set up with the participation 30% of private investors in relation to the target size of the individual fund.   The financial instruments shall ensure compliance with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported beneficiaries under this measure through the use of sustainability proofing, the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation, and the requirement for beneficiaries that derived more than 10% of their revenues during the preceding financial year from activities or assets in the exclusion list to adopt and publish green transition plan.  This measure shall not support investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS).  All activities are directed towards ‘financially viable’ projects, the financial viability of which is determined by fund management companies in accordance with the investment policies set out by the EIF and HBOR. In implementing the investment, HBOR shall ensure that resources are used in accordance with the limits described in the description of the measure as well as the ‘exclusion’ list described in the FI for SME, Mid-cap and Large Entities. |
| 24 | C1.1.1. R5-I1 | T | Investments made in equity and quasi-equity instruments |  | Number | 0 | 29 862 632 | Q2 | 2026 | A EUR 29 862 632 investment made in equity and/or quasi-equity PE and VC funds or co-investment with funds, all in accordance with the investment policy and eligibility criteria defined under the relevant Milestone #23. |
| 25 | C1.1.1. R6 | M | Amendments to the legal framework | Entry into force of the Electronic Media Act and Law on Copyright and Related Rights |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | The amendments to the Electronic Media Act and Law on Copyright and Related Rights shall support businesses in the field of cultural and creative sectors in adapting their businesses to the digital single market and the new EU and Croatian regulatory framework, strengthening the capacity to adapt to and rapidly transform into new business conditions, achieving competitiveness and tapping the potential of the market. |
| 26 | C1.1.1. R6-I1 | T | Investments in the transformation and competitiveness of cultural and creative industries |  | Number | 0 | 100 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 100 support measures granted to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and other legal and natural persons (in the field of cultural and creative industries covering architecture, audiovisual activities including video games, media, heritage, design, performing arts, books and publishing, applied and visual arts) to strengthen their capacity to adapt to the new regulatory and legislative framework of the Digital Single Market and to create, promote and distribute new innovative products and services. |
| 27 | C1.1.1. R6-I2 | M | Setting up a system for fact-checking | Fact-checking system in place |  |  |  | Q2 | 2026 | To help tackle disinformation, a system of media fact-checking shall be set up by the Electronic Media Agency, including the development of procedures and rules, the creation of registers and the strengthening of the digital competence capacities of fact-checkers, as well as the development of technological programmes, platforms and media communication systems, and the creation of a database.  A database and a system of disclosure of ownership structures and funding sources shall be set up by the Electronic Media Agency, including the creation of a register of obliged entities and the provision of all necessary technical preconditions to enable all media to fulfil their obligations in a simple and efficient manner. |
| 28 | C1.1.2. R1 | M | Amending and supplementing the legal framework for R & D tax incentive | Entry into force of the Act amending the State Aid Act for research and development projects |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | With a view to increasing the number of enterprises investing in R & D and increasing private investment in R & D, amendments to the legal framework for R & D tax incentive shall enter into force. Amendments to the State Aid Act shall be made on the basis of the results of the analysis carried out on the appropriateness and effectiveness of the current tax incentive system and shall involve relevant stakeholders, in particular MFIN and the Tax Administration. MINGOR shall prepare legal amendments and submit them to the parliamentary procedure. |
| 29 | C1.1.2. R2-I2 | T | Support SMEs to upgrade management capacity |  | Number | 0 | 150 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 150 small and medium-sized enterprises shall receive business advisory support to improve their business plans, their management capacity or individual business mentoring and coaching under the ‘Investing in the management capacity of SMEs’ programme with a view to improving the management capacity of SMEs. |
| 30 | C1.1.2. R2-I3 | T | Award of support to stimulate the growth of start-ups in high technology and knowledge sectors |  | Number | 0 | 141 | Q2 | 2025 | Award of aid following evaluations for project proposals under the call for ‘non-repayable start-up aid’ with the aim of stimulating the growth of start-ups in the pre-commercial phase in the high technology and knowledge sectors through support for product development, increasing production capacity and investment readiness with at least 141 start-ups benefiting from the aid granted. |
| 31 | C1.1.2. R2-I4 | T | Supporting the growth of start-ups through the establishment of accelerator programme. |  | Number | 0 | 120 | Q2 | 2026 | The Accelerator Programme shall increase investment readiness and support the growth of start-ups. The objective of the programme is to have a three-year survival rate above 70 per cent among participants completing the acceleration cycle. Aid should be granted to at least 120 start-ups through the accelerator programme |
| 32 | C1.1.2. R2-I5 | T | Support to projects for the commercialisation of innovation |  | Number | 0 | 95 | Q4 | 2024 | Granting aid to at least 95 small and medium-sized enterprises with mature innovation projects (Technology Readiness Level 7 or higher) for the commercialisation and internationalisation of their marketing, sales and distribution activities related to an innovative product launched onto the domestic market.   The objective of the investment is to encourage the commercialisation of innovation projects for mature projects close to market entry; increase exports of innovative products, services or technologies by SMEs by supporting the creation of sales and distribution channels on foreign markets. |
| 33 | C1.1.2. R3-I2 | T | Grant support in the form of vouchers |  | Number | 0 | 9 954 211 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 500 SMEs benefiting from EUR 9 954 211 (HRK 75 000 000) support vouchers for digitalisation. Vouchers shall be provided following evaluation for project proposals under the ‘Digital vouchers’ call, and may be used to help employees improve digital skills, including skills related to cloud technologies, test the sustainability of ideas and design strategies for possible digital transformation, aquire digital marketing services, increase cybersecurity by introducing security checks of the system or for development or deployment of complex digital products and services |
| 34 | C1.1.2. R3-I3 | T | Grant support for the digital transformation of Croatian SMEs |  | Number | 0 | 27 340 899 | Q2 | 2026 | Grant support following the evaluation for project proposals under the Call for ‘Grant Support for Digitalisation’ with the aim of supporting the digital transformation of Croatian SMEs by providing financial support for the deployment of digital solutions and at least 160 SMEs benefit from the allocated support.  An eligible business digitalisation project shall include the following: (i) introduction of a new way of doing business; and (ii) a verifiable improvement in terms of new production capacities or delivery options or business practices. The project must involve an element of innovation and risk and must not focus on routine operational changes or business adjustments due to changes in regulations.  Beneficiaries of the support shall demonstrate that the supported projects shall not increase greenhouse gas emissions in case the investment is linked to increasing server capacities or any other type of equipment that consumes more energy than existing equipment. This can be demonstrated by renewable energy purchase plans, emission credits or by other means. |
| 35 | C1.1.2. R4-I1 | T | Establishment of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) |  | Number | 0 | 3 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 3 European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) established and operational, providing services to SMEs in the areas of (i) testing before investing, (ii) skills developments and training, (iii) access to finance and (iv) networking and development of innovative eco-systems. |

B. COMPONENT 1.2: ENERGY TRANSITION FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

The objective of this component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to facilitate the decarbonisation of the energy and transport sectors, including development of innovative technologies, and contribute to achieving the 2030 target of 36.6% share of renewable energy sources that was set by Croatian National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and meeting Croatia’s contribution to the EU energy efficiency target of 32.5% by 2030. It also aims to contribute to the increased target for the share of renewables in transport of 14% by 2030. The reforms in the component shall consist of legislative initiatives to (i) remove barriers and administrative procedures restraining the uptake of renewable energy sources; (ii) finalize the certification of the gas transmission system operator; and (iii) promote use of alternative fuels in transport, including hydrogen and advanced biofuels.

The reforms and investments of the component are expected to contribute to the green transition and to reaching the climate target by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy and transport sectors, in line with the National Energy and Climate Plan.

These investments and reforms shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendations addressed to Croatia on the need to “focus investment-related policy on […] energy efficiency, renewables” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019) and to “focus investment on the green […] transition, in particular on […] clean and efficient production and use of energy” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020).

B.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C.1.2.R1 Decarbonisation of the energy sector

The objective of the reform is to facilitate the decarbonisation of the energy and transport sectors and to support the national contribution to the Union renewable energy target. The reform shall include:

-Legislative amendments to the Electricity Market Act and High-Efficiency Cogeneration Act to alleviate regulatory and administrative hurdles constraining to development of renewable energy projects, based on the results of a thorough analysis of the existing bottleneck and following public consultations, as well as the introduction of a premium-based system for the support of investment in renewable energy sources.

-Legislative amendments to the Act on State Assets to complete the unbundling of the transmission activities in the gas market. Amendments shall separate the supervision of the state-owned gas transmission system operator (TSO) from state-owned supply and production activities, as precondition for TSO certification by the national energy regulator.

-Adoption of a new Act on Alternative Fuels in Transport to create a legislative framework for deployment of alternative fuels in the transport sector and promote the production and use of advanced biofuels and hydrogen in transport. The Hydrogen Development Strategy shall be developed, defining 2030 targets for production of green hydrogen in Croatia.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C1.2.R1-I1 Revitalising, building and digitising the energy system and supporting infrastructure to decarbonise the energy sector

The objective of this investment is to support electrification and decarbonisation of the energy sector, by upgrading and digitalising the Croatian transmission and distribution electricity network. This is expected to enable the creation of new renewable capacity, better connection of the south-north grid, as well as connecting six islands to the mainland grid, in order to open up their potential for renewable energy production and ensure electricity produced from renewable sources can flow from the south of Croatia, where most renewable energy sources can be deployed, to the north, where most electricity is consumed. This investment is envisaged to directly contribute to the implementation of the 10-year network development plan by the transmission system operator Hrvatski operator prijenosnog sustava d.o.o. (HOPS), focusing on most essential elements to ensure stability of the system and create preconditions for development of renewables capacity. The investment shall include following activities:

-Upgrading 550km of high voltage network (220/110 kV), shall enable 1500 MW of renewable energy supply (RES) capacity to be connected to the grid.

-Upgrading submarine cables connecting six major islands to the mainland (Krk, Cres, Lošinj, Brač, Hvar and Korčula).

-Modernisation of the distribution system, including purchase and deployment of 40 000 smart meters and the development of a “smart grid”.

-construction of new energy storage (20 MW).

These investments shall be implemented by the Croatian electricity transmission system operator (HOPS) and the electricity distribution system operator (HEP-ODS).

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.2.R1-I2 Fostering energy efficiency, heat and renewable energy to decarbonise the energy sector

The objective of this investment is to decarbonise district heating systems and increase energy efficiency in industrial production processes, increasing the use of renewable sources. This investment shall include two sub-measures:

-Geothermal energy for district heating – this sub-measure shall include development of project documentation, and exploratory drilling in view of deploying geothermal energy for district heating in 6 municipalities. This measure does not foresee support to district heating systems using fossil energy sources nor for investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS).

-Introduction of a support scheme to grant investment support to small and medium-sized and large enterprises, to increase energy efficiency in industrial production processes of energy-intensive manufacturing industry. Over 50 companies are expected to benefit from this support.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in the terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall exclude activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not substantially below the relevant benchmarks. The terms of reference shall also require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation can be selected, focusing on support to environmentally-friendly production processes and resource efficiency in SMEs (and large enterprises).

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026

Investment C1.2.R1-I3 Hydrogen use and new technologies

The objective of this investment is to improve the use of hydrogen and new technologies in Croatia, in order to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in transport sector and industry.

This investment shall include three distinct activities:

-Production of renewable hydrogen by the construction of at least 10 MW electrolyser capacity. This investment shall be implemented by INA -Industrija nafte d.d. and shall be fully in line with EU State aid rules.

-Deployment of renewable energy infrastructure for transport through the construction of 6 hydrogen charging stations. This measure shall be implemented through a competitive call for tenders, scheduled to be launched by 31 December 2022.

-Construction of carbon capture and storage facility, with storage capacity of 190 000t CO2/year, by EU ETS chemicals installation Petrokemija Kutina.

This investment is expected to result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at the Petrokemija installation substantially below the benchmark set for it as an ETS installation. There shall be no technological applications, neither any type of facilities and equipment engineered towards Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) application and increased oil production. Care shall be taken that any possible extraction of oil or gas is limited to the indispensable needs of managing pressure and ensuring safety of the storage sites and any such extraction to be done only if indispensable to ensure the safe storage of CO2. The CO2 with any oil or gas that may be extracted shall be separated and fed back for permanent storage.

It is expected that this measure does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.2.R1-I4 Biorefinery for the production of advanced biofuels Sisak

The objective of this investment is to increase the share of renewables in transport, and to support the decarbonisation of the transport sector, by creating production capacity for advanced biofuels.

The investment, implemented by oil company INA d.d., shall consist of construction and entry into operation of a biorefinery facility, with annual production capacity of 55 000 tonnes of advanced bioethanol, as well as construction of carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility with annual storage capacity of 52 000 tonnes CO2.

There shall be no technological applications, neither any type of facilities and equipment engineered towards Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) application and increased oil production. Care shall be taken that any possible extraction of oil or gas is limited to the indispensable needs of managing pressure and ensuring safety of the storage sites and any such extraction to be done only if indispensable to ensure the safe storage of CO2. The CO2 with any oil or gas that may be extracted shall be separated and fed back for permanent storage.

It is expected that this measure does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

This investment shall be completed by June 30, 2026.

B.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 36 | C1.2. R1 | M | Publication of an assessment document with recommendations to alleviate barriers and administrative procedures restraining to higher uptake of renewable energy sources | Publication of an assessment document by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | The document shall provide an assessment and recommendations on policy measures that shall aim to alleviate barriers and administrative procedures restraining to higher uptake of renewable energy sources. The analysis and recommendations shall also include measures to promote the renewable self-consumption and renewable energy communities. |
| 37 | C1.2. R1 | M | Entry into force of legislation and/or regulation to improve uptake of renewable energy sources, including introduction of a premium-based system for the support of renewable energy sources. | Entry into force of legislation and/or regulation |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Revised Electricity Market Act and High-Efficiency Cogeneration Act shall alleviate barriers and administrative procedures restraining higher uptake of renewable energy sources, including measures to promote the renewable energy self-consumption and renewable energy communities. Premium-based system for the support of renewable energy sources will be fully operational. |
| 38 | C1.2. R1 | M | Entry into force of the Act amending the State Assets Act, which shall provide a legal basis for the complete separation of the management of the gas transmission system operator (Plinacro) from state-owned production and supply activities. | Entry into force of the Act amending the State Assets Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The Act amending the State Assets Act shall provide the legal basis for the certification of the gas Transmission System Operator Plinacro. |
| 39 | C1.2. R1-I1 | M | Construction permit granted for the upgrade of the high voltage network | Construction permit granted by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q2 | 2023 | Construction permit granted, following screening and/or appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive, performed against the site specific conservation objectives in accordance with the requirements of the Directive. Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect on the integrity of the Natura 2 000 sites concerned. |
| 40 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | Upgrade of underground cables connecting 6 islands to the mainland grid completed |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q2 | 2024 | At least six islands shall have an upgraded electricity network connection to the mainland (the planned islands are Krk, Cres, Lošinj, Brač, Hvar and Korčula). The investment will include replacement of old submarine cables with new, environmentally friendly cables |
| 41 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | The upgrade of the high voltage network (220/110 kV) completed | Completion of the upgrading of the high voltage and medium voltage network (220/110 kV) | km | 0 | 300 | Q3 | 2024 | At least 300 km of high voltage power line upgraded, which shall strengthen the grid connections, and create preconditions for stabilising the system and unlocking the renewable energy potential of southern Croatia.   It is expected that this measure does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). |
| 42 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | An additional 1500 MW of RES capacity connected to the grid. |  | Number | 0 | 1 500 | Q4 | 2024 | At least 1 500 MW of new installed RES capacity connected to the grid by the end of 2024. |
| 43 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | Number of new consumers connected to the smart grid |  | Number | 0 | 40 000 | Q4 | 2024 | At least 40 000 smart meters of electricity have been installed and new consumers are connected to a smart grid. |
| 44 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | The upgrade of the high voltage network (220/110 kV) completed | Completion of the upgrading of the high voltage and medium voltage network (220/110 kV) | km | 0 | 550 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 550 km of high voltage power line upgraded, which shall strengthen the grid connections, and create preconditions for stabilising the system and unlocking the renewable energy potential of southern Croatia.  It is expected that this measure does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). |
| 45 | C1.2. R1-I2 | M | The adoption by the Government of an Energy Efficiency Programme for decarbonising the energy sector | Entry into force of Energy Efficiency Programme for decarbonising the energy sector, developed by Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | Energy efficiency programme shall define areas of investment in energy efficiency and district heating systems, including investment priorities up until 2030. Investment planning shall include modernisation of district heating systems and energy-intensive industries, focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy potential.   The programme will be aligned with planned update of the National Energy and Climate Plan, which will specify higher target for the share of renewables in the heating and cooling sector, including specific measures. |
| 46 | C1.2. R1-I2 | T | Number of companies receiving support for energy efficiency and renewable energy use in industry |  | Number | 0 | 50 | Q4 | 2021 | 50 contracts awarded to the beneficiary companies, following a public tender to support renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures in small, medium-sized and large enterprises.  The contracts shall include measures to improve production processes in manufacturing industries and corresponding to climate tracking intervention fields [024 - Energy efficiency and demonstration projects in SMEs and supporting measures and 024bis - Energy efficiency and demonstration projects in large enterprises and supporting measures] of Annex VI/VII] and shall respect the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).   In particular, implementation of energy efficiency and/or renewable energy measures shall lead to a minimum reduction of 20% in the energy consumption in production facilities. For energy renovation of buildings accompanying the production facility, which are exclusively linked to industrial or production processes, the implementation of measures shall lead to a minimum reduction of 40% of energy consumption.  In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the list of activities shall be excluded from the measures stipulated in the contracts: (i) activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use[1]; (ii) activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks[2]; (iii) activities related to waste landfills, incinerators[3] and mechanical biological treatment plants[4]; and (iv) activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment. The terms of reference shall additionally require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation may be stipulated in the contracts. |
| 47 | C1.2. R1-I2 | T | Contracts signed for exploring geothermal potential in district heating |  | Number | 0 | 8 | Q4 | 2024 | Following a public tender, at least eight works contracts will be signed for exploring geothermal potential in district heating.   On the basis of the initial assessment of nine locations to be prepared by the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development shall launch an open call for tenders for six locations for the exploration of geothermal waters for district heating purposes. The tender will include six contracts preparatory work for the implementation of six geothermal projects including the analyses of the area where the geothermal potentials are located, excluding any area with oil potential, and their inclusion in spatial plans, development of a Strategic Environmental Impact Study of geothermal activities in Croatian part of Pannonian Basin, geothermal activities aimed to evaluate potential of delineated area through geophysical survey. Additional two contracts will be signed for drilling works in geothermal wells (drilling of one exploration geothermal well in each of the two of six selected locations).   It is expected that this measure does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). All activities shall comply with the requirements of EU water legislation as incorporated into the Croatian law.   The project will not include any exploration or extraction of either oil or gas. There shall be no equipment purchased or used for such purposes  It shall be ensured, that there is no methane releases. It shall also be ensured, that the geothermal drilling would have no harmful impact on water scarcity and water quality.   This measure does not foresee support to district heating systems using fossil energy sources nor any investments in installations falling within the scope of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS). |
| 48 | C1.2. R1-I2 | M | Results of geothermal potential for district heating made publicly available | Results published on the website of the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | The results of the exploratory activities shall be made publicly available, published on website of the Hydrocarbon Agency. All relevant documentation and analyses will be shared with beneficiary municipalities. |
| 49 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Entry into force of the Alternative Transport Fuels Act | Entry into force of the Alternative Fuels for Transport Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | By 3Q/2021, the Alternative Transport Fuels Act entered into force and in line with the EU acquis. The Act shall promote the production and use of advanced biofuels/hydrogen in transport. |
| 50 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Adoption of the Hydrogen Development Strategy | Entry into force of the Hydrogen Strategy for Croatia |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | The Hydrogen Development Strategy shall include quantified targets on the production potential of green hydrogen by 2030, based on electrolysis. The strategy shall in particular elaborate on the potential role of green hydrogen in decarbonisation of the transport sector. |
| 51 | C1.2. R1-I3 | T | New hydrogen production capacity installed |  | MW | 0 | 10 | Q2 | 2025 | New installation constructed and operational, installing 10MW of hydrogen power production capacity, by electrolysis.   The project shall comply with the relevant annexes of the Commission Delegated Regulation, (EU) (C(2021)2800 final) supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852.  In particular, the building of a hydrogen electrolyser with transport network shall enable the production and transmission of 100% pure renewable hydrogen.   The investment will be in line with sectoral rules regarding production of green hydrogen with electricity from the grid, to ensure that green hydrogen production will not increase CO2 emissions. |
| 52 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Public tender launched for additional hydrogen capacity |  |  |  | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | Public tender launched for construction of installation that would install 20MW of hydrogen power production capacity, by electrolysis. |
| 53 | C1.2. R1-I3 | T | At least 6 hydrogen charging stations for cars, buses and heavy duty vehicles have been built |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q2 | 2026 | Up to 2Q/2026, at least 6 hydrogen charging stations built for cars, buses and heavy duty vehicles. Bottlers would be based on at least 100 kg of hydrogen, with potential to increase capacity if needed. |
| 54 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Pilot carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) investment completed and fully operational with a capacity of 190 000 tonne CO2/year |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | The carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) will be located next to a petrochemical industrial installation in Kutina. It will have a capacity of 190 000t of CO2 per year, with a total of 5 million tonnes CO2 to be stored.   There shall be neither technological applications, nor any type of facilities & equipment engineered towards Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) application and increased oil production. Any possible extraction of oil or gas is limited to the indispensable needs of managing pressure and ensuring safety of the storage sites and any such extraction shall be done only if indispensable to ensure the safe storage of CO2. The CO2 with any oil or gas that may be extracted must be separated and fed back for permanent storage.  Criteria for underground permanent geological storage of CO2  • Characterisation and assessment of the potential storage complex and surrounding area, or exploration within the meaning of Article 3(8) of Directive 2009/31/EC is carried out in order to establish whether the geological formation is suitable for use as a CO2 storage site.   • For operation of underground geological CO2 storage sites, including closure and post-closure obligations:   a) appropriate leakage detection systems are implemented to prevent release during operation;   b) a monitoring plan of the injection facilities, the storage complex, and, where appropriate, the surrounding environment is in place, with the regular reports checked by the competent national authority.   For the exploration and operation of storage sites within the Union, the activity complies with Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. For the exploration and operation of storage sites in third countries, the activity complies with ISO 27914:2017 for geological storage of CO2. |
| 55 | C1.2. R1-I4 | M | Plan for the production and use of biofuels in transport adopted | Entry into force of the Plan and programme for the production and use of biofuels in transport |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The Plan for the production and use of biofuels in transport shall enter into force. The plan shall set out a policy to promote the production and use of advanced biofuels in transport in the Republic of Croatia. The plan shall include an ongoing review and assessment of the state of the biofuel market, new business models, stakeholders, measures to promote increased production and use of advanced biofuels in transport. |
| 56 | C1.2. R1-I4 | M | Construction permit granted for the construction of bio-refinery and pilot investment in carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) | Construction permit granted by the Ministry of Construction |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | Construction permit has been granted, following an environmental impact assessment and feasibility study of biorefinery and carbon capture and geological storage investment, including assessment of seismic risks. Environmental impact assessment shall be conducted in compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU and with screening and/or appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive. Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect of the integrity of the Natura 2 000 sites concerned. |
| 57 | C1.2. R1-I4 | T | Biorefinery built and operational |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | Biorefinery built and operational, with annual production capacity of 55 000 tonnes of advanced bioethanol.  It is expected that this measure does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect on air pollution, soil pollution and biodiversity (due to the intensive cultivation of Miscanthus). |
| 58 | C1.2. R1-I4 | T | Pilot investment in carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) is completed and fully operational with a capacity of 52.000 t/year CO2 |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | Carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) project completed and operating with an annual storage capacity of 52 000 tonnes of CO2 per year. It will be located next to the biorefinery facility, with a total storage capacity of 6 million tons of CO2.  There shall be neither technological applications, nor any type of facilities & equipment engineered towards Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) application and increased oil production. Any possible extraction of oil or gas is limited to the indispensable needs of managing pressure and ensuring safety of the storage sites and any such extraction shall be done only if indispensable to ensure the safe storage of CO2. The CO2 with any oil or gas that may be extracted must be separated and fed back for permanent storage.  Criteria for underground permanent geological storage of CO2  • Characterisation and assessment of the potential storage complex and surrounding area, or exploration within the meaning of Article 3(8) of Directive 2009/31/EC is carried out in order to establish whether the geological formation is suitable for use as a CO2 storage site.   • For operation of underground geological CO2 storage sites, including closure and post-closure obligations:   a) appropriate leakage detection systems are implemented to prevent release during operation;   b) a monitoring plan of the injection facilities, the storage complex, and, where appropriate, the surrounding environment is in place, with the regular reports checked by the competent national authority.   For the exploration and operation of storage sites within the Union, the activity shall comply with Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. For the exploration and operation of storage sites in third countries, the activity shall comply with ISO 27914:2017 for geological storage of CO2. |

   C. COMPONENT 1.3: IMPROVING WATER MANAGEMENT AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

The aim of this component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to contribute to environmental preservation, preserving biodiversity and climate adaptation, therefore creating conditions for strengthening ecological, social and economic resilience.

Planned investments under component 1.3 are aimed at reducing the investment gap in the water and waste management sectors estimated at almost 7% of Croatia’s 2019 GDP. Investments shall be supported by reforms to consolidate the water sector and improve water management across Croatia. In addition, new waste legislation and waste management plans shall be adopted to promote the circular economy in line with the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan.

These investments and reforms shall contribute to addressing the country specific recommendations addressed to Croatia in 2019 and 2020, on the need to “focus investment-related policy on […] environmental infrastructure, taking into account regional disparities” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2019) and to “focus investment on the green […] transition, in particular on environmental infrastructure” (country-specific recommendation 3, 2020).

C.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C1.3 R1 – Implementation of the water management programme

The objective of this reform is to address the fragmentation of public water providers in Croatia. It aims to consolidate and reduce the number of water providers, in order to improve their efficiency and governance. This reform shall introduce a benchmarking system for monitoring and reporting the operational and financial performance of water service suppliers and contribute to improving the long-term sustainability of infrastructure investments.

This reform shall be implemented through the entry into force of amendments to four bylaws:

-the Services Areas Regulation,

-the Regulation on performance evaluation of water operators, including establishment of the benchmarking system

-the Regulation on the methodology for determining the pricing of water services, and

-the Regulation on specific conditions for the provision of water services.

The reform shall include the development of a multiannual investment programme for water and wastewater infrastructure to ensure the coherent implementation of investments C1.3 R1-I1 and C1.3 R1-I2, as well as complementarities with other EU funding.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C.1.3 R1-I1 – Public sewage development programme

The objective of this investment is to achieve the renovation and rehabilitation of 775km of public sewerage networks; and the construction and putting into operation of 12 wastewater treatment plants, with a view to ensure access to appropriate wastewater treatment for an additional 12% of the population.

The investment shall finance the following two sub-measures:

-Improvement of public sewerage infrastructure, including purchase of equipment, establishment of control management and geographical information systems and works supervision. Financing shall be provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility jointly with the project beneficiaries, the line Ministry and the national water company, the Croatian Waters.

-Upgrades to targeted parts of the sewerage system, including extension and reconstruction of parts of sewerage network. Part of funding shall be earmarked specifically for development of rural areas, where quality of water service provision is lagging behind the national average. Financing shall be provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility jointly with the beneficiary and the Croatian Waters.

This investment shall be implemented through grants to municipalities, prioritising mature projects. The investment programme for water and wastewater infrastructure development (reform C1.3 R1) shall determine the prioritization of the projects and the use of any other funding, including from Union programmes.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C.1.3 R1-I2 – Public water supply development programme

The objective of this investment is to achieve the renovation and rehabilitation of 956 km of public water supply networks in Croatia, in order to improve provision of drinking water and reduce water losses. The investment shall include equipping 526 water abstraction sites with the necessary equipment to ensure the tracking and rational use of water resources. This investment is envisaged to establish access to drinking water via the improved public water supply systems for around 45 000 people, while reducing water losses in the public water supply systems supported by the RRF by 25%. At national level, water losses shall be reduced by 7%.

This investment consists of two sub-measures:

-Purchase and installation of metering devices on water abstractions. Financing shall be provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility jointly with the Croatian Waters.

-Development of water supply in Croatia, including rehabilitation of water supply networks in rural, mountainous and demographically disadvantaged areas. Financing shall be provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility jointly with the beneficiary and the Croatian Waters.

This investment shall be implemented through grants to municipalities. The investment programme for water and wastewater infrastructure development defined in reform C1.3 R1 shall determine the prioritization of the projects and the use of any other funding, including from Union programmes.

The investment consists in building drinking water supply systems with an average energy consumption of ≤ 0,5 kWh or an Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) of ≤ 1,5, and in renovating existing drinking water supply systems to decrease the average energy consumption by more than 20% or decrease leakage by more than 20%.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C.1.3 R1-I3 – Disaster risk reduction programme

The objective of this investment is to improve flood protection measures for 20 000 inhabitants of Croatia, prioritising nature-based solutions by revitalising watercourses, connecting abandoned sleeves and creating secondary wetland habitats, as well as removing invasive species.

This investment shall include two sub-measures:

-Flood risk reduction programme will focus on reduction of flood risks of largest Croatian rivers of the Danube river basin. The flood protection measures will entail defensive embankments with broad inundation areas along watercourses, in line with nature-based solutions and principle of ‘give space to rivers’.

-Revitalisation of freshwater systems, including regeneration and protection of the Mirna river area, Vransko Lake and Trakoscan Lake, as well as removal of invasive species in the protected Neretva Delta.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C1.3 R2. – Implementation of sustainable waste management.

The objective of this reform is to create a new legal framework to facilitate waste prevention, reuse and recycling, in order to accelerate the transition to circular economy. The reform shall include the entry into force of the new Waste Management Act, with a view to reduce the share of mixed municipal waste and the introduction of the eco-modulation approach for extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes.

This reform shall include the adoption of two waste management plans for the periods 2017-2022 and 2023-2029.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Investment C1.3 R2-I1 – Waste disposal reduction programme

The objective of this investment is to provide the necessary infrastructure to reduce landfilling and promote recycling, including the construction and equipping of sorting facilities for separately collected municipal waste, facilities for separately collected bio-waste, civic amenity sites and recycling yards for construction waste and the establishment of re-use centres. This investment is expected to reduce the proportion of municipal waste sent to landfills by 30% by 30 June 2026.

This investment shall be implemented through grants to municipalities and companies through an open call and with prioritising of mature projects The investment programme for separate collection and recycling infrastructure defined in reform C1.3 R2 shall determine the use of any other funding, including from Union programmes. 

The call will be managed by Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, and financing shall be provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility jointly with the beneficiary municipalities.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C.1.3 R2-I2 – Remediation programme for closed landfills and sites contaminated with hazardous waste

The objective of this investment is the remediation of ten closed landfills in Istria County, Lika-Senj County, Šibenik-Knin County and Koprivnica-Križevačka County, in order to prevent further air, soil and water pollution. The remediation programme shall include actions for the removal and treatment of waste and soil remediation, as well as remediation of sites contaminated with hazardous waste, in compliance with the criteria of Directive 1999/31/EC,

This investment shall be implemented through grants to municipalities which are responsible for managing and monitoring of landfills through an open call. The call will be managed by Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, and financing shall be provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility jointly with the beneficiary municipalities.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

C.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 59 | C1.3. R1 | M | Adoption of the Multiannual Water and Urban Wastewater Treatment Construction Programme | Publication of Multiannual Water and Wastewater Construction Programme |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The Government of the Republic of Croatia shall adopt the multi-annual water and wastewater construction programme, which shall cover the necessary investments, including prioritisation, in order to comply with the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. The plan shall also include an assessment of risks and mitigation measures. |
| 60 | C1.3. R1 | M | Amendments to the legal framework in the water sector | Entry into force of four legal amendments to: i) Service Areas Regulation;   ii) Regulation on Evaluation of Performance of Water Operators; iii) Regulation on   the methodology for determining the pricing of water services; iv) Regulation on specific conditions for the provision of water services, which will reform public water operators; |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The Services Areas Regulation, the Regulation on performance evaluation of water operators, the Regulation on the methodology for determining the pricing of water services, and the Regulation on specific conditions for the provision of water services, shall be amended to create the legal precondition for consolidation of water operators.   The Regulation on performance evaluation of water operators shall also include the legal basis for the creation of mandatory benchmarking system of utility companies, made publicly available, as well as for ensuring that at least summaries of annual audited reports of utility companies are made publicly available. |
| 61 | C1.3. R1 | T | Integration of water service providers |  | Number | 200 | 40 | Q4 | 2023 | Integration of the existing 200 public suppliers into 40, according to the principle of one water supplier per service area |
| 62 | C1.3. R1 | T | Reduction of losses in public water supply systems |  | % (Percentage) | 44 | 37 | Q2 | 2026 | Reduction of losses by at least 7% at national level refers to the percentage reduction of losses in public water supply systems supported by investments under the RRF. |
| 63 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Public sewerage network constructed or reconstructed |  | Number | 0 | 115 | Q2 | 2022 | At least 115 km of public sewerage (drainage) network built or reconstructed   The investment shall ensure compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in subject areas, in line with the Multiannual Water and Wastewater Construction Programme. |
| 64 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Works contracts concluded for wastewater infrastructure projects |  | Number | 0 | 60 | Q4 | 2023 | At least 60 works contracts shall be signed for wastewater infrastructure projects related to contracts to be awarded by the end of 2023.  Environmental impact assessment shall be conducted in compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU and with screening and/or appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive. Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect of the integrity of the Natura 2000 sites concerned. |
| 65 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Waste water treatment plants constructed and operational |  | Number | 0 | 12 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 12 waste water treatment plants shall be upgraded or built and in operation.   The investment will ensure compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in subject areas, in line with the Multiannual Water and Wastewater Construction Programme. |
| 66 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Public sewage network constructed or reconstructed |  | Number | 0 | 775 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 775 km of public sewage (drainage) network built or reconstructed  The investment shall ensure compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in subject areas, in line with the Multiannual Water and Wastewater Construction |
| 67 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Population benefitting from improved access to an improved waste water treatment system |  | Number | 0 | 200 000 | Q2 | 2026 | The number of inhabitants whose waste water is fed to a waste water treatment plant through water buildings as a result of the increase in the capacity (extension) of the waste water collection and treatment system built/secured by the project. This refers to a population that has not previously been connected to a public drainage system or whose waste water has not been treated at the appropriate level. It also includes an increase in the level of waste water treatment. The indicator refers to the population actually (and not potentially) connected to the waste water treatment system. |
| 68 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Public water supply network constructed or reconstructed |  | Number | 0 | 226 | Q2 | 2022 | At least 226 km of public water supply network constructed or reconstructed.  The investment consists in building drinking water supply systems with an average energy consumption of ≤ 0,5 kWh or an Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) of ≤ 1,5, and in renovating existing drinking water supply systems to decrease the average energy consumption by more than 20% or decrease leakage by more than 20%. |
| 69 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Water metering devices installed at water abstraction sites |  | Number | 0 | 526 | Q4 | 2022 | At least 526 metering devices installed at water abstraction sites, for measuring water quantities |
| 70 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Works contracts concluded for water supply projects |  | Number | 0 | 100 | Q4 | 2023 | The number of works contracts signed for water-based projects relates to contracts to be awarded by the end of 2023.  Environmental impact assessment shall be conducted in compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU and with screening and/or appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive. Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect of the integrity of the Natura 2 000 sites concerned. |
| 71 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Public water supply network constructed or reconstructed |  | Number | 0 | 673 | Q4 | 2023 | At least 673 km of public water supply network constructed or reconstructed.  The investment consists in building drinking water supply systems with an average energy consumption of ≤ 0,5 kWh or an Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) of ≤ 1,5, and in renovating existing drinking water supply systems to decrease the average energy consumption by more than 20% or decrease leakage by more than 20%. |
| 72 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Public water supply network constructed or reconstructed |  | Number | 0 | 956 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 956 km of public water supply network constructed or reconstructed.    The investment consists in building drinking water supply systems with an average energy consumption of ≤ 0,5 kWh or an Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) of ≤ 1,5, and in renovating existing drinking water supply systems to decrease the average energy consumption by more than 20% or decrease leakage by more than 20%. |
| 73 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Population with improved access to water supply |  | Number | 0 | 45 000 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 45 000 inhabitants shall be supplied with drinking water through public water supply as a result of upgrades and extensions of the water supply network. This refers to a population that had not previously been connected to a public water supply system or had water of inadequate quality. It also includes residents with improved quality of drinking water.  The indicator refers to the population actually (and not potentially) connected to the public water supply. This includes reconstruction projects, but excludes projects related to the construction/improvement of irrigation systems. |
| 74 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Works contracts concluded for flood protection projects |  | Number | 0 | 20 | Q4 | 2022 | At least 20 works contracts concluded for projects in the flood protection sector, related to contracts to be awarded by the end of 2022.   Tender criteria shall focus on nature based solution measures and green infrastructure. The contracts shall ensure that projects will be implemented in accordance with the EU acquis and environmental regulations and the annexes to Commission Delegated Regulation (C(2021)2800 final) supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852.  It is expected that this measure does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). All activities shall comply with the requirements of EU water legislation as incorporated into the Croatian law. Environmental impact assessment shall be conducted in compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU and with screening and/or appropriate assessment pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive. Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect of the integrity of the Natura 2 000 sites concerned. |
| 75 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Flood protective structures built |  | Number | 0 | 13 | Q4 | 2022 | At least 13 km of flood protective structures built in order to protect against the harmful effects of water; |
| 76 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Revitalised watercourses |  | Number | 0 | 2 | Q4 | 2022 | At least 2 km of restored watercourses including revitalisation of abandoned sleeves, permanent river and sleeve contact and investment in related infrastructure |
| 77 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Flood protective structures built |  | Number | 0 | 65 | Q4 | 2023 | At least 65 km of flood protective structures built in order to protect against the harmful effects of water; |
| 78 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Revitalised watercourses |  | Number | 0 | 16 | Q4 | 2024 | At least 16 km of restored watercourses including revitalisation of abandoned sleeves, permanent river and sleeve contact and investment in related infrastructure |
| 79 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Flood protective structures built |  | Number | 0 | 77 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 77 km of flood protective structures built in order to protect against the harmful effects of water; |
| 80 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Residents covered by improved flood protection measures |  | Number | 0 | 20 000 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 20 000 residents benefiting from improved flood protection measures |
| 81 | C1.3. R2 | M | Adoption of the Waste Management Act | Entry into force of the Waste Management Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | The new Waste Management Act shall regulate waste prevention, preparation for re-use and recycling in line with the concept of the circular economy and the European Green Deal. The Act will include specific measures to support circular economy, i.e. development of a circular economy roadmap, EPR schemes and pay-as-you throw schemes. The Act will address all Commission recommendations of the 2018 Early Warning Report for Croatia. |
| 82 | C1.3. R2 | M | Revision of the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2017-2022 | Publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia of Amendments to the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2017-2022 |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | Adoption and publication of the Revised Croatian Waste Management Plan 2017-2022 in line with the new Circular Economy Action Plan, following public consultations. The revised Plan shall specify a target of 50% for waste recycling, sorting, reusing and repairing by 2022, as well as separate target for bio-waste collection and recycling. It shall also include specific measures to encourage ambition of local and regional units, such as communication actions to ensure effective separate collection at source, or digital aspects. The Plan shall include an assessment of current situation, existing collection schemes, and an investment gap assessment for the closure of landfills. It shall provide a prioritisation list for planned waste investments, capacity of future waste treatment installations, as well as information on how the future site locations will be determined. The plan shall also consider support to capacity-building for implementation of infrastructure projects. |
| 83 | C1.3. R2 | M | Adoption of the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2023-2029 | Publication of the Croatian Waste Management Plan 2023-2029 in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Adoption and publication of Croatia’s waste management plan for the period 2023-2029 in conjunction with the new objectives laid down in the Waste Management Act and the Circular Economy Action Plan, following public consultations. The plan shall specify a target of at least 55% for waste recycling, sorting, reusing and repairing by 2025, and a target for collection and recycling of biowaste. |
| 84 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Reduction of the share of municipal waste sent for disposal (49%) |  | % (Percentage) | 66 | 49 | Q4 | 2022 | The share of municipal waste sent for disposal shall be reduced to 49 % as a result of investments in infrastructure to reduce landfilling, including the establishment of re-use centres, the construction of sorting facilities for separately collected municipal waste, the construction of bio-treatment facilities for separately collected bio-waste, the construction and equipment of civic amenity sites and recycling yards for construction waste, the acquisition of equipment for the separate collection of useful fractions of municipal waste. |
| 85 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Reduction of the share of municipal waste sent for disposal (41%) |  | % (Percentage) | 66 | 41 | Q4 | 2024 | The share of municipal waste sent for disposal shall be reduced to 41% as a result of investments in infrastructure to reduce landfilling, including the establishment of re-use centres, the construction of sorting facilities for separately collected municipal waste, the construction of bio-treatment facilities for separately collected bio-waste, the construction and equipment of civic amenity sites and recycling yards for construction waste, the acquisition of equipment for the separate collection of useful fractions of municipal waste. |
| 86 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Sorting facilities built |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q3 | 2025 | At least 6 sorting facilities built and operational in the municipal waste management system.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU |
| 87 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Built facilities to treat separately collected bio-waste |  | Number | 0 | 7 | Q3 | 2025 | At least 7 facilities built and operational for the treatment of separately collected bio-waste.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 88 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Functional fixed/mobile waste sorting site |  | Number | 0 | 20 | Q3 | 2025 | At least 20 fixed/mobile waste sorting sites purchased and in operation, primarily in coastal and island municipalities.   Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU |
| 89 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Reduction of the share of municipal waste sent for disposal (30%) |  | % (Percentage) | 66 | 30 | Q2 | 2026 | The share of municipal waste sent for disposal shall be reduced to 30% as a result of investments in infrastructure to reduce landfilling, including the establishment of re-use centres, the construction of sorting facilities for separately collected municipal waste, the construction of bio-treatment facilities for separately collected bio-waste, the construction and equipment of civic amenity sites and recycling yards for construction waste, the acquisition of equipment for the separate collection of useful fractions of municipal waste. |
| 90 | C1.3. R2-I2 | T | Remediation of closed landfills |  | Number | 0 | 10 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 10 landfills/sites cleaned. Investments shall cover the remediation of closed landfills which must be rehabilitated in such a way that those sites comply with the criteria of Directive 1999/31/EC, as well as the remediation of sites contaminated with hazardous waste including, inter alia, activities for the removal and treatment of waste and soil remediation. |

   D. COMPONENT 1.4: DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPETITIVE, ENERGY SUSTAINABLE AND EFFICIENT TRANSPORT SYSTEM

The transport sector is one of the main emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG) in Croatia accounting for 27% of total emissions in 2018, of which road passenger transport accounted for 71,6%, road freight transport 24,7%, rail transport 0,8%, maritime and river transport 2,4% and domestic air traffic 0,5% of emissions. Modernisation of existing transport infrastructure through investments in environmentally sustainable, efficient, innovative and competitive types of transport, is expected to play a key role in the effective implementation of the green and digital transitions.

The objective of this component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to develop a uniform transport network with developed railway and public transport infrastructure and intermodality between different modes of transport, increase the share of passenger cars powered by alternative fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental footprint of the transport sector, as well as foster sustainable mobility of people and goods.

This component shall include reforms and investments in all transport modes (rail, road, maritime, air, public urban and inland waterway transport) and cover all regions of Croatia.

These investments and reforms shall contribute to addressing the country specific recommendation addressed to Croatia ‘on the need to focus invest in the green and digital transitions’ (country specific recommendation 3, 2020) and ‘on sustainable urban and rail transport’ (country specific recommendation 3, 2019).

It is expected that no measure in this component does significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

D.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C1.4 R1 – Road sector reform

The objective of the reform is to reduce the operating costs of companies, align financial obligations with cash flows, increase road safety and thus reduce road mortality. The introduction of a new road toll system is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by removing bottlenecks and dangerous places on roads. As a part of this reform, legislation governing the road sector shall be updated through the entry into force of the Amendment to the Roads Act.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R1-I1 – Electronic tolling system

The objective of the investment is to introduce a new electronic toll system in order to improve the tolling system for motorways operated by the Croatian Motorways Ltd. Users shall be allowed to travel without having to stop at toll stations, which is expected to have a positive impact on road congestion, environmental protection and road safety. The investment shall include measures to address technical problems arising from the obsolescence of today’s toll system and to make the new tolling system interoperable with existing electronic toll charging systems in the EU.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R1-I2 – Improving the system of exercising the rights of persons with disabilities in the field of mobility

The investment aims to make it faster and easier for persons with disabilities to exercise their rights in the field of mobility by introducing a single document for persons with disabilities allowing them to exercise all mobility rights, to simplify the administrative environment for end-users of digital public services in the field of mobility and to improve access to digital public services for persons with disabilities. The investment also aims to enhance protection of users’ personal data and to harmonise the decision-making practices affecting rights of people with disabilities in the field of mobility. The investment is expected to enable state institutions to more easily and comprehensively monitor the acquired rights and ensure efficient public access to all data. The investment is expected to reduce the labour costs of employees in state and local services by 15% to 35%.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C1.4 R1-I3 – National road transport electronic storage and data exchange system (NSCP)

The objective of the investment is to establish the National Road Transport Electronic Storage and Data Exchange System (NSCP) and to implement Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information (eFTI Regulation), which is expected to lead to significant reduction of administrative costs, improve enforcement capabilities of competent authorities and increase the efficiency and sustainability of transport. In line with the provisions of the eFTI Regulation, the NSCP shall be updated accordingly, once the eFTI technical specifications have been adopted. The investment is envisaged to contribute to more efficient monitoring of road transport, reduction of traffic congestion, with a positive impact on environmental factors.

The investment shall be completed by 31 May 2026.

Investment C1.4 R1-I4 – Reporting control system for road passenger and freight transport

The objective of the investment is to increase road safety by establishing a functional reporting control system for road passenger and freight transport. The reporting control system shall link data from the Tachograph Central Processing System (SOTAH) and the national records of tachograph cards and related records under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia, and contribute to the digitalisation in Croatian transport sector.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C1.4 R1-I5 – Monitoring of Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road (e-ADR)

The investment aims to provide the basis for improving and developing the system for transporting dangerous goods by road (e-ADR) through its digitalisation. The investment shall include setting up an IT solution to monitor in real-time the transport of dangerous goods, through the introduction of electronic transport permits and electronic consignment notes, and the use of track and trace technology. The investment shall comply with all the requirements of the relevant national and EU legislation, in particular Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information (eFTI) and its implementing and delegated acts, and shall integrate legal, organisational and semantic interoperability into the national legislative framework.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C1.4 R2 – Reform of the railway sector

The reform aims at increasing the competitiveness and efficiency of the rail sector in order to provide better services to passenger and freight customers and increase Croatia’s economic competitiveness. To underpin the reform, the Croatian Government shall adopt a Sectoral Policy Letter for the Railway Sector by 30 June 2021, presenting the way forward in key areas related to the reform and modernisation of the railway sector, and establishing implementation plans for the government and railway companies, including detailed measures and actions as regards:

·The governance of the sector;

·The management of railway companies and operations;

·Sectoral investment and financing planning;

·Development of knowledge, technologies and skills in the railway sector.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R2-I1 – Reconstruction of the existing and construction of second track of railway section Dugo Selo - Novska, sub-section Kutina - Novska (phase D)

The objective of the investment is to upgrade and renovate the existing and construct a second track, for a total of 22 km, on the railway section Dugo Selo – Novska, sub-section Kutina - Novska, with the aim of building a double track electrified line along the entire former Pan-European Corridor X (RH1), which is also located on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Core Network and on the Alpine-Western Balkans rail-freight corridor. The implementation of this investment shall contribute to the entire section of the RH1 corridor passing through Croatia being double track and electrified, in accordance with the technical standards for interoperability of the TEN-T rail system.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.4 R2-I2 – Modernisation of the railway line M604 Oštarije – Knin – Split

The objective of the investment is the reconstruction of stations and the installation of electronic signalling safety devices on the railway line Oštarije – Knin - Split, at the section Knin (excluded) – Split (included), enabling the establishment of so-called inter-dependency and central traffic management, which shall in turn increase the capacity and the speed of operation. The line is part of the TEN-T comprehensive network.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R2-I3 – Removing “bottlenecks” on railway infrastructure

The objective of the investment is to address bottlenecks in Croatia’s rail network, which is expected to increase the speed of operation, enhance railway safety and improve railway networks. The measure consists of the construction, reconstruction and renovation of bridges, viaducts, culverts and cuttings on Croatia’s railway network. This shall overcome the bottlenecks constituted by facilities between 50 and 77 years old. Most of the lines concerned with this investment are part of the TEN-T comprehensive network.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R2-I4 – Modernisation of Zagreb Kustošija – Zagreb ZK – Zagreb GK

The objective of the investment is to modernise the railway section of Zagreb Kustošija – Zagreb Zapadni Kolodvor – Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor, improving the quality and availability of local and regional rail passenger transport, better integrate railways into the public transport system of the City of Zagreb, as well as increase the share of rail and local public transport in the wider area of Zagreb City. The project shall contribute to achieving the objective of completing the core TEN-T network by 31 December 2030.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R2-I5 – Replacement of freight wagon brake pads in order to reduce noise

The objective of the investment is to improve the existing rolling stock of freight undertakings and wagon owners, which utilise Croatia’s railway network, in order to provide a better service to the end-user and to reduce the noise impact. This is expected to contribute to a faster development of the rail freight transport and indirectly to a faster shift to rail from the road transport. The investment shall provide for the purchase and installation of noise-reducing elements, such as modern composite brake pads, preparation for installation costs, including, where applicable, dismantling costs and administrative costs associated with the retrofitting.

The investment shall be completed by 31 May 2026.

Investment C1.4 R2-I6 – Use of green technologies in rail passenger transport

The objective of the investment is the procurement of two prototype trains (Battery electric motor train (BEMV) and Battery motor train (BMV)), which may avoid costly investments in electrification of lines and maintenance of the overhead contact line. The development of prototypes shall enable the organisation of passenger transport by rail on non-electrified lines using modern electrically powered trains, reducing diesel energy costs, reducing noise and pollution impacts, protecting the environment, reducing vehicle operating costs, and improving urban and regional accessibility.

The investment shall include the development, manufacturing, type-testing and obtaining permission to operate the specified BEMV and BMV prototypes, as well as six stable battery chargers at defined stations that are an integral part of the investment. The introduction of new battery passenger trains on non-electrified lines is expected to have the potential to gradually replace 60 diesel multiple units that are over 40 years old, contributing to the reduction of harmful emissions.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C1.4 R2-I7 – Upgrading of the IT and sales system and modernization of trains with the IT system

The investment aims to raise the quality of the railway service by promoting and strengthening online sales channels, installing WiFi service on trains, modernising the Mobile Terminals, upgrading the HŽ Passenger Transport rolling stock by installing a GPS system, ensuring compliance with IT and cybersecurity standards and upgrading the sales systems data centre, and upgrading on-board ticketing systems and passenger information.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C1.4 R3 – Maritime and inland navigation reform

The objective of the reform is the development of sustainable and efficient maritime and inland waterway transport that shall contribute to increasing navigation safety, ensuring the revitalisation of inland waterways, improving transport connectivity of islands and improving port infrastructure in order to reduce the negative environmental impact of the transport sector. As a part of this reform, new Regular and Seasonal Coastal Transport Act, new Maritime Domain and Seaports Act and the new Inland Navigation and Ports Act shall enter into force.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Investment C1.4 R3-I1 – Modernisation programme for ports open to public traffic

The investment aims to modernise port infrastructure that shall increase the quality of public maritime transport, reception capacity for ships in regular coastal maritime transport, strengthen passenger safety, increase mobility, improve overall quality of life and ensure sustainable mobility. The investment shall be implemented in accordance with the national plans developed by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure for the development and modernisation of county and state ports and the regular coastal passenger transport plan. Projects envisaged under this investment are the new passenger terminal of the City Port of Split and the upgrading of the Port of Bol - Brač.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R3-I2 – Procurement/construction of passenger ships used for regular coastal transport

The objective of the investment is the procurement or construction of alternative fuel-powered passenger ships with a view to ensure quality, sustainable transport and improve the accessibility of island inhabitants, as well as ensure that negative environmental impacts are minimized. This investment shall include procuring a total of six alternative-fuel-powered zero emission ships – three passenger ships and three high-speed passenger ships (catamarans) using electrical-solar propulsion.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.4 R3-I3 – Construction of new cable ferry ‘Križnica’, Municipality of Pitomača

The objective of the investment is to build a new cable ferry ‘Križnica’ across the River Drava in the Municipality of Pitomača, in order to ensure transport connectivity and encourage the development of less developed regions. The investment shall include a new, solar-powered electric cable ferry that shall both increase transport capacity and contribute to greening the transport sector.

The investment shall be completed by 30 October 2022.

Investment C1.4 R3-I4 – Equipping ports and harbours with waste management infrastructure

The objectives of the investment are to increase the competitiveness of inland ports, establish green ports and make the transport system in Croatia environmentally sustainable by equipping inland ports of international importance with facilities for the processing waste collected aboard ships. The investment shall include constructing waste reception stations in the ports of Slavonski Brod, Osijek and Vukovar for managing commercial waste.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.4 R4-I1 – Procurement of alternative-fuel-powered vehicles for public urban and suburban regular transport

The objective of the investment is to modernise the public urban and suburban regular transport of passengers through the purchase of 70 new vehicles (electrical and hydrogen powered) and the installation of the necessary infrastructure to promote the use of zero and low emission vehicles. The investment shall include the purchase of vehicle for urban and suburban regular passenger transport, and contribute to a more environmentally friendly vehicle fleet (buses) and associated infrastructure.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R4-I2 – Modernisation of tram fleet

The investment aims to modernise the tram fleet in the cities of Osijek and Zagreb, in order to provide better and faster urban public transport services and increase the number of passengers using urban public transport, which shall contribute to reduce CO2 emissions from the transport sector. The investment includes modernising tram transport through the acquisition of a minimum of 30 modern low or semi-low floor trams up to 27 meters long in the cities of Zagreb and Osijek.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.4 R5-I1 – Electrification and greening of the ground handling and power supply system at the Zadar airport

The objective of the investment is to ensure an environmentally sound system of aircraft ground handling and power supply and promote the use of renewable energy sources. The investment shall include the following activities:

·Implementation of fixed connections for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft with the necessary design and safety adaptations (without the increase of the apron capacity);

·Replacement of diesel-fuelled mobile ground handling equipment with electrically powered units;

·Construction of a 610 kW photovoltaic power plant and connecting it with the fixed power supply system and charging stations for electrically powered mobile ground handling equipment.

The investment is expected to contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gases, pollution and noise, as well as increasing safety and efficiency of operations.

The investment shall be completed by 31 October 2024.

Investment C1.4 R5-I2 – Research, development and production of new mobility vehicles and supporting infrastructure

The objective of the investment is to develop and implement a new urban mobility ecosystem project. The investment shall provide support for the research and development part of the project, namely the phase marked by the completion of the initial prototype of fully autonomous electric vehicle and the start of work on the development of verification prototypes. The new urban mobility ecosystem shall include three key components: (i) a fully autonomous electric vehicles capable of performing all dynamic driving functions without any driver-person assistance with the help of artificial intelligence, (ii) the development and construction of a specialised infrastructure for autonomous and electric vehicles integrated with public urban transport, and (iii) the development of a software platform to operate the complete system.

The implementation of the project in the City of Zagreb is expected to significantly increase transport safety while increasing the efficiency and reducing congestion. The project is also expected to achieve a significant positive environmental impact by reducing overall pollutant emissions from motor vehicle transport, through research and innovation processes, technology transfer and cooperation between low-carbon economy companies. The project shall also include creating a digitalised system of zero-emission, self-driving vehicles and digitalised charging infrastructure. In agreement with the City of Zagreb and the public transport operator, 50 000 vouchers for trips with the fully autonomous vehicles shall be assigned to people with disabilities and/or facing difficulties in using other public transport means.

The investment shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Investment C1.4 R5-I3 – Co-financing programme for the purchase of new alternative fuel vehicles and the development of alternative fuel infrastructures in road transport

The objective of the investment is to increase the energy efficiency of road transport by reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Activities under this investment shall focus on increasing the number of alternative fuel vehicles (electric or hydrogen) registered in Croatia and building a network of electric charging points for alternative fuel powered vehicles. These activities shall contribute to reducing overall CO2 emissions and other harmful gases, creating new jobs in the production and installation of alternative fuel infrastructure and increasing the development and competitiveness of the Croatian economy. The measure consists of two submeasures: (i) the co-financing of the purchase of at least 2 000 new alternative fuel powered vehicles and (ii) the development of alternative fuel infrastructure (1 300 charging stations).

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

 

D.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 91 | C1.4. R1 | M | The amendments to the Roads Act | Entry into force of the amendments to the Roads Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | The Amendments to the Roads Act, shall inter alia:  -Ensure the interoperability of electronic road toll systems on the whole Union road network, urban and interurban motorways, major and secondary roads and different structures, such as tunnels or bridges, and ferries;  -Facilitate the cross-border exchange of vehicle registration data concerning vehicles and owners or holders of vehicles for which failure to pay any type of road toll has been identified in the Union;  -Include provisions fostering increase of infrastructure used for bicycle traffic and pedestrian traffic;  -Set criteria and conditions on pay toll cost coverage;  -Address the exemptions from the obligation to pay the fees for the right to build and the right of easement on a public road, by removing these exemptions from the legislation. This shall create a level playing field in relation to such fees for all entrepreneurs. |
| 92 | C1.4. R1 | M | The National Road Safety Program 2021-2030 | The National Road Safety Program 2021-2030 adopted by the Croatian Government |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | The objective of the National Road Safety Program 2021-2030, prepared by the Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and other line ministries, shall be to improve road safety in Croatia. |
| 93 | C1.4. R1-I1 | M | New electronic toll system | New electronic toll system in place and operational |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | The investment shall introduce, on motorways operated by the Croatian Motorways Ltd, a new Electronic Toll System based on a multi-lane free flow solution (MLFF) without stopping vehicles with contactless payment methods, which shall remove existing toll stations, address heavy congestion at toll stations in the summer period, make the system more effective by using electronic (contactless) payment methods, and reduce excessive traffic on alternative local roads. |
| 94 | C1.4. R1-I2 | T | Establishment of a functional system for the exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities in the field of mobility |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 50 | Q4 | 2023 | As part of the investment, which shall put in in place a functional system that makes it easier for people with disabilities to apply for all mobility rights in one place and ensures a faster processing of applications, a single document shall be established to allow persons with disabilities to use the functional system and exercise the same rights throughout the territory of Croatia (invalidity e-card) and, at least 50% of the envisaged cards shall be issued to persons with disabilities who have rights in the field of mobility. |
| 95 | C1.4. R1-I3 | M | Establishment of a well-functioning national road transport electronic storage and data exchange system (NSCP) | A well-functioning national road transport electronic storage and data exchange system (NSCP) established |  |  |  | Q2 | 2026 | A well-functioning national road transport electronic storage and data exchange system (NSCP) shall be put in place in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information (eFTI Regulation). In addition, the NSCP shall be updated accordingly, once the eFTI technical specifications have been adopted. The investment shall contribute to more efficient monitoring of road transport, reduction of traffic congestion, with a positive impact on environmental factors. |
| 96 | C1.4. R1-I4 | M | Establishment of a well-functioning reporting control system for road passenger and freight transport | A well-functioning reporting control system for road passenger and freight transport established |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | A well-functioning reporting control system for road passenger and freight transport shall be put in place, which shall connect data from the Tachograph Central Processing System (SOTAH) and the national records of tachograph cards and related records under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. |
| 97 | C1.4. R1-I5 | M | Development of a monitoring system for transport of dangerous goods by road (e-ADR) | A well-functioning system developed for monitoring transport of dangerous goods by road (e-ADR) |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The system shall provide for a solution for monitoring transport of dangerous goods by road by introducing electronic transport permits and consignment notes and through the application of track and trace technology. The system shall be established in compliance with the Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information (eFTI Regulation) and its implementing and delegated acts, as well as with other applicable legislation in the field of transport of dangerous goods by road. In addition, the system shall be updated accordingly, once the eFTI technical specifications have been adopted. |
| 98 | C1.4. R2 | M | Adoption of the Sectoral Policy Letter | The Sectoral Policy Letter for the Railway Sector adopted by the Croatian Government |  |  |  | Q2 | 2021 | The Sectoral Policy Letter shall include: i) key objectives ii) a review of the envisaged improvements such as professionalization, transparency of operations and management activities, and iii) an implementation plan of the measures and actions to reform and modernise the railway sector, such as: adoption of the Strategic Framework for the Railway Sector, of the National Plan for the Development of Railway Infrastructure and of the National Management Plan for Railway Infrastructure and Service Facilities; and development of rail transport services. |
| 99 | C1.4. R2 | M | The National Plan for the Development of Railway Infrastructure and the National Management Plan for Railway Infrastructure and Service Facilities | The National Plan for the Development of Railway Infrastructure and the National Management Plan for Railway Infrastructure and Service Facilities adopted by the Croatian Government |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The National Plan for the Development of Railway Infrastructure shall determine projects and activities necessary for the development of railway infrastructure. The National Management Plan for Railway Infrastructure and Service Facilities shall determine projects and activities for management, organization of railway traffic regulation and development of railway transport services. |
| 100 | C1.4. R2 | M | Reorganisation of the railway companies and business management | Reorganisation of the management of railway companies and operations implemented and completed |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | Reorganization of the management of railway companies and operations shall be carried out with regards to the increased responsibility for management, in the area of maintenance, traffic management and management of investment infrastructure projects, and in order to optimize costs and passenger transport services. |
| 101 | C1.4. R2-I1 | T | Electrified double tracks built and reconstructed on section Dugo Selo – Novska, sub-section Kutina - Novska |  | Number (km) | 0 | 22 | Q2 | 2026 | The investment shall upgrade and renovate the existing and construct a second track, for a total of 22 km, on the railway section Dugo Selo – Novska, sub-section Kutina - Novska, with the aim of building a double track electrified line along the entire former Pan-European Corridor X (RH1), which is also located on the TEN-T Core Network and on the Alpine-Western Balkans rail-freight corridor.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the EIA in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 102 | C1.4. R2-I2 | T | Reconstruction of three stations at the section Oštarije – Knin – Split |  | Number | 0 | 3 | Q4 | 2025 | As part of the renovation of the railway line Oštarije – Knin - Split, at the section Knin (excluded) – Split (included), the investment shall reconstruct the Drniš, Perković, Labin Dalmatinski stations.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the EIA in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 103 | C1.4. R2-I2 | M | On-board and operational signalling installations on the section of Oštarije – Knin – Split | Electronic signalling safety devices installed and operational on the line Oštarije – Knin – Split |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | As part of the modernisation of the Oštarije - Knin - Split section of the railway line, electronic signalling safety devices enabling the establishment of so-called inter-dependency and Central traffic management shall be installed. |
| 104 | C1.4. R2-I3 | T | Five bottlenecks removed on sections with the current constraint running speeds of 60 km/h |  | Number | 0 | 5 | Q4 | 2025 | The investment shall result in the removal of five bottlenecks on sections with a current speed limit of 60 km/h.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the EIA in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 105 | C1.4. R2-I4 | T | Double track railway line at Zagreb Kustošija - ZG Zapadni Kolodvor - Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor for a length of 3.4 km reconstructed and upgraded |  | Number (km) | 0 | 3,4 | Q4 | 2025 | Two-track railway line on the section Zagreb Kustošija - Zagreb Zapadni Kolodvor - Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor for a length of 3,4 km shall be reconstructed and modernised.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the EIA in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 106 | C1.4. R2-I5 | T | Brake pads replaced on 2 000 freight wagons in order to reduce noise |  | Number | 0 | 2 000 | Q2 | 2026 | The co-financing of investments in retrofitting elements in wagons shall result in the installation of 2 000 brake pads in freight wagons, contributing to reducing noise pollution in the rail transport sector. |
| 107 | C1.4. R2-I6 | T | Two prototypes of battery trains produced and start of operational tests |  | Number | 0 | 2 | Q4 | 2024 | Two prototypes of Battery electric motor train (BEMV) and Battery motor train (BMV) shall be produced. |
| 108 | C1.4. R2-I7 | M | Upgrading and operability of on-board ticketing systems | On-board ticketing system upgraded and operational |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The milestone defines the deadline within which a well-functioning upgraded on-board ticketing system shall be put in place for 70 new low-floor trains. The investment covers the purchase of equipment, installation, adaptation of the system and maintenance. |
| 109 | C1.4. R3 | M | The new Regular and Seasonal Coastal Traffic Act | Entry into force of the new Regular and Seasonal Coastal Transport Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | The new Regular and Seasonal Coastal Maritime Transport Act shall simplify the current administrative procedures and create better preconditions for a more efficient operation of public coastal maritime transport, by regulating the provisions relating to the activity of the Agency for Regular Coastal Maritime Transport, in particular in the section on the licensing of state routes, as well as the better use and control of public transport IT systems (SEOP system). |
| 110 | C1.4. R3 | M | The new Inland Navigation and Ports Act | Entry into force of the new Inland Navigation and Ports Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | The new Inland Navigation and Ports Act shall allow for, where necessary to ensure safety of navigation, the identification of specific risks in (parts of) Croatia’s inland waterway sectors. |
| 111 | C1.4. R3 | M | The new Maritime Domain and Seaports Act | Entry into force of the new Maritime Domain and Seaports Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The new Maritime Domain and Seaports Act shall reorganise the structure of the port system open to public traffic, which aims to ensure uniformity in the implementation of the legal obligations to operate public ports and rationalise management costs. |
| 112 | C1.4. R3-I1 | T | Modernised/reconstructed 2 seaports open to public traffic |  | Number | 0 | 2 | Q4 | 2025 | The outcome shall be 2 modernised/reconstructed seaports open to public traffic, which shall increase the quality of public maritime transport, reception capacity for ships in regular coastal maritime transport, strengthen passenger safety, increase mobility, improve overall quality of life and ensure sustainable mobility.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the EIA in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 113 | C1.4. R3-I2 | T | Alternative-fuel-powered ships using electrical-solar propulsion |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q2 | 2026 | The investment shall modernise the fleet with 3 passenger ships and 3 high-speed passenger ships (catamaran) using electrical-solar propulsion, with a view to improving the quality of public passenger transport services and connecting the islands while using zero emission vessels. The procurement shall be based on tender for the acquisition/construction of ships, to be carried out on the basis of 'design & build’.   It is expected that this measure does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, passenger ships and catamarans shall be powered by electric-solar propulsion. |
| 114 | C1.4. R3-I3 | T | New cable ferry ‘Križnica’ operational across the River Drava in the Municipality of Pitomača |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2022 | This investment shall result in the construction of a solar-powered electric cable ferry connecting the mainland to the island of Križnica, in operation with the approval of the Croatian Register of Shipping. |
| 115 | C1.4. R3-I4 | T | Three municipal berths built for the reception of waste from vessels |  | Number | 0 | 3 | Q2 | 2026 | Three ports of international importance shall be equipped with municipal berth facilities for the processing of waste collected on board ships. For each waterway there will be one facility – for Sava in the port of Slavonski Brod, for Drava in the port of Osijek and for Danube in the Port of Vukovar.  Evidence shall be provided of compliance with authorization procedures under the EIA in accordance with the Directive 2011/92/EU. |
| 116 | C1.4. R4-I1 | T | 70 alternative-fuel powered buses (electric and hydrogen) procured and put into service |  | Number | 0 | 70 | Q4 | 2025 | The investment shall modernise the bus fleet with a view to improving the quality of public transport service provision, through the acquisition of 70 new alternatively powered vehicles (electric or hydrogen powered) and the installation of the necessary infrastructure to promote the use of zero-emission vehicles and reduce CO2 emissions from existing fleets. |
| 117 | C1.4. R4-I2 | T | 30 trams procured for public transport |  | Number | 0 | 30 | Q4 | 2025 | This investment shall modernise the tram fleet to increase the quality of public transport service provision. |
| 118 | C1.4. R5-I1 | T | Implementation of a fully electrified and greened aircraft ground handling system at the Zadar Airport |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2024 | Implementation of a fully electrified and greened aircraft ground handling system, which includes: (i) implementation of fixed connections for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft with the necessary design and safety adaptations (without the increase of the apron capacity); (ii) replacement of diesel-fuelled mobile ground handling equipment with electrically powered units; and (iii) the construction of a 610 kW photovoltaic power plant.   It is expected that this measure does not do significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular the project shall be implemented without the increase of the apron capacity and all diesel-fuelled mobile ground handling equipment shall be replaced with electrically powered units. Evidence shall be provided that the project does not have a significant effect on the integrity of the Natura 2 000 sites concerned. |
| 119 | C1.4. R5-I2 | T | Verification prototypes of fully autonomous and electric vehicles and relevant testing |  | Number | 0 | 60 | Q1 | 2024 | Production of verification prototypes, including the development of the required autonomous electric vehicle platform and battery systems, testing of prototypes and testing of autonomous driving systems shall be completed. |
| 120 | C1.4. R5-I2 | M | New legislation on autonomous driving | Entry into force of the new legislation on autonomous driving |  |  |  | Q2 | 2024 | The new legislation on autonomous driving shall cover, inter alia, the following:   Development of a national test procedure for autonomous driving;  Adaptation of national road safety legislation to enable autonomous vehicles in circulation;  Adaptation of national vehicle type-approval rules;  Adaptation of road passenger safety rules to enable the carriage of passengers by autonomous vehicles;  Adaptation of the national insurance legislation to enable the insurance of autonomous vehicles and services. |
| 121 | C1.4. R5-I2 | T | Award of support for research and development of new urban mobility ecosystem project |  | Number (EUR) |  | 197 093 370 | Q4 | 2025 | The support shall be awarded exclusively for the research and development part of the project, namely for the phase marked by the completion of the initial prototype of fully autonomous electric vehicle and the start of work on the development of verification prototypes, which shall have all the characteristics of the final vehicle. Therefore, the support relates to applied research, specifically industrial research and experimental development. |
| 122 | C1.4. R5-I2 | M | Fully autonomous and electric vehicles adapted to the needs of disabled passengers and a specialised infrastructure | Fully autonomous and electric vehicles adapted to the needs of disabled passengers produced, and a specialised infrastructure operating with all installed functionalities |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | A specialised infrastructure for fully autonomous and electric vehicles shall be fully operational with all installed functionalities, allowing the operation of fully autonomous new electric vehicles adapted as far as possible to the needs of disabled passengers (large sliding doors allowing easier entry into the vehicle and a luggage compartment that can accommodate wheelchairs). |
| 123 | C1.4. R5-I2 | T | 50 000 vouchers for trips with fully autonomous vehicle granted free of charge to disabled people, valid for at least 5 years after issuance |  | Number | 0 | 50 000 | Q1 | 2026 | Following the construction of new fully autonomous vehicles, 50 000 free-of-charge driving vouchers, valid for at least 5 years after issuance, shall be assigned to persons with disabilities and/or facing difficulties in using other public transport means, in agreement with the City of Zagreb and the public transport operator. |
| 124 | C1.4. R5-I3 | T | Co-financed purchase of 2 000 alternatively powered road vehicles (electrical or hydrogen) |  | Number | 0 | 2 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Following the publication and the implementation of the award decision, 2 000 new alternatively powered road vehicles (electrical or hydrogen) shall be co-financed. |
| 125 | C1.4. R5-I3 | T | Co-financed construction of 1 300 electric charging stations |  | Number | 0 | 1 300 | Q2 | 2026 | Following the publication and the implementation of the award decision, 1 300 charging stations shall be co-financed and constructed. |

E. COMPONENT 1.5: IMPROVING THE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND STRENGTHENING THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

This component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan aims at increasing food security and the competitiveness of the Croatian agri-food sector.

The component shall comprise of: (i) the establishment of a network of logistic infrastructure to strengthen the production market chain in the fruit and vegetables sector; (ii) the establishment of a system for agricultural land restructuring and consolidation; (iii) developing digital solutions in the agriculture sector; and (iv) improving food donation systems.

The component shall contribute to addressing the country specific recommendation on the ‘need to take all necessary measures and respond effectively to the pandemic, sustain the economy and support the recovery’ (country specific recommendation 1, 2020); ‘on the need to increase access to digital services' (country specific recommendation 2, 2020) and on ‘prioritising the implementation and financing of public and potentially public-private investment projects to support the recovery of the economy’ (country specific recommendation 3, 2020).

E.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C1.5. R1 – Establishing a network of logistics infrastructure to strengthen the production market chain in the fruit and vegetables sector

The objective of the reform is to organise and link the supply of small farms through producer organisations to encourage pooling, cooperation, exchange of experience and knowledge. The reform is expected to improve the position of farmers in supply chains, particularly in the fruit and vegetable sector, and contribute to the development of products with greater added value. The reform shall include the adoption of the Operational Programme for strengthening the market capacity of the fruit and vegetables sector for the period 2021-2026 by the Croatian Government.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C1.5. R1-I1 – Construction and equipping of logistic and distribution centres for fruit and vegetables

The objective of the investment is to improve competition in the sector through construction and equipping of a logistics and distribution infrastructure for fruits and vegetables. The distribution centre shall have a minimum capacity of 3 000 tons of storage space and customised logistics space, and up to a maximum capacity of 12 000 tons of storage space and customised logistics space. The built logistic distribution centres shall use renewable energy sources and shall contribute to reducing food loss and waste.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment: C1.5. R1-I2 Strengthening the position and visibility of producers in the food supply chain

The investment aims to improve the governance and financial sustainability of producer organisations, and to enable producers to play a more important role in the governance and ownership structure of logistic and distribution centres. The investment shall include the education and training of producer organisations in the field of management and finance. The investment shall also include a labelling system for fruits and vegetables with a view to give better recognition to local and regional producers and to improve quality assurance of agri-food products.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C1.5. R2 – Improving the agricultural land restructuring and consolidation systems

The objective of the reform is to facilitate consolidation procedures and continuous monitoring of agricultural land, which shall create preconditions for the application of modern farming methods, for building infrastructure (such as network of field roads and melioration channels), and for dealing with property legal relations on agricultural land. The reform shall contribute to a more efficient use of agricultural land in agriculture, increasing the productivity and sustainability of agricultural production with a focus on preserving the environment and improving life in rural areas. As a part of the reform, the new Act on Agricultural Land Consolidation shall enter into force.

The reform shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Investment C1.5. R2-I1 – Agricultural land consolidation

The objective of the investment is to create the preconditions for the application of modern farming methods through consolidating agricultural land, which shall allow for easier and more efficient access to land by construction of infrastructure (such as a network of field roads and melioration channels).

The investment shall contribute to better water management and water conservation, prevention of soil erosion and acidification, air conservation, layout and landscape protection and increasing employment, with a direct and indirect impact on rural regeneration.

The investment shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

InvestmentC1.5. R2-I2 – Agricultural Land Monitoring Programme

The investment aims to ensure the conditions for the effective protection of agricultural land, the continued availability of data necessary for assessing the state of the soil and the implementation of the sustainable management policy, through field research and the implementation of the Geographic Information System (GIS). The investment shall include the establishment and implementation of a Programme for permanent monitoring of the condition of agricultural land to support the systematic and planned management of this resource. The results of the programme shall also make it possible to identify crisis areas where soils are exposed to threats as defined in the Commission’s ‘Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection’ and serve as a basis for a more effective soil protection policy, as well as a sustainable agriculture and rural development policy.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Reform C1.5. R3 – The digital transformation of agriculture

The objective of the reform is to make public services in agricultural sector more accessible to farmers by digitising these services, while also reducing the administrative burden. The reform shall include the setting up of a coordinating unit that shall plan and monitor the implementation of all investments and ensure the achievement of defined goals: digitalised public services, Smart Agriculture operational platform and publicly accessible traceability information system.

The reform is expected to contribute to increasing agricultural production, ensuring the quality and traceability of agricultural products and ensuring the application of agronomic practices that are sustainable in the long term for the climate and the environment.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.5. R3-I1 – Deployment of digital public services

The objective of this investment is the digital transformation of at least 30 agricultural public services. The investment shall, inter alia, include the preparation of the Digital Transformation Action Plan, which shall be the basis for recording all agricultural services to be digitalised. At least 30 public services that shall be registered in the Action Plan shall be digitalised and made available to beneficiaries. The investment shall reduce the need for in-person services and shall contribute to creating digital public services for farmers.

The investment shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

Investment C1.5. R3-I2 – Smart Agriculture

The objective of the investment is to support the digital transformation of Croatia’s agricultural sector through setting up of an agricultural production management system. By offering up-to-date, structured and timely information directly from fields and farms, and with appropriate expert support and application of the principle of sustainable production, Smart Agriculture platform shall be a tool for achieving the objectives set out in the future Common Agriculture Policy. The investment shall make it easier and more resilient for users to operate, improve the accessibility, visibility and transparency of programmes and projects implemented by Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the quality of public services and professional support provided by Ministry of Agriculture.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C1.5. R3-I3 – Traceability System

The objectives of the investment are to further promote sustainable farming, especially by small local producers, and to further inform consumers of the importance and availability of products obtained in a sustainable way, at local levels throughout Croatia. The investment is expected to have a positive impact on rural development in a number of local communities and contribute to increasing consumer confidence in locally produced and sustainable food products. The investment shall include the setting up of a national traceability information system that shall be accessible to the public.

The investment shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

Reform C1.5. R4 – Improving food donation systems

The objective of the reform is to promote the circular economy in the agri-food sector, to reduce food waste and increase food security for the poorer by improving the food donation system. The reform shall include the establishment of a food bank, the strengthening of the infrastructure capacity of intermediaries in the food donation chain, the launching of an online platform for food waste prevention, upgrading the food donation IT system, the conclusion of voluntary food waste prevention agreements between relevant authorities and stakeholders in food supply chain, academia, scientific community and civil society organizations, as well as the implementation of an information and education campaign on food waste prevention and food donation.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C1.5. R4-I1 – Infrastructural equipping of food bank and intermediaries in the food donation chain

The objective of the investment is strengthening the infrastructure capacity of intermediaries in the food donation chain and the food bank in order to create the basic preconditions for increasing the quantities of donated food, thereby contributing to reducing food waste and increasing food security for poorer population groups. The investment shall include the implementation of Support Schemes for the infrastructure equipping of food banks and intermediaries in the food donation chain, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and adopted by the Croatian Government.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

E.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 126 | C1.5. R1 | M | The Operational Programme for strengthening the market capacity of the fruit and vegetables sector for the period 2021-2026 | Entry into force of the decision of the Croatian Government on the adoption of the Operational Programme for strengthening the market capacity of the fruit and vegetables sector for the period 2021-2026 |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | In order to implement the measure aimed primarily at strengthening the role and management capacity of producers organisations (POs) in the fruit and vegetable production and marketing chain, the Operational Programme for strengthening the market capacity of the fruit and vegetables sector for the period 2021-2026 shall be adopted by the Croatian Government. It shall include the implementation of the following measures: (i) Construction and equipping of logistic fruit and vegetables distribution centres and (ii) Strengthening the positon and recognition of producers in the fruit and vegetables supply chain. |
| 127 | C1.5. R1-I1 | T | A logistic distribution centre (LDC) built and operational |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2023 | The built Logistic Distribution Centre (LDC) shall include a refurbishment part intended for the reception of the product, cleaning, washing, sorting and packaging, as well as a storage part of suitable reception and storage capacity under chilling and long-term storage and a certain level of processing of the product. Primary processing of fruit and vegetables is planned to make use of products of a non-standardised quality and thus avoid food waste (waste). The storage capacity of the LDC shall be at least 3 000 up to maximum 12 000 tonnes. The measure concerns the construction of a new building, with a Primary Energy Demand (PED) that is at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB). |
| 128 | C1.5. R1-I1 | T | At least three logistic distribution centre (LDC) built and operational |  | Number | 0 | 3 | Q1 | 2026 | The 3 built Logistic Distribution Centre (LDC) shall include a refurbishment part intended for the reception of the product, cleaning, washing, sorting and packaging, as well as a storage part of suitable reception and storage capacity under chilling and long-term storage and a certain level of processing of the product. Primary processing of fruit and vegetables is planned to make use of products of a non-standardised quality and thus avoid food waste (waste). The storage capacity of each LDC shall be at least 3 000 up to maximum 12 000 tonnes. The measure concerns the construction of a new building, with a Primary Energy Demand (PED) that is at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB). |
| 129 | C1.5. R1-I2 | T | Training for producer organisations |  | Number | 0 | 3 | Q2 | 2026 | For a minimum of 3 producer organisations (PO) involving at least 15 people, training shall be completed in the field of management and finance of producer organisations (POs) linked to the logistic distributive centre. Management and financial training shall be carried out to enable producer organisations to play a key role in the organisation of producers, to improve their position in joint market penetration, and to the governance and ownership structure of logistic distribution centres. |
| 130 | C1.5. R1-I2 | T | System for the labelling of fruit and vegetables |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | A system for creating recognizable labels on the fruit and vegetable market shall be developed in cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food. The system shall be voluntary and complementary with already existing quality scheme developed by the Ministry of Agriculture. Developed system is expected to give better recognition to local and regional producers and to improve quality assurance of agri-food products. |
| 131 | C1.5. R2 | M | New Act on Agricultural Land Consolidation | Entry into force of the new Act on Agricultural Land Consolidation |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | The envisaged new Act on Agricultural Land Consolidation shall, inter alia:  • Introduce conditions for simplifying the consolidation process,   • Reduce the number of participating bodies,   • Shorten the time needed to carry out activities in the framework of the allocation,   • Apply information technologies and connect to existing and new databases of various stakeholders, while creating a soil quality database. |
| 132 | C1.5. R2-I1 | T | 18 000 ha of agricultural land consolidated |  | Number | 0 | 18 000 | Q1 | 2026 | Consolidation of 18 000 ha of agricultural land shall allow for easier and more efficient access to land by construction of infrastructure (such as a network of field roads and melioration channels), while respecting the provisions of Article 6 (3) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and authorization procedures under EIA in accordance with Directive 2011/92/EU. It shall also contribute to better water management and water conservation, prevention of soil erosion and acidification, air conservation, layout and landscape protection and increasing employment, with a direct and indirect impact on rural regeneration. |
| 133 | C1.5. R2-I2 | T | Upgrade of operational information system for monitoring agricultural land and establishment of 90 permanent stations to monitor the condition of agricultural land |  | Number | 0 | 90 | Q2 | 2025 | The upgrade of the information system for monitoring agricultural land shall enable obtaining realistic and comparable parameters, which serve as a basis for the systematic and planned management of agricultural land.  At least 90 stations shall be set up as part of the upgraded system to monitor the condition of agricultural land shall be distributed throughout the territory of Croatia to cover all sub-regions so that they represent as much as possible their agro-ecological conditions. |
| 134 | C1.5. R3 | M | Establishment of a Unit for Implementation and Management of Digital Transformation Projects in the Ministry of Agriculture | Decision taken by the Minister of Agriculture to set up a Unit for Implementation and Management of Digital Transformation Projects in the Ministry of Agriculture |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The established unit, in cooperation with the relevant authorities (Paying Agency, Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food and Central State Office for the Development of Digital Society) shall plan and monitor the implementation of all investments, in order to ensure the achievement of: at least 30 digitalised public services, operational Smart Agriculture platform and publicly accessible traceability information system. |
| 135 | C1.5. R3-I1 | T | Digitalisation of at least 30 public services in agriculture listed in the Action Plan for the Digital Transformation of Agricultural Public Services |  | Number | 0 | 30 | Q3 | 2025 | The Digital Transformation Action Plan shall be the basis for recording all agricultural services to be digitalised. The action plan shall include a model and a transformation process for each public service recorded. At least 30 public services that shall be registered in the Action Plan and supported under the Croatian recovery and resilience plan, shall be digitalised and made available to beneficiaries. The action plan shall define the individual public services to be digitalised through the implementation of the project. At least 30 services shall be digitalised and made available to beneficiaries. |
| 136 | C1.5. R3-I2 | M | Setting up a Smart Agriculture platform | A fully operational Smart Agriculture platform, including infrastructure centralisation, availability of all data related to agricultural production, and access to platforms |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | A Smart Agriculture platform shall be fully operational and available to the beneficiaries. The Smart Agriculture platform, by offering up-to-date, structured and timely information directly from fields and farms, and with appropriate expert support and application of the principle of sustainability, shall set the basis for efficient, profitable and sustainable Croatian agriculture sector. The platform shall have the potential to reduce the ecological footprint of farming (e.g., minimised or site-specific application of inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, in precision agriculture systems shall mitigate leaching/potential pollution problems as well as the emission of greenhouse gases). |
| 137 | C1.5. R3-I3 | M | Establishment of a traceability information system | Traceability information system operational and accessible to the public |  |  |  | Q3 | 2023 | The planned traceability information system shall enable better informing of consumers in form of monitoring the traceability of agricultural and food products. The system shall be voluntary and shall be used for unifying and facilitating information tracking, facilitating business and providing information to consumers via QR code. The system shall be designed to connect with other e-systems and continuously update information on traceability. The system shall also have the potential to record information on traders and intermediaries who may never come into physical contact with the product. |
| 138 | C1.5. R4 | M | The online platform for food waste prevention and upgraded food donation IT system | The online platform for food waste prevention and upgrade of the technical solution for the IT system for food donation are operational and available to public |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | The online platform on food waste prevention and reduction shall be launched to disseminate best practices, raise awareness and educate about the issue of food waste and food donation. The food donation IT system, which is already in operation, shall be upgraded with new functionalities, of which the possibility of regional governance of the system and statistical representation of data are highlighted. |
| 139 | C1.5. R4-I1 | M | Support Scheme for the infrastructure equipping of food banks and intermediaries in the food donation chain | Support Scheme for the infrastructure equipping of food banks and intermediaries in the food donation chain implemented and funds disbursed |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The Support Scheme shall be put in operation following a public call and contracts concluded, through disbursement of the funds, which shall be used for the construction and refurbishment of storage facilities, storage equipment and furniture, cooling and food storage equipment, fork-lift trucks, refrigerated vehicles, vehicles and IT equipment. |

   F. COMPONENT 1.6: DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE, INNOVATIVE AND RESILIENT TOURISM

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a very negative impact on the tourism sector both globally and in Croatia. As a strategic activity in Croatia, tourism accounts for 11,4% direct share of GDP and recorded a 55% decrease in the number of nights in 2020 compared to the previous year. In view of these effects of the crisis and changing demand expectations, the aim of this component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to transform and modernise the tourism sector while increasing its competitiveness, sustainability and resilience by achieving the following overarching objectives:

-Increase the resilience and sustainability of the tourism sector through supporting the green and digital transitions.

-Contribute to the recovery of the tourism sector from the COVID-19 crisis by improving accommodations capacity and social and territorial cohesion.

-Increase the circular economy in tourism and fostering responsible consumption and increase the indirect effects of tourism on related activities.

The component supports addressing 
   the country specific recommendation to reduce the most burdensome parafiscal charges (country specific recommendation 4, 2019), take all necessary measures to effectively address the pandemic (country specific recommendation 1, 2020) and front-load mature public investment projects and promote private investment to foster the economic recovery (country specific recommendation 3, 2020).

This component also contributes to the objectives set out in the other sub-components of this plan, in particular C1.5. Improving the use of natural resources and strengthening the food supply chain and C2.3.The digital transformation of society and public administration.

F.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

C1.6.R1 Enhancing the resilience and sustainability of the tourism sector

The reform aims to establish an effective organisational and legal framework for managing the development of sustainable tourism through drawing up the Tourism Act, the 2030 Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Tourism, the National Plan for the Sustainable Development of Tourism by 2027 and the Strategic Environmental Assessment.

The reform shall include:

-Further administrative and parafiscal relief for the tourism sector;

-Further change of the legislative framework that will allow better management of tourism development while encouraging business investment in innovation;

-Developing a new model of tourism that offers more diversified tourism products, contributes to the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs and ensures adherence to circular economy principles;

-Reducing operational procedures that shall contribute to easier, faster and cheaper start-up of tourism business.

The operationalization of the reform of the tourism management system is also envisaged through investment C.2.3.R3 I15 - Setting up tourism application solutions with the aim of administratively relieving entrepreneurs and transforming the tourism model towards sustainability. The reform will be implemented in accordance with the public consultation principle, involving a wide range of stakeholders in the overall tourism eco-system, including entrepreneurs, industry associations and academics.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

C1.6.R1-I1 Regional diversification and specialization of Croatian tourism through investments in the development of high added value tourism products

This investment shall include financial support in the form of grants to develop, adapt and upgrade public tourism infrastructure throughout Croatia with a view to increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy sources, support green and digital transition while promoting the tourism products that can generate greater added value in line with the principles of the circular economy.

A further objective of this investment is to reduce over-tourism in the most developed tourist areas by increasing the attractiveness of less developed tourist destinations, raising the quality of destinations and enabling extended seasons, fostering sustainable forms of tourism and developing tourism infrastructure.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

C1.6.R1-I2 Strengthening the competitiveness of entrepreneurs and fostering the green and digital transition of the tourism sector

The objective of this investment is to contribute to the development of sustainable tourism through the green and digital transition by implementing green projects, such as increasing energy efficiency, using renewable sources and the circular economy, uptake of innovation and digital technologies and developing environmentally friendly tourism products and resource efficiency.

Funding shall be allocated based on Croatia’s tourism development index such that investments in less developed tourist areas shall be prioritized. In addition, this investment is expected to boost the social sustainability of tourism by encouraging private investment that contribute to higher employment in local communities.

The investment will be completed by 31 December 2025.

C1.6.R1-I3 Strengthening system capacity for resilient and sustainable tourism

The objective of the investment is to strengthen the resilience of human capital throughout the tourism sector, through education programmes specifically designed for labour market needs, with a focus on digital, green and management skills.

The investment main activities shall include designing educational programmes that respond to the needs of the labour market, specific training for employers, training of students and unemployed persons and training for staff in the state administration and county tourist boards in order to better manage sustainable tourism.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

F.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 140 | C1.6. R1 | M | Scenario analysis as part of the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy for 2030 | Develop the Scenario analysis |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The scenario analysis produced as part of the strategy development process shall be the basis for mobilising the investments referred under this sub-component. Scenario analysis shall develop the projection of the development direction at national and territorial level in consultation with key stakeholders in the sector. |
| 141 | C1.6. R1 | M | Adoption of the Strategy for the Development of Sustainable Tourism by 2030 of the Government of the Republic of Croatia | Provision on the entry into force of the Strategy for the Development of Sustainable Tourism by 2030 |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | As part of this reform, the process of transforming the tourism development model towards sustainability will be implemented through the development of the 2030 Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy, from the point of view of socio-economic sustainability, environmental and territorial sustainability.  The strategy, as a long-term act of strategic planning of national significance, will also pay particular attention to the issues of land use so far, i.e. overtourism in individual destinations, as one of the key problems of tourism development. The Strategy will also provide a response to how to better promote the reduction of uneven regional development in Croatia. |
| 142 | C1.6. R1 | M | Drawing up the Sustainable Tourism Satellite Account of the Republic of Croatia | Provision on the entry into force of the Sustainable Tourism Satellite Account |  |  |  | Q3 | 2023 | The system of Tourism-Sustainability Satellite Accounts shall create the conditions for managing and monitoring the development of tourism through defined tourism sustainability indicators at both national and regional level.  The satellite account shall become a tool for public policy management. Data collection and compilation will be harmonized with the European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS) and the concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules of the Environmental Economic Accounting System (SEEA). To improve the efficiency of regional tourism policy, a Regional Tourism-Sustainable Satellite Account will be set up, with the addition of specific indicators of tourism activity at the destination level adjusted to signal the possible occurrence of over-tourism. Data and analysis shall underpin both, public and private, the strategic direction of planning as well as becoming a relevant policy management tool. |
| 143 | C1.6. R1 | M | Tourism Act establishing a framework for monitoring and development of the tourism sector | Entry into force of the Tourism Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The Tourism Act shall provide a framework for the monitoring and development of the tourism sector through the establishment of a data monitoring and analysis system, a system of incentives, monitoring and analysis of investments, the definition of the role of key stakeholders in the development of tourism and inter-service cooperation, and the definition of indicators and standards for ensuring the sustainability of tourism (in particular green and digital standards). |
| 144 | C1.6. R1-I1 | M | Launching public calls for the green and digital transition of existing public tourism infrastructure and the development of public tourism infrastructure beyond the main tourist and coastal areas | Publication of tender documentation for the green and digital transition of existing public tourism infrastructure and the development of public tourism infrastructure beyond the main tourist and coastal areas |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The tender documentation shall specify that investments shall focus on projects that can increase the green and digital quality of tourism infrastructure and reduce the environmental impact and consequently the concentration of guests in the season. In the main tourist and coastal areas, according to the Tourism Development Index, only investments in the green and digital transition of existing tourism infrastructure and up to EUR 29 623 731 of the total budget of the investment shall be eligible contributing to the sustainable management of destinations, reducing environmental impacts during the tourist season. Eligibility criteria shall include compliance with the Do No Significant Harm Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). |
| 145 | C1.6. R1-I1 | T | Full allocation per tender of the budget for the construction and adaptation of public tourism infrastructure according to eligibility criteria |  | Number (EUR) | 0 | 123 432 212 | Q4 | 2025 | Allocation by tender of 100% of the allocated budget for the construction and adaptation of public tourism infrastructure in accordance with the eligibility/selection criteria for the green and digital transition of existing public tourism infrastructure and the development of public tourism infrastructure outside the main tourist and coastal areas, containing selection/eligibility criteria ensuring compliance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of the supported projects and the compatibility of supported projects with the relevant EU and national environmental acquis. In addition, the selection/acceptability criteria shall require the provision of a [climate/digital] contribution, in accordance with the intervention fields(s) [026,128] set out in Annex [VI/VII] of the RRF Regulation. |
| 146 | C1.6. R1-I2 | M | Launch public calls to strengthen sustainability and boost the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs, with at least 50% of total investments supporting the green transition | Publication of tender documentation to strengthen sustainability and foster the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs/2088; |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The tender documentation shall specify that at least EUR 29 862 632 of the total investments will be awarded to investment focussed on climate change mitigation or adaptation, the digitalisation of activities in line with the criteria of reducing greenhouse gas emissions or energy efficiency and waste reduction, as well as the transition to a circular economy.  Project selection criteria shall contribute to the green transition, in line with the NRS, the Green Treaty for Europe, the sustainability indicators defined in the feasibility study for the creation of a sustainable tourism satellite account of the Republic of Croatia and the guidelines for drawing up the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy for 2030. Consistently with the principles of DNSH Technical Guidance applicants shall demonstrate how they will mitigate the negative environmental impacts that can be associated with the project and how they will contribute to positive impacts during the implementation of the project.      The tender document shall assign at least EUR 29 862 632 of the total investments to support the green transition, and shall specify for those investment the selection/eligibility criteria reflecting the requirements of the applicable intervention areas [3-100] of Annex [VI/VII] and compliance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) and the compliance of supported projects with the relevant EU and national environmental acquis. |
| 147 | C1.6. R1-I2 | T | Full allocation of funds to strengthen sustainability and foster the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs |  | Number (EUR) | 0 | 165 903 511 | Q4 | 2025 | Allocation of the full budget through tender for projects that aim to strengthen sustainability and foster the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs, with tenders containing selection/acceptability criteria reflecting the requirements of the applicable intervention fields [3-100] set out in Annex [VI/VII] of the RRF regulation and compliance with DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) of supported projects and compliance of supported projects with the relevant EU and national environmental acquis. |
| 148 | C1.6. R1-I3 | M | Educational programmes to strengthen tourism knowledge and skills | Publication of Educational programme | Number | 0 | 10 | Q4 | 2024 | Educational programmes developed to strengthen tourism knowledge and skills, including digital skills for government and public officials in the tourism system, unemployed and employers’ education  The education programmes developed will be based on analyses of labour market needs and will result in a basis for strengthening knowledge and skills in tourism, including digital skills for government officials in the tourism system and employed in the tourism community system, unemployed and education at employers. The criteria for selecting the programmes to be developed will be to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the digital and green transition, namely the acquisition of the knowledge and skills needed to implement projects funded by the investments C1.6 I2 and I3 of this sub-component, such as knowledge related to green construction, renewable energy, innovative products, entrepreneurial skills, sustainable destination management. |
| 149 | C1.6. R1-I3 | T | Educated students in education programmes to strengthen knowledge and skills in tourism, including digital skills for government and public officials in the tourism system, unemployed and employers’ education |  | Number | 0 | 1 000 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 1 000 trainees/employees in the tourism or public sector related to tourism shall have attended a tourism-related training course or achieved an upgrading of their qualifications since 2022. The programmes will have selection/eligibility criteria reflecting the requirements of the applicable areas (a) [3-100] of Annex [VI/VII] of the RRF regulation and to ensure compliance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) and the compatibility of supported projects with the relevant EU and national environmental acquis. |

   G. COMPONENT 2.1: STRENGTHENING CAPACITY TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROJECTS

The component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan aims to improve the quality of public policy making, increase the public administration capacity to design and implement public policies and overcome the fragmentation of the public administration by enhancing coordination among relevant ministries and improving the implementation of public policies and projects. The component shall include measures to:

-Facilitate, through the increased use of digital technologies, the design and implementation of public policies and projects at central and local level;

-Provide assistance to beneficiaries in the preparation of projects and technical documentation for projects in the field of the green and digital transitions, and

-Strengthen mechanisms for the coordination and management of public policies.

The component shall contribute to addressing country specific recommendations on increasing the administration’s capacity to design and implement public projects and policies (country specific recommendation 3 2019) and to reinforcing the capacity and efficiency of the public administration to design and implement public projects and policies at central and local level (country specific recommendation 4 2020).

G.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform: C2.1.R1: Strengthening mechanisms for the integration and management of public policies with the professionalisation of strategic planning

This reform shall strengthen mechanisms for coordination and integration of public policies, link currently separate processes and procedures, broaden the scope and application of public policy and regulatory impact assessment processes, and professionalise strategic planning and impact assessments of regulations.

The reform shall include the following key elements:

-Amending the legislative framework for the strategic planning system aiming to improve the effectiveness of strategic planning and the professionalisation of the strategic documents’ preparation.

-Mapping of business processes in the area of strategic planning and regulatory impact assessment;

-Unifying and standardising strategic policy planning and management processes through the development of written instructions;

-Developing job descriptions and a catalogue of competences related to strategic planning and management of public policies;

-Establishing joint coordination for continuous evaluation and continuous improvement of public policies;

-Establishing partnerships with public scientific institutes and academic institutions to carry out independent public policy evaluation processes.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform: C2.1.R2: Strengthening the capacity to prepare and implement EU projects

With the objective to increase the absorption of the Union funds, this reform shall increase the capacity for the preparation and implementation of the ~Union funds. In addition, the Government Decision on the bodies in the Recovery and Resilience Plan implementation system shall define the competent authorities and responsibilities for carrying out the tasks in the implementation, establish a central coordinating body under the Ministry of Finance for the implementation and monitoring of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and mandate the Implementation Committee with ensuring consistency and coherence in the use of the Union funds. A workload analysis for strengthening administrative capacity across all operational programmes shall be prepared. The statute of the Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System (ARPA) shall be adapted to bring it in line with Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and provide the legal mandate for carrying out audits in the scope of the NRRP. The IT system used for European structural and investment funds shall be upgraded to allow for the collection, storage and monitoring of data on the milestones and targets, including at the level of final recipients.

This reform shall be completed by 31 January 2022, and before the first payment request is submitted to the Commission.

Investment: C2.1.R1-I1: Optimisation, standardisation and digitalisation of processes for strategic planning and impact assessment of public policies

This investment shall establish the Strategic Planning Information System to allow monitoring the preparation of strategic documents, implementation and evaluation of public policies, digitalise the impact assessment process and provide a transparent presentation of public policy implementation to the general public.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment: C2.1.R1-I2: Strengthening capacity in strategic planning and better regulation

This investment shall develop educational modules and organisation of trainings, to improve performance of strategic planning tasks in the government bodies. The investment shall include continuous capacity building through trainings that is expected to enable managers and officials to develop adequate knowledge and skills. The investment is expected to contribute to ensuring the sustainability of the strategic planning system and improve the quality of the preparation and implementation of public policies in Croatia.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment: C2.1.R2-I1: Provide assistance to beneficiaries in the preparation of technical tender project-technical documentation

This investment shall provide beneficiaries with support from external experts with specific knowledge and the necessary mandates to draw up project and technical documentation, which cannot be provided by the national administration. The investment is expected to result in creating a pipeline of ready-to-go projects in the field of the green and digital transitions. In this way, the measure shall provide assistance to beneficiaries for the timely and complete preparation of all the necessary application documents for financing and investments.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

G.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 150 | C2.1. R1 | M | Amendments to the Act on the System of Strategic Planning and Management of Development of the Republic of Croatia and bylaws | Entry into force of the act amending the Act on the System of Strategic Planning and Governance for the Development of the Republic of Croatia and the accompanying by-laws |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Amendments to the Act on Strategic Planning and Development Management System of the Republic of Croatia and accompanying bylaws shall improve the effectiveness of strategic planning and the professionalisation of the preparation of strategic documents. It shall also include a basis for job descriptions and competences of civil servants related to strategic planning; |
| 151 | C2.1. R1 | M | Amendments to the Act on Regulatory Impact Assessment | Entry into force of the act amending the Act on Regulatory Impact Assessment |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | Amendments to the Regulatory Impact Assessment Act shall simplify ex-post regulatory impact assessment processes, including methodology and procedures, based on the Technical Support Instrument recommendations of the project related to the ex-post regulatory impact assessment. The amendments shall also include changes to the job descriptions and competences of civil servants related to the impact assessment with a view to the professionalisation of the coordination, drafting and monitoring of the effects of regulation in the public administration. |
| 152 | C2.1. R1 | T | Reduction of the administrative burden directly affecting citizens, through digitalisation and simplification of procedures |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 20 | Q4 | 2025 | 20% reduction in the administrative burden compared to 31 December 2019, for citizens by using the Standard Cost Model (SCM) methodology, linked to those administrative procedures that directly affect citizens identified by the analysis carried out in accordance with C1.1.1 R1-I2, through digitalisation and/or simplification of procedures. |
| 153 | C2.1. R1-I1 | T | Digitisation of all business processes mapping in the area of strategic planning and regulatory impact assessment |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 100 | Q4 | 2025 | All business processes in the area of strategic planning and regulatory impact assessment that are mapped in public administration shall be digitised and used through in the IT platform. They shall be implemented to monitor the preparation of strategic documents, the implementation and evaluation of public policies and the impact assessment of regulations. The IT system shall also include a dashboard providing an overview of the results of the implementation of public policies, allowing transparent monitoring and communication with the public in real time. |
| 154 | C2.1. R1-I2 | T | Training modules for strategic planning and regulatory impact assessment at national, regional and local level |  | Number | 0 | 10 | Q4 | 2024 | 10 educational/training modules for strategic planning, and better regulation shall be developed to ensure professionalisation of work, including eLearning companions with technical support of the NSPA (National School of Public Administration). The modules shall be developed by the end of 2024. |
| 155 | C2.1. R1-I2 | T | Training of officers linked to the system of strategic planning and implementation of regulatory impacts at national and regional level |  | Number | 0 | 900 | Q4 | 2025 | 900 officials in the system of strategic planning and implementation of regulatory effects at national and regional level shall be trained based on the training modules developed. |
| 156 | C2.1. R2 | M | Amendment of ARPA’s statutes to redefine its mandate | Entry info to force of amendments to ARPA’s statutes |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | Amendments to statutes of the Agency for the Audit of European Union Programmes Implementation System (ARPA) shall define the mandate of ARPA to set up and carry out system audits and controls related to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan |
| 157 | C2.1. R2 | M | Establishment of the implementation and audit and control system for the RRP | Entry into force of the decision by the Croatian Government on the bodies in the system of implementation of the NRRP, establishment of the coordinating body under the Ministry of finance and update of procedures used by implementing bodies. |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The decision on the bodies in the RRP system shall define the competent authorities and responsibilities for carrying out the tasks in the implementation of the RRP, including a central coordinating body under the Ministry of Finance to ensure the implementation and monitoring of the RRF measures, including reforms, while the Implementation Committee will ensure consistency and coherence in the use of EU funds.  The Coordinating body for the RRP shall be established and fully functional, within the Ministry of finance.  All procedures used by implementing bodies for the RRP shall be updated and in place. |
| 158 | C2.1. R2 | M | Adoption of the Act on the institutional framework for EU funds | Entry into force of the Act on the institutional framework for EU funds |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | In addition to the establishment of the institutional framework and the designation bodies in the Act, the law shall also provide a framework for the establishment of the capacity-building activities, which are expected to be further developed through Roadmap for administrative capacity building. This Roadmap is being developed under the ESI Funds programming. The law shall recognise the need to further strengthen the capacity of beneficiaries to prepare, apply and implement projects, which are implemented through EU-funded (operational) programmes. |
| 159 | C2.1. R2 | M | Assessment of the administrative capacity | A workload analysis is published |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | Workload analyses shall be carried out for the institutions involved in the respective management and control systems, also taking into account the burden arising from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The analysis shall provide adequate information in terms of administrative capacity needs with a view to reaching them in a timely manner, including by developing a set of recommendations to address insufficient capacity where necessary. Based on the analysis and recommendations, necessary resources shall be allocated to the institutions involved. |
| 160 | C2.1. R2 | M | Upgrading of the eFondovi IT system: Repository system for Audit and Controls: information for monitoring implementation of RRF | Audit report confirming repository system functionalities |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | A repository system for monitoring the implementation of the RRF shall be in place and operational.   The system shall include, as a minimum, the following functionalities:  (a) collection of data and monitoring of the achievement of milestones and targets;  (b) collect, store and ensure access to the data required by Article 22(2)(d)(i) to (iii) of the RRF Regulation. |
| 161 | C2.1. R2-I1 | T | Preparation of project technical documentation for green and digital transition projects |  | Number (Amount) | 0 | 6 370 695 | Q4 | 2022 | EUR 6 370 695 shall be awarded, through decisions on financing for the development of project technical documentation prepared by ministries, national agencies and local and regional authorities to support the green and digital transitions. |
| 162 | C2.1. R2-I1 | T | Preparation of project technical documentation for green and digital transition projects |  | Number | 0 | 100 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 100 projects prepared by ministries, national agencies and local and regional authorities to support the green and digital transitions shall have received support for the development of project technical documentation. |

H. COMPONENT 2.2: FURTHER IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The component aims to modernise Croatia’s public administration and make it more user-centric, through incentivising the actual and functional mergers of local government units, increasing digitalisation, interoperability, efficiency gains in resource allocation at local level, and reforming the remuneration system and human resources management.

The overarching goals are to improve the ability to attract and retain high-quality and talented public administration employees, and improve the quality of public services in local and regional government units, which are hampered by weak administrative and fiscal capacity and lack of transparency.

The component shall include major reforms with related investments:

-Improving the recruitment process in the civil service by strengthening the civil service admission system and further improving the competences of civil servants,

-Introducing new wage and work models in the civil service, including reforming the public sector wage system, upgrading the human resource management system, and fostering vertical and horizontal mobility,

-The digital transformation of conservation bases and archive records,

-Ensuring functional and sustainable local government through further optimisation and decentralisation of local government units through incentivised support for functional and actual mergers.

The component shall contribute to addressing Country Specific Recommendations on the need to strengthen the efficiency of public administration (Country Specific Recommendation 1, 2019) and on improving the delivery and quality of services in the smaller local government units (Country Specific Recommendation 4, 2020).

The component includes four reforms and seven investments.

H.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C2.2 R1 – Improving recruitment in the civil service

This reform aims to improve the recruitment system in civil service to ensure hiring of highly competent officials who shall contribute to improving the efficiency of the public administration and enable a refocusing of the public administration towards the needs of the citizens. The reform shall include amendments to the legislative framework. Alongside the reform, the authorities intend to develop information technology tools, methodologies and the necessary content for competence verification, and capacity building measures.

A centralised selection system for civil servants shall be introduced, based on pre-established plans, a workload analysis, and the actual needs of public authorities in order to recruit a specific profile of officials. In the recruitment process, candidates shall be tested online, ensuring a transparent and more objective selection of candidates.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment C2.2 R1-I1 – Centralised selection system

This investment aims to establish a more objective and transparent recruitment system based on actual identified needs and financial resources. It shall ensure recruitment of the best and most competent candidates, thereby contributing to improving the efficiency of the public administration.

The investment shall include the following activities:

-Development of a comparative analysis of the design of centralised employment systems in the EU Member States and drafting of the a proposal for a new employment model;

-Amendments to the legislative framework, including the Civil Service Act, to the procedures for the recruitment of civil servants in state administration bodies, professional services and government offices;

-Development of standardised tests and training;

-Development of the IT platform;

-Testing and implementation of the IT platform.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.2 R1-I2 – E-State exam

This investment aims to establish a new system for passing a state exam by electronic means, ensuring a more objective, appropriate and valid way of assessing candidates’ knowledge through a standardised written examination.

The investment shall include the development of a software application through which the procedures for developing the test material for the state examination, application for the examination, organisation, conduct and passing of the State exam shall be delivered. The examination certificate shall be made available electronically. The system shall create a database of test tasks and materials, a database of candidates and shall ensure the creation of reports related to the conduct and results of the tests. Such system shall allow for continuous monitoring and improvement of all processes for the development and conduct of state exams. Test rooms in 4 test centres in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek shall be equipped and made available for the needs to the e-exam as well as the centralised selection system (Investment C2.2.R1-I1).

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Reform C2.2 R2 – New wage and work models in civil and public service

This reform aims to introduce a fair, transparent, consistent, and financially sustainable wage system in state administration and public service along with a standardised, digitised and user-oriented human resource management system. To address the new reality of working, a smart working model shall be introduced, providing the officials with the necessary tools and skills to perform their tasks remotely.

Based on an analysis of the situation and comparison of salaries in government administration and public service, a new payment system shall be created and a new legislation Act on civil service wages and a new Act on wages in public services shall be adopted. The new Acts shall include provisions to evaluate jobs according to established criteria, and to ensure the harmonisation of salaries in the state administration and public services. The new salary model shall put in place a reward system based on performance (work performance). Regulations related to the evaluation and advancement of civil servants shall be amended. The assessment of performance and effectiveness shall provide the basis for career progression and promotion.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment C2.2 R2-I1 – Improving the remuneration system in the state administration and public services

This investment shall put in place the new remuneration system in the state administration and public services, supporting the reform in the same area. It shall ensure a fairer system from the perspective of civil servants, become more competitive and fiscally sustainable, in terms of maintaining the total wage weight in the state budget and its more rational distribution.

A single government coordination body in charge of the inter-institutional coordination of all activities shall be established, accompanied by expert teams including representatives of the social partners. The current pay system and legal framework shall be analysed and a comparative analysis with peer member states shall be developed. Based on the analyses the new proposal for a new pay system and legal framework shall be elaborated, nine new functionalities shall be included in the human resource management IT system and a communication strategy shall be prepared and implemented.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment C2.2 R2-I2 – Introduction of Hybrid Workplace Access Model – Smartworking

This investment aims to introduce a model to enable civil servants to work remotely in order to provide a continuous, high-quality public service accessible to all and to increase the motivation of officials. It shall establish an innovative workflow based on an element of flexibility in working time and place of work according to the needs of the processes and plans of the public administration. The legislative arrangements concerning the civil service and labour relations for the introduction of a hybrid model of work in the public administration and the judiciary (the Labour Code, the Civil Service Act, the Labour Protection Act and the by-laws) shall be amended to allow employees to work smoothly and continuously.

To achieve the above objectives, the measure foresees the following activities:

-Engagement of external experts for the identification of the current state of play of teleworking conditions and the preparation and implementation of management training.

-Development of a proposal for a model and a plan for hybrid access to the workplace with a full normative solution for its implementation by external experts.

-Amendments of the legislative framework and working methodologies.

-Acquisition of information technology (laptops, tablets and smartphones and the software needed), acquired through transparent public procurement processes.

-Staff trainings.

The measure shall be completed by 30 September 2023.

Reform C2.2 R3 – Digital transformation of conservation bases and archive records

This reform aims to enhance documentation management by public authorities to improve business processes. The measure is expected to enable a more efficient delivery of public administration services by using implemented ICT solutions that shall ensure interoperability and data sharing, cost reduction, business transparency and the protection of citizens’ rights.

Additionally, the authorities intend to develop a digital public service shall be developed and put in place to provide access to digital conservation bases built for cultural and historical sites. Furthermore, developing of the necessary standards and criteria shall improve the overall efficiency of public administration in this context. Development of the national archives information system, strengthening of infrastructure and human capacities in state archives and the strengthening of the capacity to digitise analogue paper records by document creators and owners are envisaged to improve digital public services by faster access to documentation and better enforcement of the rights of users and all interested citizens.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment C2.2 R3-I1 – Deployment of
   digital infrastructure and public administration services by developing a conservation basis system

This investment aims to establish a new digital public service (e-conservation base) linked to the existing digital public services (such as e-citizens, Physical planning information system) with the aim of reducing administrative obstacles in the licensing process under the Law on the Protection and Conservation of Cultural Property, as well as fostering the fast-track issuing of construction permits, and ensuring transparency and a uniform procedure for obtaining the relevant documents throughout the country. It shall enable officials to process cases more quickly and allow for a more efficient public administration, while simultaneously making the investors aware of the requirements related to the cultural heritage in advance. The investment is expected to increase the legal certainty related to the conservation of cultural properties, and provide the general public with the insight into the conservational requirements.

This investment shall include the development of an IT system digital public service, as well as the development of digital conservation bases. Standards, criteria and methodology for the development of conservation bases shall be defined. The digitised conservation bases, including a complete analysis of the condition, valorisation and protective measures of cultural sites shall be made public.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.2 R3-I2 – Improving digital public sector infrastructure and services by developing the National Archive Information System and strengthening the national archives network

This investment aims to improve the management and archiving of documents created by public authorities and the judicial system, through the linking of existing services and providing access to all public authorities concerned, while ensuring that citizens’ rights are protected. The planned investments shall contribute to reducing the cost of premises, equipment and human resources for institutions creating the documents as well as strengthen their capacity to manage digital documentation. Croatia shall explicitly identify the potential risks and associated specific mitigation measures against data security including when and if the use of third country cloud providers subject to extra territoriality laws is foreseen.

The investment shall include development of a national archive information system and the setting up of a new e-Archive service, within the state information infrastructure, linked to existing e-services. The implementation shall include the following activities:

-Development of IT systems including testing and data migration,

-Development of a repository for the storage of digitised records,

-Development of a digital public service for accessing and using digitised records,

-Strengthening storage capacity in 8 regional government archives to transfer permanent paper records,

-Strengthening human capacity through training for staff in 19 state archives and 120 judicial authorities to improve document management in the digital environment,

-Arranging and selecting paper records at the judicial authorities,

-Disposal of records by judicial authorities which have passed retention periods and are no longer used for regular business processes,

-The digitisation of selected paper records remaining in the judicial authorities in accordance with the professional guidelines for the digitisation of archives and the legislation in force.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C2.2 R4 – Functional and sustainable local government

This reform aims to establish a high quality and efficient system of local and regional government through incentivising both the functional and actual integration of local government units. The reform is expected to contribute to the improved, efficient and transparent provision of public services to citizens, providing them with equal opportunities to meet their needs and interests, regardless of their place of residence.

The relevant legislation, the Act on Execution of 2022 State Budget of the Republic of Croatia, shall be amended and a financial support mechanism shall be put in place to incentivise both functional and actual mergers. Sufficient resources shall be ensured in the state budget to financially encourage the actual merger of at least 20% of the local government units, and a functional merger of at least 40% of the local government units. In the design phase of the mechanism, a number of possible financing models for joint performance shall be identified, taking into account the scope of services the local and regional government units must render as defined by law and the reported needs of the units to carry out the joint tasks. The successful completion of the process of actual or functional mergers shall be a prerequisite for the allocation of additional resources or co-financing from the national budget. The Croatian Government’s decision shall lay down the criteria and the level of incentives, with greater fiscal incentives for actual mergers, while the incentives for functional mergers depend on the number and type of functions envisaged for the merger.

Amendments to the regulations relating to the financial support mechanism for local and regional authorities, allowing for mergers financial incentives to be disbursed.

The reform shall be completed by 31 March 2022.

Investment C2.2 R4-I1 – Further optimisation and decentralisation of local and regional government units through support for functional and actual mergers

This investment shall include upgrading of the IT system to support the accompanying reform (C2.2 R4) and establish a high quality system for fostering functional and actual mergers of local government units. These shall provide services to citizens in a more human-centric and transparent way and strengthen their administrative capacity, so that they are more efficient in carrying out their tasks. The units shall be encouraged to either execute tasks jointly (functional merger) or to actually merge with other local self-governing units, by providing them with adequate expertise, as well as by setting up a financial incentive system.

The IT system referred above and developed under the European social fund project “Optimisation of the Local and Regional Self-Government System” shall be upgraded and made available to the local government units. The IT system shall enable units to detect more clearly which tasks would be more efficient to perform jointly with other local government unit(s) and which units are suitable partners for joint performance of the tasks. The data collected through the system shall also serve as a basis for an actual mergers of units that express interest for such mergers.

A self-assessment questionnaire shall be drawn up and completed by the local government units to complement the available data. Guidelines and recommendations for the mergers shall be prepared on the basis of aforementioned data. The system shall enable a comprehensive overview of which task could be executed jointly as well as propose models for mergers, such as setting up a joint administrative body or a joint institutions. In case of actual mergers, the system shall provide indications of necessary steps and a selection of suitable partner units.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

H.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 163 | C2.2. R1 | M | Amended legislative framework for a centralised system of selection in the state administration, identifying the necessary qualifications of civil servants and establishing a modern recruitment system | Entry into force of an amended legislative framework for a centralised system for the selection of civil servants, |  |  |  | Q2 | 2023 | The revised legislation shall include at least the following measures:  — defining job profiles specific to the national administration in order to attract the necessary competences and skills;  — Creating a single employment platform to centralise recruitment procedures within a single platform for all national administrations;  — Adjust the recruitment process for: i) the transition from a knowledge-only system to a system based primarily on competences and appropriate skills; ii) the assessment of competencies for the performance of civil servants; iii) distinguishing between recruitments at initial level, which should be based exclusively on competences, and recruitment of specialised profiles, which should combine competences with relevant work experience and lead to access to careers at a higher level;   —Strengthen commitment to gender balance and ensure gender equity in recruitment, as well as promotion of women to senior management positions. |
| 164 | C2.2. R1-I1 | T | 100% of all newly recruited, permanent civil servants in government bodies are employed exclusively through a new centralised, digitised and standardised selection and recruitment system, available through a newly developed IT platform. |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 100 | Q4 | 2024 | A centralised selection system for civil servants shall be introduced and implemented on the basis of pre-established reception plans based on workload analyses and the actual needs of public authorities to recruit a certain profile of officials. The system shall provide that, in the recruitment process, candidates are tested online to ensure a more transparent and objective selection of candidates. |
| 165 | C2.2. R1-I2 | T | 100% of officials of all public institutions required to pass the state exam, digitally pass the state exam, based on a new exam model. |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 100 | Q4 | 2022 | 100% of officials of all public institutions, required to pass the state exam, pass the exam through a fully digitised model. The process of passing the State exam is digitised with a view to making the exam system more transparent, accessible (in multiple locations across the country) and efficient. |
| 166 | C2.2. R2 | M | Entry into force of Acts on salaries in the state administration and public services and of regulations for mobility | Entry into force of the Acts on salaries in the state administration and public services and of the regulations for vertical and horizontal mobility of civil servants in public administration |  |  |  | Q2 | 2023 | New legislation on salaries in the state administration and public services shall allow for a fair and transparent assessment of posts in accordance with established criteria, ensuring the harmonisation of grades and bonuses in the civil service and in the civil service, setting of coefficients at occupational level in consultation with the social partners, and the establishment of a reward system based on performance (work performance). A new payment system shall be created and the new Acts on civil service salaries and public services salaries shall include provisions to evaluate posts fairly and transparently in line with established criteria and ensure harmonisation of salaries in the civil service and public services, and establish a reward system based on work performance.     The legislative framework (Civil Service Act and bylaws) for vertical and horizontal mobility shall be amended. This includes a career plan that includes possible access to middle and senior management posts and strengthening the link between career progression and performance assessment. Additionally, setting the preconditions for an efficient labour market in the public administration including (a) the creation of a transparent and uniform advertising system for all vacancies in the public administration (b) the possibility to apply for any available job anywhere in the public administration. |
| 167 | C2.2. R2-I1 | T | The human resources management system, Registry of Public Officials and Centralised Salary System (RegZap – Cop), is complemented with nine new functionalities, digitising all related processes that shall simplify and speedup the amendment of the salary system |  | Number | 0 | 9 | Q2 | 2024 | Nine new functionalities shall be developed and implemented in the REGZAP-COP (these being: drafting of acts on staff rights and obligations, evaluation, work records, career planning and development, internal labour market and personalised approach to the system by officials, missions) to support the implementation of the proposed changes to the salary system. |
| 168 | C2.2. R2-I2 | T | At least 20% of civil servants work in the smartworking model |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 20 | Q3 | 2023 | 20% of civil servants already work in the smartworking model, enabling them to work remotely in order to provide a continuous, high-quality public service accessible to all and to increase the motivation of officials. |
| 169 | C2.2. R2-I2 | T | At least 60% of civil servants trained in smartworking working method |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 60 | Q3 | 2023 | 60% of civil servants are trained in the smartworking model and have the necessary skills to work remotely in order to provide a continuous, high-quality public service accessible to all and to increase the motivation of officials. |
| 170 | C2.2. R3 | M | Establishment of an e-conservation service | E-conservation base digital public service fully functional and accessible |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | By establishing digital infrastructure and public administration services, the development of a system of conservation bases enhances documentation management by public authorities and other document creators as essential supporting functions for all business processes. The e-conservation system shall enable a more efficient delivery of public administration services using implemented ICT solutions that ensure interoperability and data sharing, cost reduction, business transparency and the protection of citizens’ rights.  The digital public service (e-conservation base) linked to existing digital public services shall be established, removing administrative obstacles in the licensing process under the Law on the Protection and Conservation of Cultural Property. |
| 171 | C2.2. R3 | M | Establishment of a national archive information system | National Archives Information System fully functional and accessible |  |  |  | Q2 | 2024 | A national archive information system shall be established to improve documentation management by public authorities and other creators of documents, as an essential supporting function for all business processes. |
| 172 | C2.2. R3-I1 | T | Creation of a set of 60 publicly available conservatoria bases for the most complex cultural and historical sites of high monument value |  | Number | 0 | 60 | Q2 | 2026 | 60 e-conservation bases have been created and made public. The e-conservation base is a digital expert documentation containing a graphical and textual part, covering identification, situation analysis, valorisation and conservation measures for cultural and historical values in a defined geographic area. Spatial planning documents, depending on the type and area, must contain data from the conservation base including measures for the protection of immovable cultural goods in the area.  An e-conservatory base shall be developed for each of the most complex cultural historical sites of high monument value that meet the criteria of endangerment and urgency for completion in view of the planned construction operations. |
| 173 | C2.2. R3-I2 | T | 600 document creators use the archive information system |  | Number | 0 | 600 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 600 creators using the national information system to manage and store documentation. Data on the number of individual creators accessing the system shall be analysed and reported by the Ministry.  The system enables a more efficient delivery of public administration services using implemented ICT solutions that ensure interoperability and data sharing, cost reduction, business transparency and the protection of citizens’ rights. |
| 174 | C2.2. R4 | M | Amendment of the legislative frameworks to encourage the voluntary functional or actual merger of the local government units (LGUs) and adoption of a Decision of the Croatian Government on the criteria for granting fiscal incentives for voluntary functional or actual mergers | Entry into force of the legislative framework |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | Amended legislative framework and the financial support mechanism shall encourage a functional and effective merger of the local government units (LGUs), while ensuring sufficient resources in the state budget to financially encourage the actual merger of at least 20% of the LGUs, i.e. a minimum of 40% of the LGUs over the period up to 2026. In doing so, the functionally merged LGUs shall retain the same budget resources available to them prior to the merger, for a minimum period of two years, the incentives shall also cover one-off blending costs and shall provide additional resources based on the savings achieved over the next five years. In addition, incentives for real LGU mergers shall include one-off capital transfers over five years to be used by LGU dedicated to infrastructure projects. The Croatian Government’s decision shall lay down the criteria and the level of incentives, with greater fiscal incentives for actual mergers, while the incentives for functional mergers depend on the number and type of functions envisaged for the merger. Following the adoption of the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, a public invitation to the LGUs for expression of interest in the voluntary functional or actual merger shall be published in the official journal. |
| 175 | C2.2. R4-I1 | M | Support mechanism for voluntary functional and real connections and the establishment of a complete support system for functional and effective coupling of units | A comprehensive support mechanism is in place for functional/actual mergers of local government units |  |  |  | Q2 | 2025 | Support for the further process of functional job optimisation within the remit of local units is completed and the following tasks and support measures have been carried out:  — (self-)assessment of the capacity of units to carry out the tasks within their scope and demonstrate the need for and interest in the joint performance of the tasks, i.e. the actual merger, in all local government units;  — Identification of operations suitable for joint performance between individual units  —Implementation of an IT support system for functionally linking the tasks of local government units   —Education of 50 officials of the state administration to support local government units in terms of functional connections and actual mergers are completed.  —Education of 100 local government unit officials to carry out joint tasks as part of a functional link are completed. |

   I. COMPONENT 2.3: DIGITAL TRANSITION OF SOCIETY AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Croatia ranks 20th in 2020 in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), with significant room for improvement in the online accessibility of public services. Croatia’s low digital connectivity also hinders the further development of the country’s digital economy and contributes to the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

The objective of this component is to support the digital transition of Croatia’s economy and society. It includes reforms and investments to digitize the public administration, increase the provision of online public services and provide access to gigabit connectivity networks in areas affected by market failure including rural areas.

This component contributes to addressing the Country Specific Recommendations on the need to “Increase access to digital infrastructure and services” (Country Specific Recommendation 2, 2020) and to “Focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on high‑speed broadband” (Country Specific Recommendation 3, 2020).

The component includes four reforms and twenty investments.

I.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C2.3.R1: Digital Croatia Strategy and strengthening inter-institutional cooperation and coordination for a successful digital transition of society and the economy

The objective of this reform is to steer the digital transformation of Croatia’s society and economy for the next decade. It shall provide a strategic framework, “Croatia’s 2030 Digital Strategy”, setting the frame for investments in the digital transition and defining strategic objectives in the following areas: (i) digital transition of the economy, (ii) digitisation of public administration and justice, (iii) digital connectivity/development of broadband electronic communications networks and (iv) development of digital skills and digital jobs.

The reform shall also set up a mechanism to coordinate the preparation and implementation of projects supporting the digital transformation of society and the economy at national, regional and local level, with guidelines for clear prioritisation and evaluation criteria for investments.

Reform C2.3.R2: Improving the interoperability of information systems

The objective of this reform is to support the provision of digital public services and to facilitate the interaction between citizens/businesses and the public administration. The reform also aims to introduce advanced data analytics in the national administration, with the view to support data-driven decision-making at all levels of the administration.

While public authorities in Croatia currently use hundreds of different registers and databases, the reform is expected to create the preconditions for the establishment of a central register (central interoperable system) interconnecting core registers (Investment C2.3.R2.I1), as well as for the establishment of a central database enabling the use of advanced data analytics for competent authorities (Investment C2.3.R2.I2).

The reform is expected to bring systemic changes, towards the development of interoperable systems at national level and towards data-driven decision-making. It is also expected to improve the online provision of quality public services to businesses and citizens.

The measure shall define an organisational and management structure for the management of the Central Interoperability System as well as the catalogue of e-services to be connected to the Central Interoperability System. It shall also develop the ecosystem to collect, process, analyse, display and share data, with the view to introducing data analytics in the national administration as a new way of working at all levels of decision-making.

This reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.3.R2-I1: Establishment of a central interoperability system

The objective of this investment is to build a central register for public authorities, with the view to remedy the current fragmentation (where hundreds of registers are used by public authorities), by setting-up a central interoperable system interconnecting base registers, in line with the European Interoperability Framework (EIF).

The investment shall include the setting up of a central national portal, which shall integrate and interconnect at least eight existing core public registers (such as register for births, place of residence, war veterans) into an interoperable central register. The central register shall ensure that the information from the various registers is consolidated in one interoperable register and available to public administrations, citizens and businesses.

The central registry shall also enable the online provision of the 21 administrative procedures listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (the Single Digital Gateway Regulation).

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C2.3.R2-I2: Establishment of a central data repository and business analytics system

The objective of this investment is to build a central data warehouse (DWH) for government authorities, which is expected to improve the data management system, by facilitating the collection of data in standardised formats, the processing, analysing and sharing of data across public authorities (such as State and local government units). The platform shall enable real-time data analysis and shall produce advanced data analytics tools (such as pre-defined business indicators, dashboards and reports on a daily basis), which are expected to significantly improve data-driven decision-making at all levels of the national administration.

A part of the data warehouse shall also be accessible to citizens and businesses, with the view to enable the private sector to build and develop value-added services on the data and analytical tools made available to them.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.3.R3-I1: Upgrading the Shared Services Centre

The objective of this investment is to expand the capacity of the State cloud (Shared Services Centre, ‘CDU’), to enable a large increase in the number of users and upgrade it with the development of new functionalities, which shall include:

-A platform for the development, implementation and testing of applications for users,

-A platform for ICT support,

-A central information security monitoring system for managing potential security events on the information and communication infrastructure,

-A Biometric Authentication Platform that establishes a biometric identification service integrated in the existing central system for users’ rights and identity management,

-A platform to easily create and manage the digital content of the websites of the users, with features for intuitive indexation, search and retrieval of content, format, review, publication and discussion forums,

-A platform for the development of block-chain technologies for the State cloud, in line with the European Block-chain Services Infrastructure.

The Shared Services Centre (CDU) platform shall be integrated into the Common European Data Spaces to enable secure hosting, access and modification of data and services at EU level.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R3-I2: Strengthening the capacity of the police to tackle cybercrime

The objective of the investment is to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of the Interior to fight cybercrime.

The investment includes the purchase of specialised equipment for the police for the analysis of digital evidence, specialised training for police officers for detecting and combating cyber-attacks and the implementation of public prevention campaign targeting businesses and citizens to raise awareness against cybercrime.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.3.R3-I3: Establishing a one-stop shop for all e-public helpdesk services

The objective of the investment is to create a one-stop-shop (JKC) which harmonises and centralises the helpdesk system of all public administrations’ online services. The one-stop-shop is expected to provide a new, improved service for citizens and businesses to communicate with public administrations and shall enable users to easily find the information requested. The one-stop-shop shall also have features to enable users to send feedback, assess the quality of interaction with civil servants and post evaluation, which is expected to transform the interaction between Croatia’s public administration and its users.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C2.3.R3-I4: Consolidation of CEZIH health information infrastructure systems

The objective of the investment is to upgrade the Central Information Health System of the Republic of Croatia (CEZIH), which is used by all actors in the health system (such as hospitals, medical staff, medical schools, public health institutions, pharmacies, laboratories).

The investment shall in particular migrate the system into the State cloud (Shared Services Centre) and shall establish disaster recovery solutions, in order to ensure business continuity and provide a continuous, reliable and secure mode of operation of the Central Health Information System.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C2.3.R3-I5: Digital Identity Card Deployment Project

The objective of the investment is to promote the use of electronic signatures in citizens’ interaction with the public administration. The measure is expected to enable users of e-IDs to sign documents on mobile platforms.

It shall set up a Digital Identity Management System (IDP) and a mobile signing system to issue remote certificates for a remote qualified electronic signature. The issuance of such certificate is a pre-requisite for signing documents electronically on mobile platforms or in mobile signature applications.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

  

Investment C2.3.R3-I6: Investment in State information infrastructure networks

The objective of this investment is to modernise and expand the capacity of the national information infrastructure network (DII network), used by public authorities in Croatia to provide online services to citizens and businesses.

The investment includes the design of a new secure network architecture that meets the needs of the authorities and connects all users to a single network. In particular, the new network shall ensure broadband access to a very high capacity network (10Gbps) for all public authorities. To ensure continued connectivity of all institutions in the system, the investment shall modernise the Network Monitoring Centre (NOC) and establish a system, available 24 hours a day and 7 days per week, for providing engineering troubleshooting and assistance to users.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C2.3.R3-I7: Improvement of the system of spatial planning, construction and state assets through digitisation

The objective of this investment is to upgrade the Spatial Planning and State Property Information System (ISPU) to establish an integrated spatial planning information system and enable the digitisation of procedures related to the preparation and implementation of individual projects, from identifying the localisation of the project to obtaining the necessary permits.

The measure shall also enable the acquisition of satellite images of the high-resolution area of Croatia and the development of digital spatial plans.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C2.3.R3-I8: Creation of a digital mobile platform

The objective of this investment is to create a mobile digital public service platform to enable citizens to easily use online public services on their smartphones. The existing “eCitizens services” have been developed for personal computers and are currently not adapted to mobile devices, hence the need for a platform adapted to mobile applications.

This investment, using state-of-the-art technologies and standards, shall build a platform that provides a standardized way of offering public services on mobile platforms (such as the request for proof of birth certificate, request for proof of residence, registration of a change of address; registration of a motor vehicle). It shall connect all related registers and databases to the Central Data Interchange Bus (GSB). The investment shall also enable the National Identification Authentication System (NIAS) to be upgraded to the latest authentication trends for mobile platforms, implementing modern biometric application methods.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C2.3.R3-I9: Establishing a new platform for the Electronic Public Procurement Bulletin of the Republic of Croatia

The objective of this investment is to establish a new IT platform for the e-procurement system, with the view to support the digitisation of the public procurement process and to implement the new standard forms for the publication of notices in the field of public procurement laid down in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780 (e-forms).

The investment shall modernise the IT platform of the Croatian Electronic Public Procurement Advertisement (EOJN), which is currently based on an outdated technology and does not properly support the efficient conduct of public procurement procedures. In particular, the measure shall enable to link all procurement processes (from procurement plan, through the conduct of the procedure to data on payments based on concluded contracts) and shall introduce online appeals (e-appeals) as mandatory and the possibility for the online payment of fees. The investment shall also establish a framework for tracking compliance with certain minimum mandatory criteria and objectives (such as strategic, green or innovative public procurement).

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C2.3.R3-I10: Digitalisation and computerisation of the CES (eHZZ)

The objective of this investment is to digitise the Croatia Employment Service (CES – HZZ), which currently provides most documentation in paper format with no automated system for digital storage of documentation. The investment is expected to set up a digital identity management system, a human resources management system and to digitise the CES’ archives.

The investment shall fully automate and digitise the CES’s business processes, with new IT solutions to speed up and automate the work of the CES, increasing the level of security of all business data, and enable the circulation and central processing of electronic documents, digital and biometric signatures.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R3-I11: ICT support modernisation of HZMO (eHZMO)

The objective of this investment is to modernise the outdated IT system of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) and digitise its core business processes. The measure is expected to increase HZMO’s efficiency and support its provision of quality services.

The investment shall build a new IT system to support core processes, which shall include modules for managing:

-the calculations for pension and child benefits,

-contributions and payment records,

-beneficiary data,

-appeals, review procedures and disputes,

-digital documentation and archives,

-analytical and accounting data,

-financial operations,

-procurement, contracting and ordering processes,

-debt and liability (buyers/suppliers),

-asset management.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R3-I12 Digitalisation of the HZMO archives (eArhiva)

The objective of this investment is to digitise the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO)’s archives. The measure is expected to significantly improve the overall performance of HZMO’s work and the cost-effectiveness of archives management, which currently remains largely based on manual search. The investment shall establish a digital archive management system and a single place for the permanent storage of archives. The investment is meant to digitise existing material, but also to set up a central system that shall enable the digitisation of all newly created item, to be recorded and stored in the digital archive system.

The HZMO currently has some 4.5 million files at its disposal. The investment is meant to digitize 1.000.000 active files (around 50.000.000 pages).

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R3-I13: Digital transformation of the Tax Administration

The objective of this investment is to modernise the Tax Administration Information System, with the view to develop a user-friendly IT platform with access for both taxpayers and tax administration officials, and thereby increase the tax administration efficiency.

The investment shall upgrade the Tax Administration’s ICT infrastructure and develop a platform, which enables the automation of tax administration’s business processes. The platform shall also provide data analytics and support the future needs of the Tax Administration, increase the security of the ICT infrastructure security and ensure business continuity in case of crisis situations.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R3-I14: Implementation of the non-cash payment system in the economy through e-Invoices with integrated e-archives and active tax accounting

The objective of this investment is to establish an online tax accounting system with the aim of reducing administrative burden on taxpayers.

The investment shall set-up a new IT system for registering electronic invoices (e-invoices) issued by public authorities for non-cash payment in the Tax Administration Information System. The investment shall also establish a VAT advanced online accounting system,

The investment is expected to contribute to the simplification of tax returns by reducing the number of forms required and support tax compliance.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.3.R3-I15: Setting up tourism application solutions with the aim of administratively relieving entrepreneurs and transforming the tourism model towards sustainability

The objective of this investment is to develop new IT tools for the tourism public information system (e-tourism) to help manage tourism development effectively and support the sustainability of the sector.

The investment shall continue the digitization of the Croatian Sustainable Tourism Development Observatory system (CROSTO), with the development of a digital ‘Destination Development Monitoring System’ to monitor the sustainability of destinations in line with the ‘European Tourism Indicators System for Sustainable Destination Management’ (ETIS).

The investment shall also contribute to the improvement of business intelligence in tourism, using data derived from various sources, such as the ‘central tourism register’, the ‘e-Visitor system’ or the CROSTO system.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C2.3.R3-I16: Digitalisation of processes in sport and recreation at local and regional level

The objective of this investment is to upgrade the “Information System in Sport” (ISS), which is the IT system used by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, with the view to facilitate access to the system for all relevant stakeholders, in particular at local and regional level. It is also meant to support the development of electronic procedures and e-services for citizens and stakeholders active in the sport sector.

The investment shall:

-Set up an application module for providing sports clubs with direct access to basic registers and records of the Information System in Sport, with the possibility of entering relevant data, such as sports records and athletes’ medical examinations records;

-Set up digital tools and digital procedures for monitoring public funding of sports programs at national, regional and local level, with the view to harmonising, simplifying and increasing the transparency of the process, also at local and regional level;

-Set up an application module for the collection of data on sports and health-oriented physical exercise, included the establishment of a basic register in the field of health-oriented physical exercise (recording information on existing programs and professional staff for example).

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C2.3.R4: Strengthening connectivity as a cornerstone of the digital transition of society and the economy

The objective of this reform is to pave the way for ensuring the availability of electronic communications networks providing gigabit connectivity to households and socio-economic drivers, in line with the objectives of the European Gigabit Society.

This reform aims to ensure the timely and comprehensive implementation of the regulatory and strategic framework in the area of electronic communications, through the adoption of the Electronic Communications Act, consistently with the provisions of Directive (EU) 2018/1972 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code, and the implementation of the objectives of the National Broadband Plan in Croatia for the period 2021-2027.

The reform is expected to identify and address administrative burden and regulatory barriers related to the construction of gigabit connectivity networks, including 5G networks, in order to encourage investment in the roll-out of 5G networks.

This reform is complementary to the digital connectivity investments through broadband connections in fixed and in advanced wireless and mobile networks, including through the use of 5G technologies.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R4-I1: Implementation of projects under the National Framework Programme for the Development of Broadband Infrastructure in areas where there is insufficient commercial interest in investment

The objective of this investment is to reduce the digital divide in Croatia by increasing national broadband coverage with gigabit connectivity in areas where there is insufficient commercial interest, in line with the National Framework Programme for the Development of Broadband Access Infrastructure. Further investment in connectivity are expected to be financed through other national or EU funds with a view to reach the EU gigabit ambition objectives.

The investment aims to ensure that households and main socio-economic drivers in areas where there is insufficient commercial interest (NGA white areas) have access to gigabit connectivity networks. The investment is meant to include around 20 projects of local government units covering around 700 000 inhabitants and around 124 000 households. The exact number of projects and coverage is meant to be identified after the calls for projects and selection of projects are implemented.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.3.R4-I2: Construction of passive electronic communications infrastructure

The objective of this investment is to increase the availability of Gigabit networks (providing 5G connectivity) in rural and sparsely populated areas where there is no commercial interest in the construction of these networks.

It includes the construction of passive electronic communications infrastructure, such as the construction of stand-alone antenna poles, provision of fibre or microwave transmission capacity to connect mobile electronic communications network to base stations. It shall enable the development of 5G networks in the areas covered and be available for use by all on equal terms.

The investment is meant to target rural areas located in counties with the lowest socio-economic indicators (low demographic, social and economic conditions compared to the national average).

The management of the infrastructure to be built through the investment shall be carried out exclusively on a not-for-profit basis, with the aim of ensuring that the proceeds from renting the infrastructure cover all operating and maintenance costs of the infrastructure. In the event of rental income exceeding the costs, the surplus shall be directed towards the expansion or construction of new infrastructure capacity.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

I.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 176 | C2.3. R1 | M | Digital Croatia Strategy | Entry into force of the Digital Croatia Strategy |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The “Digital Strategy for Croatia 2030” shall clearly define strategic objectives and priorities that will form the basis for defining actions in the following areas: digitalisation of public administration and judiciary; development of broadband electronic communications networks; developing digital competences and digital jobs. |
| 177 | C2.3. R2  C2.3. R2.I2 | M | Set-up of the platforms for the central interoperability system | Report from the Central Office for the Development of Digital Society (SDURDD) that the platforms are operational and tested for use |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The central national interoperability portal shall provide a catalogue of all services available and the Data Warehouse (DWH) shall be operational for use. |
| 178 | C2.3. R2-I1 | M | Set-up of the central interoperability system | Report from the Central Office for the Development of Digital Society (SDURDD) that the system is operational and tested for use |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The central interoperable system shall be operational for use, including the online provision of the 21 administrative procedures listed in Annex II of the Single Digital Gateway Regulation |
| 179 | C2.3. R3-I1 | T | Upgrade of the State Cloud | Report from the Central Office for the Development of Digital Society (SDURDD) | Number | 0 | 6 | Q4 | 2022 | 6 new functionalities shall be operational for use in the State cloud (CDU) and accessible to users:  -A platform for the development, implementation and testing of applications for users,  -A platform for ICT support,  -A central information security monitoring system for managing potential security events,  -A Biometric Authentication Platform,   -A platform to manage the digital content of the websites,  -A platform for the development of block-chain technologies for the State cloud. |
| 180 | C2.3. R3-I1 | T | Increase in number of users in the Shared Services Centre |  | Number | 0 | 450 | Q2 | 2026 | -450 new users shall be integrated in the Shared Services Centre |
| 181 | C2.3. R3-I2 | M | Pilot project on cybersecurity | Report from the Ministry of the Interior |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | Pilot project for system stress test shall be carried out – with simulation of ‘cyber dependent’ and ‘cyber enabled’ criminal offences.      The system shall be equipped with specific software and hardware components for cybercrime investigation, open source search on the Internet and digital forensics, and investigation analysis sets for the analysis of digital evidence. The implementation of the project shall fulfil the necessary pre-condition for upgrading forensic tools and systems, as well as secret surveillance systems for electronic communications networks and services, necessary to increase the level of cyber security in Croatia and the EU. Once the equipment has been acquired and fully operational, a pilot project to simulate cyber-crime research in the form of Tabletop Exercise shall be carried out, to assess the contribution of the equipment to the achievement of the measures and objectives of the cyber-enforcement project. |
| 182 | C2.3. R3-I2 | M | Cybersecurity public prevention campaign | Report from the Ministry of the Interior |  |  |  | Q1 | 2024 | A public prevention campaign shall be carried out on cybercrime manifestations and prevention measures, monitored by the following indicators:  - number of preventive awareness-raising and education activities carried out by different target groups on measures of self-protective behaviour in relation to the risks of cybercrime   - number of participants in the activities  - number of preventive materials distributed  - number of media posts (includes all media)  - number of target groups’ responses on social media  - number and processed results of on line surveys carried out via social networks  - number of evaluation of target groups carried out using quantitative methods |
| 183 | C2.3. R3-I3 | M | Establishment of a one-stop shop | Report from the Central Office for the Development of Digital Society (SDURDD) that the one-stop-shop is established and operational for use |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The one-stop shop platform (JKC) providing information and customer support to citizens and businesses in a single centralised location, shall be established and operational for use. |
| 184 | C2.3. R3-I4 | M | CEZIH IT system | Report from the Ministry of Health |  |  |  | Q2 | 2023 | Croatia’s central health information system shall be operational for use in the state cloud (CDU) |
| 185 | C2.3. R3-I5 | T | Digital Identity Card e-signature | Report from the Agency on Digital Security (AKD) | Number | 0 | 300 000 | Q4 | 2023 | 300 000 certificates shall have been issued for remote qualified electronic signature. |
| 186 | C2.3. R3-I6 | M | Establishment of the State information infrastructure (DII) network | Report from the Central Office for the Development of Digital Society (SDURDD) |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The upgraded State information infrastructure network (DII), with improved features in terms of availability, reliability and security, shall be operational for use. |
| 187 | C2.3. R3-I6 | T | New users of the State information infrastructure network (DII) | Report from SDURDD | Number | 36 | 136 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 100 new users shall be connected to the State information infrastructure network, at each location where they use network resources, through the provision of fibre infrastructure to each site as well as terminal equipment. |
| 188 | C2.3. R3-I7 | T | Digital spatial plans | Report from MPGI | Number | 0 | 570 | Q4 | 2024 | Creation of 570 Next Generation spatial plans (spatial plans in digital form) |
| 189 | C2.3. R3-I7 | M | Upgrade of the Spatial Plans Information System | Report from MPGI |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | Electronic modules shall be established for the digitalisation of procedures in spatial planning, construction and state assets as part of the Spatial Planning Information System |
| 190 | C2.3. R3-I8 | T | Digital e-public services integrated into the new mobile platform | Report from SDURDD that the 20 eServices are integrated and operational for use | Number | 0 | 20 | Q4 | 2024 | At least 20 eServices shall be integrated into the mobile platform and be operational for use, including: Request for proof of birth certificate; Request proof of residence; Applying for funding for tertiary education studies; Submitting an initial application for admission to a public higher education institution; Request for academic recognition of diplomas, certificates or other evidence of studies or courses; Notification of changes in the personal or professional circumstances of the person receiving social security benefits relevant to such benefits; Request for a European Health Insurance Card; Filing of income tax returns; Registration of a change of address; Registration of a motor vehicle originating in or already registered in a Member State, in standard procedures; Obtaining labels for the use of state road infrastructure: time charges (vignette), distance-based charges (tolls), issued by a public authority or institution; Obtaining emission labels issued by a public authority or institution; Claiming pension benefits and pension benefits from compulsory schemes; A request for information on pensions from compulsory schemes; Notice of business activity, business licence, change of business activity and cessation of business activity not involving bankruptcy or winding-up procedures, excluding initial registration of business activity in the business register and excluding constitutional procedures or any subsequent application by companies or firms; Registration of employer (natural person) with compulsory pension and insurance schemes; Registration of employees with compulsory pension and insurance schemes; Filing of income tax returns; Filing of income tax returns; Notification of the social security scheme of the termination of an employee’s contract, excluding procedures for the collective dismissal of an employee’s agreement; The payment of social contributions for employees; Travelling with the right to proof. |
| 191 | C2.3. R3-I9 | M | Establishment of a new public procurement platform and mobile application | First public procurement procedure launched on the new e-tendering platform |  |  |  | Q3 | 2023 | The new platform for conducting public procurement procedures, and the mobile application shall be operational, with public procurement procedure being launched on the new e-tendering platform. |
| 192 | C2.3. R3-I10 | M | CES’ digital identity and human resources management systems | Report from CES/HZZ |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The CES’ digital identity management system and digital human resources management system shall be in place and operational. |
| 193 | C2.3. R3-I10 | M | Completion of the digitalisation of the CES | Report from CES/HZZ |  |  |  | Q2 | 2026 | The digitisation of the CES shall have been completed: a security incident and event management system and a core-process support system shall be set-up, the e\_Advisor system and complete the digitisation of archives project, and set up a system for accounting and complete a digital document management project shall be operational. |
| 194 | C2.3. R3-I11 | M | Upgraded IT system of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) | Report from HZMO |  |  |  | Q2 | 2026 | The new IT system and core business processes of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) shall be operational |
| 195 | C2.3. R3-I12 | M | Digital archives of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) | HZMO’s handover record of the operating system for managing digital archives |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The system for managing digital archives (Digital Archives Management System) shall be operational |
| 196 | C2.3. R3-I12 | T | Number of pages in the new Digital Archives | HZMO’s handover record of the pages scanned and indexed digitally | Number | 0 | 50 000 000 | Q2 | 2026 | 50 000 000 pages from national archives shall have been scanned and indexed in the new Digital Archives |
| 197 | C2.3. R3-I13 | M | New Tax Administration Information System | Implementation report from the Ministry of Finance – Tax Administration, stating that the new tax administration information system is operational |  |  |  | Q2 | 2026 | A new tax information system shall be operational with new functionalities (including a new data analytics platform, a new user experience design for taxpayers and tax officials with an upgraded ICT infrastructure, digitalisation of all processes related to these functionalities, with a view to simplifying and speeding up the process, safe business continuity in crisis situations, enhanced security level of ICT infrastructure, consolidated and optimised information-communication infrastructure) |
| 198 | C2.3. R3-I13 | T | Percentage of tax determination and collection procedures implemented digitally through the new system | Report from the Ministry of Finance – Tax Administration | % (Percentage) | 0 | 80 | Q2 | 2026 | 80% of existing tax determination and collection procedures shall be implemented digitally through the new modernised tax information system |
| 199 | C2.3. R3-I14 | M | System for e-invoices and online VAT accounting | Report from the Ministry of Finance – Tax Administration |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The new system for registering electronic invoices in the Tax Administration for all users (B2B model and taxable persons for public procurement) and advanced online VAT accounting shall be operational and ready to use |
| 200 | C2.3. R3-I15 | T | New tools in the tourism IT system | Report from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport (MINTS) | Number | 0 | 4 | Q4 | 2025 | New tools shall be operational:  1- for integrated administrative and non-administrative procedures to facilitate business operations and communication with the public administration    2- for the management of destinations and the establishment of value chains, including a solution to manage tourist flows   3 - Business intelligence in tourism to support entrepreneurs in business decision-making and public sector decision-making in public policy-making   4 – Continuing digitalisation of the CROSTO system |
| 201 | C2.3. R3-I16 | T | New application modules for the sport IT system | Report from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport (MINTS) | Number | 0 | 3 | Q1 | 2026 | Three new application modules shall be integrated in the upgraded sport information system (ISS):   1 – an application module for the provision of direct access by sports clubs to the basic registers and registers of the information system in sport;   2 – Application module for financing public sport needs of local and regional government units;   3 – Application module for data collection on sport and health-oriented physical exercise |
| 202 | C2.3. R4 | M | Optimisation of the permit granting process for connectivity investments | Entry into force of a revised legal framework |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | A revised legal framework shall support the optimisation of the licensing process and allow the presentation of the electronic communication infrastructure in spatial plans. The new framework shall address administrative burden and regulatory barriers related to the construction of very high capacity networks, including 5G networks. |
| 203 | C2.3. R4-I1 | M | Grant agreements signed for the implementation of the projects under the National Framework for development of broadband access infrastructure (ONP) | Report from the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (MSTI) |  |  |  | Q3 | 2023 | Grant agreements for 20 projects under the ONP shall be signed as a result of the selection process |
| 204 | C2.3. R4-I1 | T | Broadband access for households in white NGA areas | Report from the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (MSTI) | Number | 386 000 | 486 000 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 100 000 additional households in white NGA areas covered with broadband access of at least 100 MBit/s (upgradable to 1 Giga) in a direction to the user (download) |
| 205 | C2.3. R4-I2 | M | Grant agreement signed for the construction of passive electronic communications infrastructure | Report from the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (MSTI) |  |  |  | Q1 | 2023 | Signature of the Grant Agreement and start of project implementation for the construction of passive electronic communications infrastructure |
| 206 | C2.3. R4-I2 | T | Population with access to 5G | Report from the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (MSTI) | % (Percentage) | 0 | 80 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 80% of the rural and sparsely populated area (where the average population is less than 20/km²) within the scope of the project shall be covered by 5G mobile signal. |

   J. COMPONENT 2.4: IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT OF STATE ASSETS

The government held State owned enterprises (SOEs) generate around 7% of the value added of the overall economy and represent 4% of total employment. Given their significant role in the Croatian economy, improving corporate governance of SOEs and the continued reduction in the portfolio of government assets can lead to a distinct rise in overall productivity.

The objective of the component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to promote economic development and increase the overall efficiency of SOEs, through the following measures:

-Further reducing the number of SOEs.

-Improving the management of state properties.

-Adapting the national regulatory framework for corporate governance to international best practices based on OECD recommendations.

-Improving the governance in state-owned enterprises of particular interest to the Republic of Croatia and of majority-owned enterprises of central government and enhancing coordination between the competent national authorities.

-Strengthening human capacity to monitor corporate governance in SOEs.

The component supports addressing the country specific recommendations on improving corporate governance of SOEs and intensifying the sale of SOEs and non-productive assets (country-specific recommendation 4, 2019). The component also contributes to the post-ERM II-accession commitments to strengthen the SOE management.

J.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C2.4 R1 – Revising the list of state-owned enterprises of particular interest to Croatia

The objective of this reform is to rationalise state ownership by adopting a new ownership policy laying down the criteria for strategic assets and updating the list of SOEs that have a particular interest to Croatia and publishing the explanation justifying the decision to keep a company on this list.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2021.

Reform C2.4 R2 – Improving corporate governance in state-owned enterprises of particular interest to the Republic of Croatia and in majority-owned enterprises of central government.

Considering the importance of SOEs to the Croatian economy, the objective of this reform is to improve the corporate governance of SOEs.

The reform shall include the adoption of a new single law on State owned enterprises to implement the recommendations of the OECD, notably: (i) harmonise the regulatory framework for the corporate governance of SOEs; (ii) establish a central coordination unit on the implementation of ownership policy in the medium term; and (iii) strengthening the SOEs board’s autonomy and independence.

The reform shall be completed by 31 March 2024.

Reform C2.4 R3 – Strengthening human capacity to monitor corporate governance in state-owned enterprises

The reform aims to improve human capacity for the central government, through training, with a view to setting the financial and operational objectives of SOEs and improve coordination between the competent national authorities.

The reform shall include measures to strengthen the institutional capacity by training public officials with specific competences depending on the economic sector in which the SOEs operate.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C2.4 R4 – Continuing reducing the number of state-owned enterprises which are not of particular interest to Croatia

The objective of this reform is to continue reducing the number of SOEs which are not of particular interest to Croatia by way of selling through public bidding after removing, when necessary, existing obstacles to the disposal of shares of these companies.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C2.4 R5 – Optimisation of State-owned property management

The main objective of the reform is to increase the commercialisation and streamlining of, and returns from, state-owned property by developing an administrative IT system for the management of state-owned property portfolio. The reform is expected to lead to faster activation and more efficient utilization of unused state assets.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

J.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 207 | C2.4. R1 | M | New Croatian Government Decision adopted on state-owned enterprises of particular interest to Croatia | Publication of revised list of state-owned enterprises of particular interest to Croatia in accordance with established criteria |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The Government shall adopt and publish a new Decision defining a new list of state-owned enterprises of particular interest to Croatia. The decision shall include an explanation why a company is kept on this list. Companies listed - for which the existence of a public interest is not demonstrated - shall be transferred to Restructuring and Sales Centre (CERP) portfolio with a view to monetization of the assets. .    In this way, the portfolio of Croatia’s financial assets will be clearly separated into the part that is of particular interest and therefore shall remain State-owned and the part which is not of particular interest to Croatia and hence be monetised. |
| 208 | C2.4. R2 | M | New legal framework on state-owned enterprises, incorporating the recommendations of the OECD. | Provision on the entry into force of the law on state-owned enterprises and relevant decision and provisions |  |  |  | Q1 | 2024 | The new legal framework for the governance of SOEs shall include:  A new law including provisions to comply with the OECD guidelines on corporate governance of state-owned enterprises., i.e. the official OECD recommendations on corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in Croatia, and shall set up a single regulatory framework in the field of corporate governance of state-owned enterprises in Croatia.  The new regulatory framework shall also provide for the establishment of a central coordination unit with a view to a more efficient implementation of proprietary policy in the medium term, i.e. horizontal coordination between competent authorities in charge of carrying out the functions of proprietary powers.   The new law shall also include legal provisions strengthening board autonomy and independence and establishing that a) the state has to nominate/appoint members of the SOEs supervisory board within 3 months of the post becoming vacant, and b) that the line ministry proposes a candidate to the government based on a recommendation by the central coordination unit.  ii) a Government decision establishing a central ownership coordinating entity with the adequate mandate and resources, required to effectively fulfil its coordination role. The entity shall develop standards for corporate governance of SOEs and monitor compliance to those standards; monitor the performance of SOEs, and engage in regular public reporting.   iii) an Ownership Policy clearly outlining the rationale and objectives for state ownership of all SOEs fully or majority-owned at the national level and non-financial properties, outlining all corporate governance and disclosure requirements applicable to SOE, and establishing the obligation and the frequency for the revision of the list of state-owned enterprises of particular interest to Croatia. |
| 209 | C2.4. R3 | T | Training plan for line ministries and central coordination units in corporate governance activities |  | Number | 0 | 40 | Q2 | 2026 | Training shall be provided to at last 40 employees, and shall cover: the new regulatory framework for corporate governance; financial and accounting education and familiarisation with the new reporting system; the monitoring of technological changes taking place in specific sectors and industries, as well as changes in regulation and the use of various statistical tools, modelling and automation of database work. These trainings shall have as their overarching objective the promotion of sound ownership management. |
| 210 | C2.4. R4 | T | The realisation of the sale of 90 state-owned enterprises which are not of particular interest to the Republic of Croatia and are managed by CERP |  | Number | 0 | 90 | Q2 | 2026 | For a part of the state-owned enterprises not of particular interest to Croatia that are eligible to be sold and that do not foresee a restructuring process, advertising for the sale through public bidding, direct bid to shareholders in the event of a right of pre-emption and offers of shares on a regulated capital market shall be carried out.   By the end of 2Q/2026, the announcement for sale shall be made for at least 185 state-owned enterprises that are managed by the Restructuring and Sales Centre (CERP), and are not of particular interest to Croatia of which at least 90 shall have been sold. |
| 211 | C2.4. R4 | T | The realisation of the sales of 20 state-owned enterprises in the CERP portfolio that are not currently available for sale. |  | Number | 0 | 20 | Q2 | 2026 | For the remaining state-owned enterprises which are not of particular interest to Croatia, whose shares/units are not currently available to sell, all activities will be undertaken to remove existing provisions preventing the disposal of shares/units of these companies. Also, following the cancellation of the reservation of shares in the companies concerned, if the shares which are the subject of a reservation are not allocated to the former owners, they shall be disposed of immediately in accordance with the rules laid down by the law. |
| 212 | C2.4. R5 | M | Develop an IT system and a methodology for of state-owned property portfolio reduction and faster and efficient activation of unused government assets | Developed and implemented IT system and a methodology |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | Development of an IT system for the administration and management of the state-owned property portfolio shall be completed.  Develop a methodology that shall establish the way to manage effectively disposal of state-owned property for all forms of property emerging in the management of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property (MPGI).  The IT system together with the methodology shall enable the reduction of the State-owned property portfolio and a faster and efficient activation of unused state assets. The IT system shall establish an electronic connection to the databases of other government administrations and institutions, improving existing internal records on of state-owned property portfolio of the target group. |
| 213 | C2.4. R5 | T | Increasing the commercialisation, streamlining and activation of state-owned property |  | Number | 0 | 4 500 | Q2 | 2026 | State-owned property management shall be carried out to support the reduction of non-strategic State-owned property portfolio in Croatia and to more quickly and efficiently mobilise unused state assets, increasing their commercial or social outcomes/returns.  By the end of the second quarter of 2026, 4 500 property items contracts (contracts with compensation in favour of state budget and contracts free of charge) shall be concluded to increase the fiscal revenues, reduce public debt and activate the of state-owned property portfolio. This will be achieved by increasing announcements of public tenders for the disposal of non-strategic state-owned property in Croatia, creating the conditions for issuing international public calls for investment projects and further improving relations with local and regional government units (JLPRS) in order to activate the existing of state-owned property items portfolio and carry out development projects (infrastructure, cultural, social, economic, demographic) for the benefit of the community. |

   K. COMPONENT 2.5: MODERN JUSTICE FIT FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES

One of the main strategic objectives outlined in the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to achieve an efficient and effective justice system that shall contribute to the development of the economy and respond to citizens’ expectations of further strengthening the rule of law. The component includes one main reform, which shall contribute to reducing backlogs and shortening court proceedings.

The component supports addressing the Country Specific Recommendation on the further need to reduce the duration of court proceedings and improve electronic communication in courts (Country Specific Recommendation 4, 2019 and Country Specific Recommendation 4, 2020).

The component includes one reform and six investments.

K.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform: C2.5.R1: Increasing the efficiency of the justice system to increase citizens’ trust.

The aim of the reform is to establish a legal, organisational and technological framework that shall contribute to reducing backlogs and shortening court proceedings and focusing on transparent and efficient administration of the justice system.

The reform shall include the following legislative and procedural changes:

-Specialized annual courts action plans, which shall serve as guidelines to courts in achieving better performance indicators. Implementation of action plans shall be monitored by the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration.

-Amending the Bankruptcy Act and the Consumer Insolvency Act, with a view to ensure greater efficiency of insolvency proceedings, improve the system of appointment of insolvency practitioners and supervision of the performance of the service, implement Directive (EU) 2019/1023 and amend the Article 212 of the Bankruptcy Act relating to avoidance proceedings.

-Amending the legislative framework in the area of justice focusing on:

oAmendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and the Administrative Disputes Act to help shorten court proceedings, speed up the resolution of administrative disputes, reduce the flow of cases and reduce costs;

oApproving the new Non-contentious Procedure Act, in order to facilitate citizens’ access to courts, ensure quality and transparent redress and removes legal uncertainty;

oAmending the Law on Notaries with the aim of modernising the business of notaries through ICT solutions;

oAmending the Land Register Act for the electronic handling of cases with the objective of enabling a more efficient redistribution of cases within the courts;

oAmending the Courts Act and the Law on the Areas and Seats of Courts, which shall allow for the specialisation of judges and the establishment of specialised family units in municipal courts, with a view to ensuring a more effective level of judicial protection for the most vulnerable social groups, children, and which shall revise the conditions for providing expertise and interpretation, of which the system of compulsory professional training will be an important feature. The competence to decide on status issues shall be transferred from the courts to the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration and the system of oversight and accountability shall be strengthened.

-Adoption of new Framework Benchmarks for the work of judges which shall prescribe a higher number of cases to be resolved with a view to encouraging the processing of more cases, in particular old ones. Moreover, introducing the use of the active case management tool in selected courts, including the Zagreb Municipal Civil Court, with the aim of achieving greater efficiency. It shall create checklists, including tagging and self-assessment tools based on the international framework for judicial excellence.

The reform shall include the following organisational changes:

-The establishment of four mediation centres at the commercial courts in Zagreb, Split, Osijek and Rijeka and the amendment of the Mediation Act with the aim of contributing to the further promotion of voluntary mediation in litigation cases and administrative disputes, reducing the duration and costs of cases.

-Introduction of new training programmes as part of the judicial training programme for judicial officials and officers of the judicial authorities in the Judicial Academy focusing on:

oDeveloping different skills (management and management skills for court presidents, court management for heads of court administration and communication skills for court staff – three programmes).

oPromoting the rule of law and fundamental rights through high-quality education in the Croatian judiciary.

oSpecialised training programmes for insolvency judges and training courses for family law judges.

The reform shall include the following technological changes which shall be supported by investments C2.5 R1-I1, C2.5 R1-I2 and C2.5 R1-I3.

-Amending the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow the use of ICT in criminal proceedings, including the introduction of remote hearings, the extension of the possibility of giving on-line testimonies for victims of crime, the possibility to communicate with lawyers via a secure video link and the preparation of hearings for accused persons in pre-trial detention, and the introduction of e-communication.

-Providing electronic tools and adequate administrative capacities for the State Judicial Council (Državno sudbeno vijeće, DSV) and the State Attorney's Council (Državnoodvjetničko vijeće, DOV), in order to improve the quality of the work of both Councils. Increasing their human resources by 50% (by recruiting at least 4 persons) and the linking the DSV and the DOV to the common land registry and cadastre (ZIS) and tax administration information system, shall be implemented in order to establish an effective mechanism for verifying the asset declarations of state officials.

This reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.5.R1-I1 - Enhancing the Court Case Management System (eSpis).

The objective of the investment is to further upgrade the eSpis system (together with all modules, in particular e-Communication to enable electronic communication for all parties involved in court proceedings) and move towards a centralised hardware and software solution in order to enable better and cheaper future upgrades and development sustainability, but also stability, operability and security of the eSpis system.

The investment shall include adding new functionalities to the eSpis system with the aim of improving the digitisation of the justice system:

-Full electronic delivery of documents to e-citizens with user mailbox and information on electronic delivery in case of transmission of documents by physical delivery,

-Improved user experience through the implementation of an action plan containing recommendations on technical and IT management aspects (recommendations on administrative and business processes and technical recommendations) ,

-A new integrated architecture in the Shared Services Centre (State Cloud) to reduce system bottlenecks, increase stability and enable interoperability with other systems.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.5.R1-I2 - Improvement of land register information system and cadastre.

The aim is to increase the volume and quality of linked data between the land registry and cadastre data in Land Data Database (BZP) from the current 3,86% to 60% and to increase the efficiency of work in land registry procedures by implementing a software module (virtual assistant) based on artificial intelligence, and to provide citizens and businesses with user support and incentives to regulate land registry and cadastral status. The investment will take place with the overall aim of up to 100% completion rate (60% by 2026).

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C2.5.R1-I3 - Develop a toolkit for the public publication and search of court decisions.

The aim of the investment is to set up a system to publish all court decisions with automatic pre-anonymisation by specific software and to publish them on a single publicly accessible portal with elaborate search options, respecting the rules on the protection of personal data.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C2.5.R1-I4 - Design and implementation of the Zagreb Justice Square project to improve access to justice and efficiency of commercial procedures and administrative disputes.

The objective of the investment is to modernise the physical infrastructure and ensure adequate working conditions for commercial and administrative courts based in Zagreb by relocating administrative and commercial courts based in Zagreb to a central location. Moreover, in order to implement the reform measure to strengthen mediation, it is necessary to provide appropriate infrastructure requirements for the functioning of the Mediation Centre, which is also planned to be placed in the Justice Square.

The investment shall include the construction of a 50 000 m2 underground garage and a 24 000 m2 building.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment: C2.5.R1-I5: Implementation of energy efficiency measures to renovate obsolete facilities of judicial authorities.

The aim of the investment is to modernise and increase the efficiency of the work of some of the judicial and criminal authorities on Croatia’s territory by implementing energy efficiency measures, which shall contribute to the green transition. 20 buildings in the judicial system shall meet the standards on the rational use of energy and thermal protection. The investment concerns, on average, at least a medium-depth level renovation as defined in Commission Recommendation on Building Renovation (EU) 2019/786, resulting in achieving at least a 30% reduction of primary energy demand; or, will achieve, on average, at least a 30% reduction of direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to the ex-ante emissions. In addition, access to buildings shall be adapted to persons with disabilities. For this investment, priority shall be given to the locations of judicial authorities in economically less developed parts of Croatia.

This investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment: C2.5.R1-I6: Stable and resilient IT infrastructure for the Justice Information System.

The objective of this investment is to further update and consolidate existing applications to the State Cloud (Shared Service Centre) and to further develop the information systems infrastructure in the judiciary, in order to ensure full implementation of the action plans at national and EU level. New network architecture shall be established and new network equipment will be installed in order to enhance security of information systems and support necessary network capacities (specifically, due to migration of IT systems to the State Cloud and increased stability of applications). All courts of first instance shall be equipped and meet the conditions for remote hearings.

This investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

K.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 214 | C2.5. R1 | M | Electronic tools provided and adequate administrative capacities for the State Judicial Council (Državno sudbeno vijeće, DSV) and the State Attorney's Council (Državnoodvjetničko vijeće, DOV) | Electronic tools and adequate administrative capacities provided for the State Judicial Council (Državno sudbeno vijeće, DSV) and the State Attorney's Council (Državnoodvjetničko vijeće, DOV) |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | Electronic tools and adequate administrative capacities shall be in operation for the State Judicial Council (Državno sudbeno vijeće, DSV) and the State Attorney's Council (Državnoodvjetničko vijeće, DOV), in order to improve the quality of the work of both Councils. Their human resources shall be increased by 50% compared to 2021 baseline (by recruiting at least 4 persons) and the linking the DSV and the DOV to the common land registry and cadastre (ZIS) and tax administration information system, shall be implemented in order to establish an effective mechanism for verifying the asset declarations of state officials. |
| 215 | C2.5. R1 | M | Amendments adopted to the Bankruptcy Act and the Consumer Insolvency Act | Entry into force of the Bankruptcy Act and the Consumer Bankruptcy Act |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | Amendments to the Bankruptcy Act and the Consumer Insolvency Act (publication in the Official Gazette) which shall ensure greater efficiency of insolvency proceedings, improve the system of organisation and appointment of insolvency practitioners and supervision of the performance of the service, act as a deterrent against a potential increase in the number of cases due to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the amendment of Article 212 of the Bankruptcy Act relating to avoidance proceedings. |
| 216 | C2.5. R1 | M | Adopted amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure | Entry into force of amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure |  |  |  | Q2 | 2022 | Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act allowing the use of ICT in criminal proceedings, including the introduction of remote hearings, the extension of the possibility of giving on-line testimonies for victims of crime, the possibility to communicate with lawyers via a secure video link and the preparation of hearings for accused persons in pre-trial detention, and the introduction of e-communications. |
| 217 | C2.5. R1 | T | New training programmes introduced in the framework of the judicial training programme |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q1 | 2023 | Six new training programmes shall be completed as part of the judicial training programme for judicial officials and officers of the judicial authorities in the Judicial Academy:  -Developing different skills (management and management skills for court presidents, court management for heads of court administration and communication skills for court staff – three programmes).  -Promoting the rule of law and fundamental rights through high-quality education in the Croatian judiciary.  -Specialised training programmes for insolvency judges and training courses for family law judges. |
| 218 | C2.5. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the legislative framework in the area of justice with the new Non-contentious Procedure Act. | Entry into force of amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure, the Administrative Disputes Act, the Land Register Act, the Courts Act, the Area and Seat of Courts Act, the Notarial Act and the new Non-contentious Procedure Act. |  |  |  | Q2 | 2023 | I) Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and the Administrative Disputes Act, which shall help to shorten court proceedings, speed up the resolution of administrative disputes, reduce the flow of cases and reduce costs;   II) The new Non-contentious Procedure Act, which facilitates citizens’ access to courts, ensures quality and transparent redress and removes legal uncertainty;  III) Amendments to the Law on Notaries to modernise the business of notaries through ICT solutions;  IV) The Act amending the Land Register Act for the electronic handling of cases and allowing for a more efficient redistribution of cases within the courts;  V) the Act amending the Courts Act and the Law on the Areas and Seats of Courts, which shall allow for the specialisation of judges and the establishment of specialised family units in municipal courts, with a view to ensuring a more effective level of judicial protection for the most vulnerable social groups, children, and which shall revise the conditions for providing expertise and interpretation, of which the system of compulsory professional training will be an important feature. The competence to decide on status issues shall be transferred from the courts to the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration and the system of oversight and accountability shall be strengthened. |
| 219 | C2.5. R1 | T | Set up four mediation centres at commercial courts in Zagreb, Split, Osijek and Rijeka and adopted amendments to the Mediation Act |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q2 | 2023 | Amendments to the Mediation Act that shall further promote voluntary mediation in litigious cases and administrative disputes, reducing case length and costs. Four mediation centres shall be set up and enter in operation in Zagreb, Split, Osijek and Rijeka, where mediators shall be trained and mediation procedures conducted. The central centre in Zagreb and the regional centres in Split, Osijek and Rijeka shall be located in the same place as the commercial courts, the High Commercial Court of the Republic of Croatia, and it shall be possible to provide the necessary professional support to the parties. |
| 220 | C2.5. R1 | M | New Framework Benchmarks for the work of judges adopted and an active judicial case management tool introduced | Indicative benchmarks for the work of judges adopted, active case management tool introduced |  |  |  | Q3 | 2023 | Indicative benchmarks for the work of judges, which prescribe an increased number of cases to be resolved with a view to encouraging more cases to be dealt with, in particular old cases. The use of the tool for the active management of court cases in selected courts, including the Municipal Civil Court in Zagreb, shall result in greater efficiency (creation of checklists, in particular tagging, self-assessment tools based on the international framework for judicial excellence). |
| 221 | C2.5. R1 | T | Reduction of the duration of litigation and commercial cases |  | Number | 655 | 455 | Q2 | 2026 | Compared to 2020: Reduction of the duration of litigation and commercial cases, as defined by the EU Justice Scoreboard methodology by at least 200 days. |
| 222 | C2.5. R1 | T | Reduction of the total number of all pending cases |  | Number | 464 770 | 302 100 | Q2 | 2026 | Compared to 2020: A reduction of at least 35% in the total number of pending cases. |
| 223 | C2.5. R1 | T | Decrease in the share of cases over 3 years old in total backlogs |  | % (Percentage) | 16 | 8 | Q2 | 2026 | Compared to 2020: Reduce the share of cases over 3 years of total backlog to at most 8%. |
| 224 | C2.5. R1-I1 | M | Upgraded eSpis system with new functionalities and new architecture integrated into the Shared Services Centre (CDU) | New digital solutions are implemented to advance the digitalisation of the justice system, including an upgraded eSpis system and with a new architecture integrated into the CDU. |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | -New features shall be implemented with to improve the digitisation of the justice system:  -Full electronic delivery of documents to e-citizens with user mailbox and information on electronic delivery in case of transmission of documents by physical delivery,   -Improved user experience by implementing action plan containing recommendations on technical aspects and IT management (administrative and business process recommendations and technical recommendations).   -A new integrated architecture in the Shared Services Centre to reduce system bottlenecks, increase stability and enable interoperability with other systems. |
| 225 | C2.5. R1-I2 | T | 60 % of land registration and cadastral data completed with the ultimate goal of completion of up to 100 % |  | % (Percentage) | 3,86 | 60 | Q2 | 2026 | 60% of land registration and cadastral data completed by 2026 with the ultimate goal of completion of up to 100%. |
| 226 | C2.5. R1-I3 | M | Upgraded eSpis system with new functionalities and new architecture integrated into the Shared Services Centre (CDU) | New digital solutions are implemented to advance the digitalisation of the justice system, including an upgraded eSpis system and with a new architecture integrated into the CDU. |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The new functionalities include publication of all first and second instance judgments on the Internet with elaborate search options and automated anonymisation methods that respect personal data protection rules |
| 227 | C2.5. R1-I4 | T | Obtained a permit of use for a newly built building in the Justice Square in Zagreb as a precondition for the relocation of commercial and administrative courts, the Mediation Centre and the Judicial Academy |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | Conceptual, principal and implementation projects and resulting permits for the construction of the Justice Square in Zagreb shall be obtained, on the basis of which public tenders will be issued for the execution of the works of a building, professional supervision and project manager. Upon construction completion an Utilisation Permit has been obtained for one newly built building in the Justice Square. The investment concerns the construction of a new building, with a Primary Energy Demand (PED) that is at least 20% lower than the nearly zero energy building (NZEB). |
| 228 | C2.5. R1-I5 | T | Newly renovated court buildings complying with the Technical Regulation on rational use of energy and thermal protection in buildings |  | Number | 0 | 20 | Q2 | 2024 | Renovation of 20 judicial buildings shall be completed. The newly renovated buildings shall meet standards on rational energy use and thermal protection. The investment concerns, on average, at least a medium-depth level renovation as defined in Commission Recommendation on Building Renovation (EU) 2019/786, resulting in achieving at least a 30% reduction of primary energy demand; or, shall achieve, on average, at least a 30% reduction of direct and indirect GHG emissions compared to the ex-ante emissions. In addition, access to buildings shall be adapted to persons with disabilities and this adaptation shall be accompanied by compliance with fire and technical protection standards and the functional design of interiors. In this investment cycle, priority shall be given to the locations of judicial authorities in economically less developed parts of Croatia. |
| 229 | C2.5. R1-I6 | M | All courts of first instance are equipped and meet the conditions for hearing remotely. | Holding remote hearings in all courts of first instance |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Pre-conditions provided for remote hearings in all courts of first instance shall be operational. |
| 230 | C2.5. R1-I6 | M | Upgrade and optimisation of ICT infrastructures in all judicial bodies | Upgraded and optimised ICT infrastructure in all judicial bodies |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | An upgraded ICT infrastructure with a higher degree of interoperability within judicial bodies enabling the secure and continuous stable operation of the overall communication system connecting 218 judicial and criminal bodies’ locations and over 10 000 users to the communication network; |

   L. COMPONENT 2.6: PREVENTING AND COMBATING CORRUPTION

The objective of the component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan is to strengthen the framework for preventing and sanctioning corruption through measures to i) increase the efficiency, coherence and openness of authorities in the fight against corruption, ii) improve the implementation of the Law on the Right of Access to Information, iii) enhance corporate governance in majority-owned companies of local and regional government units and iv) strengthen judicial redress capacity in public procurement procedures.

The component supports addressing the country specific recommendation on the further need to strengthen the framework for preventing and sanctioning corruption in order to guarantee the lawful, transparent and efficient use of public funds (country specific recommendation 4, 2019).

L.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform: C2.6.R1: Increasing the efficiency, coherence and openness of authorities in the fight against corruption through digitalisation, enhancing transparency and improving coordination. 

The reform shall improve coordination and cooperation of the authorities involved in the implementation of national anti-corruption policy documents through the use of information technology. It shall also develop an information platform for informing citizens clearly about the existing legislative framework in the field of corruption prevention and the available tools. The reform is expected to enhance the effectiveness of the overall anti-corruption policy framework.

The reform shall include:

-A new anti-corruption strategy for 2021-2030 to strengthen the institutional and normative framework for the fight against corruption, enhance the transparency and openness of the work of public authorities, strengthen integrity and conflict of interest management systems, enhance anti-corruption potential in the public procurement system and raise public awareness of the harmfulness of corruption, the need to report irregularities and enhance transparency. Amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest shall extend the scope of the Act to cover companies owned by local and regional government units and companies owned by such companies, make asset declarations mandatory, remedy any potential conflict of interest

-Amending the Act on the Protection of Persons Reporting Irregularities, with a view to improving the provisions of the Act and bring it in line with the EU acquis.

-Adopting a code of ethics for parliamentarians and a code of ethics for government officials to provide guidance on conflicts of interest and other integrity issues.

-Setting up IT mechanisms to implement and monitor the implementation of national anti-corruption measures.

-Increasing the human and technological capacity of anti-corruption bodies in the justice system to reduce the average length of court cases for corruption and organised crime offences by 200 days.

The reform shall be fully implemented by 30 June 2026.

Investment: C2.6.R1-I1: Engaging the general public in the fight against corruption by raising public awareness about the harmfulness of corruption, the necessity of prevention and legal protection of reporting persons.

The objective of the investment is to increase the awareness of the general public, officials and public administration officials about the harmfulness of corruption, the need to prevent and combat it, and of the existing reporting channels and mechanisms for the protection of whistle-blowers. This investment shall include a national information campaign with a view to encourage citizens to report irregularities. The information campaign shall include content advocating accountability and more transparent work of the public administration and shall include communicating the institutions’ expected standards of work, communication mechanisms with the institutions, anti-corruption actions taken to create a culture of intolerance against corruption, and the functioning of anti-corruption mechanisms.

The information campaign shall make existing anti-corruption solutions visible and recognisable to a majority of Croatian citizens the existence of a legal framework for the prevention of corruption and the protection provided by this legal framework. It shall utilise various communication channels, such as media campaigns, conferences and other events, round tables for government officials and NGOs, workshops for journalists and school education.

The investment shall be fully implemented by 31 December 2024.

Investment: C2.6.R1-I2: Digitalisation of the Ethics System of Civil Servants.

The investment shall include the development and putting into operation an electronic ethics infrastructure management system to modernise and improve the work of the Ethics Commissioners, the Ethics Commission and the officials employed by the Ethics and Integrity Service.

The investment shall be fully implemented by 31 December 2025.

Investment: C2.6.R1-I3: Improving the asset declarations IT system of state officials.

The objective of the investment is to further strengthen the procedure for the filing and processing of property declarations of officials by automating some of the processes in the existing IT system for submitting an official’s asset statement.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2024.

Investment: C2.6.R1-I4: Supporting efficiency in the fight against corruption and organised crime.

The objective of the investment is to enhance efficiency in the fight against corruption and organised crime by strengthening the human and infrastructure capacity of the Police National Office for Combating Corruption and Organised Crime (PNUSKOK). The investment shall include the renovation and equipment with smart technology of 4 regional centres of the Police National Office for Combating Corruption and Organised Crime (PN USKOK). The refurbishment of the old and end-of-life accommodation capacity of the facilities in Zagreb and Split, shall create the preconditions for the functioning of all the centres in the system of regional centres for combating organised and serious crime and economic crime and corruption. Training, coaching and exchange of best practices would take place in the newly created premises, as one of the components of PNUSKOK, and through training and coaching of criminal police officers from all police directorates, thus creating a new level of approach in the fight against organised crime through a preventive and punitive aspect.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Reform: C2.6.R2: Improving the implementation of the Law on the Right of Access to Information.

The Law on the Right of Access to Information is the principal instrument for exercising the constitutionally guaranteed right of citizens to access information held by public authorities to ensure the transparency and openness of government and in the fight against corruption. The reform shall include an in-depth evaluation of the Law and its effects on exercising the right to information, both from the perspective of users and public authorities, followed by the adoption of amendments to the Law on the Right of Access to reflect the recommendation of the evaluation.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Reform: C2.6.R3: Improving corporate governance in majority-owned companies of local and regional government units.

The objective of the reform is to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the local government-owned companies through the implementation of OECD corporate governance recommendations issued to Croatia, and to assess the effects of the implementation of the ‘2021-2022 Anti-Corruption Programme for majority-owned companies of local and regional government units’.

This reform shall include:

-Developing a handbook for the implementation of the OECD recommendations on corporate governance in companies majority owned by local and regional government units.

-Strengthening controls on compliance with existing legal obligations with a view to ensuring a higher level of transparency in the work of local and regional government units, majority-owned companies of local and regional government units and the introduction and implementation of a compliance function in all legal entities obliged to establish it.

-Training companies on the importance of implementing anti-corruption policies, introducing a code of ethics and a better established compliance function, as this confirms that the company carefully implements the prevention of unethical behaviour, as well as an organisational culture that encourages ethical behaviour and compliance.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform: C2.6.R4: Strengthening judicial redress capacity in public procurement procedures.

The objective of the reform is to strengthen judicial protection in public procurement procedures through educational workshops for the judges that are expected to increase their knowledge and awareness of corruption risk management and judicial redress in public procurement procedures. The workshops shall be organised by the Judicial Academy as part of the lifelong professional development of judicial officials.

The reform shall be implemented by 30 June 2024.

L.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 231 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of a new anti-corruption strategy for 2021-2030 | New Anti-Corruption Strategy 2021-2030 adopted by the Parliament and published in the Official Journal |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | The strategy shall include measures to manage corruption risks in priority areas and to meet the following five objectives:  •Strengthening the institutional and normative framework for the fight against corruption.  •Enhancing the transparency and openness of the work of public authorities.  •Strengthening integrity and conflict of interest management systems.   •Strengthening anti-corruption potential in the public procurement system.  •Increasing public awareness of the harmfulness of corruption, the necessity to report irregularities and enhance transparency. |
| 232 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of the new Law on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest | Entry into force of the act amending the Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The Act on the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest shall be amended to i) extend the scope of the Act in terms of addressees, including companies owned by local and regional government units and companies owned by such companies, ii) oblige certain categories of addressees of the law to fill in asset declarations annually and to make declarations within given deadlines, iii) remedy any potential conflict of interest, iv) regulate the possibility of better determining penalties for infringements by introducing the principle of proportionality into the law, and regulate some aspects of the cooling period, including proposals from the Committee for the Resolution of Conflicts of Interest as to how to improve the law in practice and v) provide a legal basis for drawing up a model code of ethics for members of representative bodies of local and regional government units, the adoption, implementation and supervision of which would be the responsibility of representative bodies. |
| 233 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the Act on the protection of persons reporting irregularities | Entry into force of the amendments to the Act on the Protection of Persons Reporting Irregularities |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The Law on the Protection of Persons Reporting Irregularities shall be amended to i) improve the provisions of the Act, ii) clarify the notion of a confidential person and iii) make provisions for the delivery of a certificate of registration received. |
| 234 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of a code of ethics for parliamentarians and a code of ethics for officials in the executive | Entry into force of a Code of Ethics for Parliamentarians adopted and Code of Ethics for officials in the executive |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The Code of Ethics for Parliamentarians and officials in the executive will provide guidance on conflicts of interest and other integrity issues. |
| 235 | C2.6. R1 | T | Increase the staff budget for employees of anti-corruption bodies in the justice system. |  | Number | 100 | 110 | Q2 | 2024 | Increase by 10 per cent staff budget compared to 2020 (including recruitment and mobility within the judicial system). |
| 236 | C2.6. R1 | T | Increase the budget for the acquisition of IT tools and equipment by judicial authorities to investigate corruption and organised crime offences |  | Number | 100 | 120 | Q2 | 2024 | Increase by 20 per cent the budget compared to 2020 for computer services and IT equipment for anti-corruption authorities in the judicial system |
| 237 | C2.6. R1 | M | Setting up an information system to monitor the implementation of national anti-corruption measures | New information system operational to monitor the implementation of national anti-corruption measures |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | Setting up a new information system / platform to monitor different areas of corruption prevention: (1) protection of whistle-blowers, (2) right of access to information, (3) lobbying, (4) conflict of interest, (5) networking and coordination of national authorities for drafting, implementing and monitoring the implementation of national strategic and implementation documents, (6) keeping, updating and publishing lists of state-owned companies and companies owned by local government and regional government units, (7) reporting to the Office of the Ombudsman, enabling faster communication, data sharing and better coordination between the authorities involved in the design, implementation and monitoring of the implementation of national anti-corruption measures and informing citizens about the existing legislative framework in the field of corruption prevention. |
| 238 | C2.6. R1 | T | Reducing the average length of court cases for corruption and organised crime offences |  | Number | 999 | 799 | Q2 | 2026 | Reduction by 200 days of the average length of court cases for corruption and organised crime offences compared to 1Q/2021 (999 days). |
| 239 | C2.6. R1-I1 | M | Evaluation of the effects of the national information campaign against corruption | Publication of Impact Assessment Report by the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration |  |  |  | Q2 | 2025 | Published study with recommendations regarding to the evaluation to the effects of the national media campaign. It shall be carried out with a particular focus on raising public awareness of the harmfulness of corruption, the functioning of existing anti-corruption mechanisms, with a view to strengthening the role of citizens in synergistic anti-corruption actions. |
| 240 | C2.6. R1-I2 | M | Establishment of an information system for the management of the ethical infrastructure of civil servants | The information system has been fully developed and put into operation |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | -An Electronic Ethical Infrastructure Management System shall be develop and put in operation with a view to modernise and improve the work of the Ethics Commissioners, the Ethics Commission and the officials working in the Ethics and Integrity Service, comprising functionalities to process at least the following categories of complaints:   - Complaints about the way citizens are treated by officials  - Complaints about behaviour in public appearances.  - Complaints about obtaining material or other benefits.  - Complaints about conflicts of interest.  - Complaints from civil servants concerning other civil servants, including about the behaviour of superiors. |
| 241 | C2.6. R1-I3 | M | Improved asset declaration information systems for state officials and judicial officials | Information systems have been upgraded and implemented |  |  |  | Q2 | 2024 | The current system for submitting the asset statement of officials shall be improved by allowing for the automatic filling of data from available public sources and improving the preconditions for checking the information contained in the asset statement of state officials and judicial officials. |
| 242 | C2.6. R1-I4 | T | Upgrade and smart digitalisation of 4 regional centres of the Police National Office for Combating Corruption and Organised Crime (PN USKOK) |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q2 | 2025 | The regional PN USKOK in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek centres shall be renovated, fully digitalised and equipped with smart technology and up-to-date functional equipment thereby ensuring functional conditions for the work and accommodation of officials. Renovation also includes energy renovation of buildings, but the requirement to achieve a minimum of 30% of energy savings is not mandatory. The IT equipment in all four regional centres shall be replaced by new modern equipment for the use of modern software tools and solutions and smart technologies. Also, new laboratories shall be set up within the Split and Zagreb centres to be equipped with complete technical equipment and software tools with digital forensic licenses. In order to modernise and speed up the process of storing evidence, all 4 regional centres shall be equipped with digital evidence storage servers that are expected to contribute to the systematisation of evidence and rationalisation of costs, by ensuring the storage and use of digital evidence from one location. |
| 243 | C2.6. R2 | M | Evaluation of the effects of the Law on the right of access to information | Publication of Evaluation Report on the Right of Access to Information Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | Published study with recommendations regarding the evaluation of the effects of the Law on the right of access to information and its impact on the constitutionally guaranteed exercise segment from the perspective of users and public authorities. Recommendations will be taken into account in the context of future amendments to the Act on the Right to Access. |
| 244 | C2.6. R3 | M | Application of OECD corporate governance recommendations on majority ownership of local and regional units | Publication of an handbook for the application of the OECD recommendations on corporate governance in majority-owned local and regional units |  |  |  | Q1 | 2024 | Published Handbook on:  -The application of OECD recommendations on corporate governance in majority ownership by local and regional government units.   -The introduction and implementation of a compliance function in all legal entities obliged to establish it. Importance of implementing anti-corruption policies, introducing a code of ethics and a better established compliance function, as to confirm that the company carefully implements the prevention of unethical behaviour, as well as an organisational culture that encourages ethical behaviour and compliance. |
| 245 | C2.6. R3 | M | Assessment of the effects of the implementation of the 2021-2022 Anti-Corruption Programme for majority-owned companies of local government and regional government units | Publication of Impact Assessment Report by the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration |  |  |  | Q2 | 2026 | The methodology developed in the Report shall make it possible to assess the effects of Anti-Corruption Programme implementation for companies owned by local and regional government units and of future such documents. Based on the results of the impact assessment of the implemented Programme and recommendations, the Report will also formulate the priorities and actions of future anti-corruption documents in this area. |
| 246 | C2.6. R4 | T | Training of judges on corruption risk management in public procurement and judicial protection in public procurement procedures |  | Number | 0 | 80 | Q2 | 2024 | 80 judges of administrative courts shall be trained on corruption risk management in public procurement and judicial redress in public procurement procedures. To that end, 4 workshops shall be organised by the Judicial Academy as part of the lifelong professional development of judicial officials, in the form of classic/regular training and distance learning depending on the circumstances, to further strengthen judicial protection in public procurement procedures. |

   M. COMPONENT 2.7: STRENGTHENING OF THE FISCAL FRAMEWORK

This component aims at further strengthening the fiscal framework and fiscal discipline through the new Budget Act to improve budgetary processes, improve financial reporting and develop a macroeconomic projection model.

Reinforcing the fiscal framework is one of the key elements in improving the sustainability of public finances, which in turn contributes to macroeconomic stability and creates the preconditions for increasing potential growth rates, as well as economic recovery and resilience.

The component addresses the country specific recommendations on strengthening the fiscal framework (country-specific recommendation 1 2019) and pursuing fiscal policies aimed at achieving prudent medium-term fiscal positions (country-specific recommendation 1 2020).

M.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform 1 (C2.7.R1) Improving fiscal planning and reporting

The objective of this reform is to amend the Budget Act to improve budgetary processes and related budgetary documents, as well as financial reporting, thus ensuring the development of an efficient and sustainable public finance management system.

The reform shall include:

-Drafting and adopting the new Budget Act.

-Ensuring the full functionality of the Fiscal Policy Commission, through the appointment of a new chair based on a public call.

The reform shall be completed by 31 March 2022.

Reform 2 (C2.7.R2) Development of a structural macroeconomic model of the Croatian economy

The aim of the reform is to develop a structural macroeconomic model of the Croatian economy, which is suitable for producing medium-term macroeconomic forecasts, simulating the effects of economic policies and impact assessments of shocks, and ultimately to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Finance to prepare budgetary forecasts.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

M.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Indicative timeline for completion | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 247 | C2.7. R1 | M | Strengthening the fiscal framework through the adoption of the Budget Act to improve the budgetary processes | Entry into force of the new Budget Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The new Budget Act shall set out the process and key documents for the preparation, adoption and execution of the state budget, the budget of local and regional government units and their extra-budgetary users, the borrowing framework for local and regional government units, the monitoring of the use of own and earmarked revenues, the forecast and control of future spending including multi-annual commitments, allowing also for more flexibility in the implementation of EU projects and ensuring compliance with Council Directive 2011/85 in order to establish a more efficient system of financial and statistical reporting. |
| 248 | C2.7. R1 | M | Ensuring the full functionality of the Fiscal Policy Commission. | Appointment by Parliament of the new Chair of the Fiscal Policy Commission, |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The appointment of a new chair of the Fiscal Policy Commission shall ensure the full functionality of the Commission and the implementation of the Fiscal Accountability Act (OG 111/2018) |
| 249 | C2.7. R2 | M | Development of a structural macroeconomic model of the Croatian economy for producing medium-term macroeconomic forecasts, budgetary planning  and economic policy analyses | Development and putting into use of a fully functional structural macroeconomic projection model of the Croatian economy to draw up projections underlying the annual budget. |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | A structural macroeconomic model of the Croatian economy shall be developed for producing medium-term macroeconomic forecasts, simulate the effects of economic policies and the impact of shocks, and ultimately strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Finance for preparing budgetary forecasts. The initial model shall be developed by the end of 2021 and shall be fully operational by mid-2022, enabling to draw up projections underlying the 2023 budget. The results of the model shall be used for the preparation of budgetary documents, improving the quality of medium-term budgetary forecasts and thus the sustainability of public finances. |

   N. COMPONENT 2.8: STRENGTHENING THE ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING FRAMEWORK

The objective of this component is to strengthen the ability of the Croatian authorities (supervisory authorities, the Anti-money Laundering Office, law enforcement authorities) to fight money laundering and the financing of terrorism, improve their coordination and cooperation and further raise awareness for all stakeholders involved.

This reform is in line with Croatia's Action Plan for participation in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II (ERM II).

N.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C2.8.R1 - Awareness raising of the need to prevent money laundering

The aim of this reform is to maintain the efficiency of the financial system in line with international standards while preventing illegitimate financial flows by raising awareness, through the establishment of a framework for regular training, among all responsible institutions and authorities for the implementation of the anti-money laundering measures.

The implementation was to be completed by 31 December 2020.

Reform C2.8.R2 - Enhancing cooperation between the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the supervisory authorities

The aim of this reform is to enhance cooperation between the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the supervisory authorities. This shall be achieved through the revision of the memorandum of understanding between the financial supervisory authorities and the Anti-Money Laundering Office and a series of regular meetings under the Interinstitutional Working Group on AML/CFT supervision (MIRS) aiming to improve the exchange of information and best practices in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C2.8.R3 – Complete implementation of the Action Plan to reduce identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks

The overall objective of this reform is to implement the Action Plan to reduce the risks identified in the National Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment in Croatia adopted by the Government. The action plan contains measures aiming to, for example, strengthen the administrative capacity of the Anti-money Laundering Office, the Financial Inspectorate and the supervisory authorities, increase the number of supervisory activities, improve the IT infrastructure and provide training to officers of all obliged entities with a view to strengthening cooperation and administrative capacity.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2021.

Reform C2.8. R4 - Enhancing anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing supervision based on a risk assessment in the financial sector in Croatia

The overall objective of this reform is to strengthen institutional and administrative capacity by implementing the recommendations made under the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project on developing a risk-based approach to anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing supervision.

The reform shall contribute to the general improvement of the framework for the prevention of money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism in Croatia, while facilitating the fulfillment of obligations pursuant to the Action Plan for participation in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

N.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Indicative timeline for completion | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 250 | C2.8. R1 | M | Raising awareness among all responsible parties through regular training | Framework in place for continuous training of staff obliged to report on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing |  |  |  | Q4 | 2020 | The Framework in place for continuous training by Supervisory bodies and the Anti-Money Laundering Office of staff of all reporting institutions and authorities, including anti-money laundering compliance officers and credit institutions’ management. Educational initiatives envisaged in the framework shall focus on raising awareness of the risk-based approach to carrying out customer due diligence measures and on the obligation to report suspicious activities. As part of the framework, Supervisory bodies and the Anti-Money Laundering Office shall regularly provide institutions and authorities with up-to-date information on money laundering developments. |
| 251 | C2.8. R2 | M | Continuation of cooperation between the Anti-Money Laundering Office and supervisory authorities | Updated cooperation agreement is signed between the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the supervisory authorities on exchange of information and cooperation |  |  |  | Q4 | 2020 | Updated cooperation agreement between the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the supervisory authorities on exchange of information, and cooperation, which shall include:   i) the exchange of data and information necessary for the supervisory procedures,   ii) the exchange of information on irregularities identified at reporting entities,   iii) the exchange of information on the latest Money Launderers/Terrorism Financiers typologies identified by the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the supervisory authorities,   iv) the increase in supervisory activities based on the identified risks of money laundering and terrorist financing and   v) the exchange of statistical data for the purpose of the National Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment and assessment of the effectiveness of the system efforts in the prevention and detection of money laundering and terrorist financing. |
| 252 | C2.8. R2 | T | Strengthen supervision through regular meetings of Interinstitutional Working Group on Supervision |  | Number | 0 | 12 | Q4 | 2024 | In order to harmonise supervisory practices, improve the exchange of experience and knowledge between supervisory authorities and exchange information, the Interinstitutional Working Group on Supervision (MIRS) shall have at least 12 meetings between end 2020 and end 2024. The interinstitutional Working Group on Supervision shall reinforce the cooperation between all supervisory authorities responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Anti Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act measures and actions. In particular, the Interinstitutional Working Group on Supervision shall monitor: i) effective exchange of statistical data on carried surveillance, ii) the exchange of surveillance experiences (‘best practices’), (iii) the exchange of information on irregularities detected in the application of the Act, (iv) the strengthening and coordination of surveillance activities, and (v) the exchange of information on surveillance plans. |
| 253 | C2.8. R3 | M | Complete implementation of the new Action Plan to mitigate identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks based on an updated national risk assessment. | Complete implementation of the new Action Plan to mitigate identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks by further strengthening cooperation and information exchange |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | Based on the National Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment in the Republic of Croatia, an Action Plan to mitigate the identified risks of money laundering and terrorist financing shall be fully implemented by 31 December 2021. The action plan shall contain measures to reduce the identified risks, public law and other bodies designated by the holders for the implementation of the individual measures, as well as the deadline for the implementation of the measures. The plan shall take account of the risks identified by supervisors (Croatian National Bank, Financial Inspectorate, Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency), Anti-Money Laundering Office, State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia and legal obliged entities (banks and others). It shall further strengthen cooperation and information exchange between all responsible institutions and authorities. |
| 254 | C2.8. R4 | M | Strengthening supervision of the financial sector based on a risk assessment in the area of AML/CFT | Full implementation of enhanced procedures and methodologies for risk based supervision, developed under the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project “Risk-based anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism supervision in financial sector in Croatia”, in order to effectively mitigate identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The authorities shall take measures, if necessary by adopting legislation, to strengthen supervision of the financial sector, on the basis of a risk assessment by the Croatian National Bank and Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency and using a risk-based approach developed in line with the results from the technical assistance provided under the Technical Support Instrument. The actions shall strengthen institutional and administrative capacity and contribute to improving the effectiveness of the whole anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing prevention system in Croatia and ultimately to improve the overall anti-money laundering framework in Croatia. |
| 255 | C2.8. R4 | T | Increase in on-site supervisory activities based on identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks. |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 25 | Q4 | 2025 | As part of a stronger risk-based approach in the prevention and supervision of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, supervisory authorities shall increase by 25% their on-site supervisory activities based on the identified risks of money laundering and terrorist financing, compared to 2019. |

   O. COMPONENT 2.9: STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT FRAMEWORK

To enhance the public procurement framework and align it with the EU best practices, this component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan includes measures to improve the training system for public procurement, strengthen the review system by the introduction of mandatory e-appeals and encourage the use of innovative procurement. The enhanced public procurement system shall, inter alia, contribute to the fight against corruption and lead to better absorption of the EU funds, which are expected to result in an improved business environment, increased private investment, productivity and creation of new jobs.

The component includes three reforms and one investment aiming to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the public procurement system in Croatia. These shall also contribute to the enhanced prevention of corruption, in particular at the local level (CSR 2019) and improve the capacity and efficiency of the Croatian public administration (CSR 2020).

O.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform: C2.9.R1: Continuous provision of public procurement training

The objective of the reform is to improve the public procurement training system by developing new tools to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge, professional skills and competences for professional, cost-effective, efficient and effective implementation of public procurement procedures at all levels. It shall build on a comprehensive approach to strengthening the competitiveness of stakeholders in the public procurement system by integrating the results of the workload analysis under the investment action C2.9.R1-I1. Notably, the analysis shall define the needs for continuous and planned training of the key public procurement employees based on the Competence matrix defining 30 competences and skills.

In addition, the European Competence Framework for Public Procurement Professionals ProcurCompEU, which serves as a common reference framework for procurement practitioners, shall be introduced in the Croatian training system by 31 December 2023. First, for individuals, the framework facilitates identification and the design of personal and professional competences. Second, contracting entities shall use it to assess and improve the efficiency of public procurement in their organisation. Finally, training providers in public procurement shall be able to use the ProcurCompEU framework to develop comprehensive learning and training programmes.

Third, the general training programmes, which shall also be open to the bidders, shall raise the level of knowledge and skills in conducting public procurement procedures on the side of the bidders, improving the level of participation and success of SMEs in public procurement.

This reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment: C2.9.R1-I1: Analysis of the workload of employees of key institutions in the public procurement system

This investment shall deliver a workload analysis to determine the number of actors, the required competences of the staff, and the needed improvements to the compensation system. Implementing the recommendation of the analysis is expected to achieve and maintain an optimal number of highly-skilled, motivated staff, responsive to the needs of key public procurement institutions.

The measure includes:

-the workload analysis in the public procurement bodies, included in the management of the EU funds;

-the description of the tasks they perform;

-the definition of the competences required.

The workload analysis shall be based on historical workload data, taking also into account the expected workload trends, including the needs for continuous and planned training of staff on specific procurement-related topics such as strategic, socially-responsible, sustainable procurement, innovative procurement and SME access to this procurement market.

The results of the analysis shall be used to define the continuous and planned training needs of the staff of key institutions in the public procurement system (MINGOR- Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, SAFU- Central Finance and Contracting Agency, and DKOM- The State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement).

This measure shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

Reform: C2.9.R2: Strengthening the review system in public procurement

The objective of the reform is to contribute to the reduction of the administrative burden related to the review system and help in the fight against corruption through shortening the average time limit for appeals, and upgrading and further expanding the functions of the current public procurement system.

The reform includes changes to the legislative framework for public procurement to introduce the e-Appeal as a mandatory tool in the public procurement system and to reduce the average time limits for dealing with appeals. The measure under this component shall improve the functioning of the e-Appeal system by data standardisation and further developing the existing IT platform.

This measure shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform: C2.9.R3: Innovative Procurement

The objective of the reform is to encourage the use of innovative public procurement products and services, which shall contribute to greater transparency in the public procurement processes, attract more private stakeholders and finally create a fairer and more competitive public procurement system in Croatia.

Under this reform the Ministry of economy and HAMAG BICRO (Croatian Agency for Small Businesses, Innovation and Investment) shall:

-adopt an innovative procurement plan that will provide procurers with a roadmap on how to implement the innovative requirements through their planned procurements;

-establish a monitoring and evaluation system for innovative procurement;

-adopt a manual for procuring entities with guidance on how to conduct innovative-related procurement procedures;

-strengthen the capacity of Croatian procurers in innovation-related procurement procedures through the provision of training;

-raise the awareness of interested private sector stakeholders on innovation-related public procurement procedures.

This measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

O.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 256 | C2.9. R1 | M | Guidance on improving SMEs’ participation in and pooling of public procurement procedures | Publication of guidelines on the Public Procurement Portal |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | In order to further encourage the involvement of SMEs in public procurement procedures, guidelines shall be developed and published for contracting entities and tenderers to encourage SMEs’ participation in the public procurement market. The guidelines shall also include the most important provisions of the Public Procurement Act aimed at making it easier for SMEs to compete for public contracts. Cooperation with business associations in providing targeted training to bidders in public procurement procedures shall continue. The guidance will be prepared based on the result of the Structural Reform Support Programme project. |
| 257 | C2.9. R1 | M | Amendment to the Rules on training in public procurement | Entry into force of the amendments to the Rules on training in public procurement |  |  |  | Q1 | 2023 | The amendments to the legislative framework in order to improve training in public procurement shall include i) establishing a curriculum for Upskilling Programmes, defining the competences and learning objectives, (ii) integrating ProcurCompEU into the mandatory training and certification scheme for public procurement; (iii) a requirement to conduct a qualitative assessment of the trainings.   The amendments are expected to provide a comprehensive approach necessary to ensure the strengthening of the administrative capacity of staff in key public procurement institutions, also using the recommendations from the workload analysis (R1-I1). Based on the results of the organisational assessment and strategic priorities, priority shall be given to trainings that can provide the greatest impact in achieving objectives such as integrity and transparency issues, proper planning of procedures, fair and open technical specifications, clear selection and evaluation criteria for tenders, contract management and amendments. |
| 258 | C2.9. R1 | M | Integration of a tailored framework for continuous training of procurement officers under ProcurCompEU into the mandatory training and certification scheme for public procurement. | Entry into force of the framework for continuous training of public procurement officers aligned with ProcurCompEU; |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The ProcurCompEU tool shall be adapted to Croatia’s specificities and integrated into the existing mandatory public procurement training and certification scheme. A subpage on the Public Procurement Portal will be created where ProcurCompEU tools are available and free to use by all stakeholders in the public procurement system, and the competent public procurement policy body supports its practical implementation and supervision. |
| 259 | C2.9. R1-I1 | M | Publication of independent analysis and concrete recommendations to improve the burden management of all staff of key institutions in the procurement system (MINGOR, SAFU, DKOM). | Publication of analysis of the workload of employees of key institutions in the public procurement system (MINGOR, SAFU and DKOM) including an action plan to implement human resources recommendations and measures |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | A comprehensive analysis shall be carried out by independent external experts of the workload of staff of key institutions in the public procurement system included in the EU funds, including the description of the tasks they perform and the necessary competences and compensation system,. The published independent report will be based on a comprehensive analysis of roles in the public procurement system and workload, taking into account historical workload data and comparing them with trends in increasing workload, including training needs on specific topics such as sustainable procurement and access to SMEs. The report shall include an action plan to implement measures and recommendations for improvement to ensure the recruitment and retention of highly skilled personnel. |
| 260 | C2.9. R2 | M | Amendment of the public procurement legislative framework making the use of e-appeal a mandatory means of lodging an appeal | Entry into force of the amendments to the Public Procurement Act and the by-laws (Ordinance on Appeals in Public Procurement Procedures) |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The public procurement legislative framework (the Public Procurement Act and relevant by-laws) shall be amended to introduce e-appeal as a mandatory means of obtaining redress in the public procurement system. |
| 261 | C2.9. R2 | T | Reducing the average time limits for dealing with appeals and decisions to 28 days from the date of receipt of the appeal |  | Number | 34 | 28 | Q2 | 2026 | The introduction of a mandatory e-appeal is expected to shorten the average time limits for dealing with appeal cases and procedural abuses by DKOM (The State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement). It simplifies and speeds up the service of documents by direct electronic communication with the parties, thus creating the preconditions for improving the efficiency and reducing the length of appeal procedures, without affecting the quality of DKOM’s (The State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement) decisions. As such the number of days from the date of receipt of the appeal shall be reduced by at least 6 days from the baseline of 34 days. |
| 262 | C2.9. R2 | T | Reducing the average time limits to 14 days from the date of the filing of the appeal file |  | Number | 16 | 14 | Q2 | 2026 | The introduction of a mandatory e-appeal is expected to shorten the average time limits for dealing with appeal cases and procedural abuses by DKOM (The State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement). It simplifies and speeds up the service of documents by direct electronic communication with the parties, thus creating the preconditions for improving the efficiency and reducing the length of appeal procedures, without affecting the quality of DKOM’s decisions, thus reducing the number of days from the date of receipt of the appeal, by at least 6 days. |
| 263 | C2.9. R3 | M | Programmes and activities aimed at designing and managing innovative public procurement | Programme in place to provide professional assistance and training to procurers in innovation procurement |  |  |  | Q1 | 2024 | With the use of technical assistance support Croatian institutions shall set up programmes to provide professional assistance to procurers in innovation-related procurement procedures. The Competition Centre for Innovative Public Procurement set up in HAMAG-BICRO (Croatian Agency for Small Businesses, Innovation and Investment) shall be strengthened and its staff trained to provide training on public procurement of innovation on its own. The administrative capacity of MINGOR (Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development) shall also be strengthened in the same way. A progress report on this strengthening of capacities shall be prepared by Q1 2024. |
| 264 | C2.9. R3 | T | Training of procurement officers on innovative public procurement procedures |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 75 | Q4 | 2025 | Based on the technical assistance training materials prepared, as well as trainings carried out by external experts under milestone 252, HAMAG-BICRO (Croatian Agency for Small Businesses, Innovation and Investment) in cooperation with MINGOR (Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development), shall train at least 75% of the procurement officers of the contracting entities listed in the Plan, on the basis of the Training Implementation Plan 2024-2025. |

   P. COMPONENT 3.1: REFORM OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

The education system in Croatia faces a number of significant challenges. Attendance in formal childcare and participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) are among the lowest in the EU, largely stemming from a lack of ECEC infrastructures and shortage of teachers, with wide regional disparities exacerbating inequalities. The compulsory schooling cycle (lasting eight years) is one year shorter than the EU standard. The annual instruction time in primary schools is also lower than EU average, as many schools operate in shifts due to infrastructure shortages. Pupils’ performance in all basic skills is below the EU average. Tertiary education attainment is one of the lowest in the EU. Participation in adult education is also very low.

The objective of this component is to tackle all those challenges. It includes a comprehensive reform of the education system, which aims to support access to and quality of education at all levels of education. It also includes complementary investments in ECEC infrastructure, schools and higher education digital infrastructure.

This component contributes to addressing the Country Specific Recommendations addressed to Croatia in the past two years, on the need to “deliver on the education reform and improve both access to education and training at all levels and their quality and labour market relevance” (CSR 2 2019) and to “promote the acquisition of skills” (CSR 2 2020).

P.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C3.1 R1: Structural reform of the education system

This reform aims to support access to education, as well as its quality, at all levels of education.

·Early childhood education and care

The aim of the reform is to improve access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) for children from the age of three until starting primary education. The objective is to ensure that all children, especially those from socio-economically disadvantaged groups
[18](#footnote19)
, are able to attend early childhood education.

The reform is meant to provide additional teachers for ECEC specifically trained for early childhood education and care and shall contribute to ensuring an adequate number of teachers for medium-term. The reform shall also include a new financing model to ensure the long-term sustainability of ECEC funding, with an increased contribution of the State in the financing of ECEC, taking into account the financial capacities of local municipalities, which is expected to also have a positive impact on ECEC affordability.

The reform is expected to increase the number of hours of early childhood education programmes for children aged one year before starting primary education, as well as to introduce the right to a guaranteed place in ECEC for children between the age of four and the age of primary school.

·Primary schools

The aim of the reform is to increase the quality of teaching and learning outcomes, especially for children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, by implementing single shift, full-day teaching in primary schools and increasing the number of mandatory teaching hours. The reform also aims at supporting continuous teacher development and systematic external evaluation of learning outcomes in primary schools.

The reform shall amend the Education Act to introduce the new full-day teaching model in primary schools, amending the minimum number of mandatory teaching hours and the curriculum for primary schools, and shall be accompanied by systematic teachers’ development programmes.

This sub-set of measures of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

·Secondary schools

The aim of the reform is to increase the relevance of secondary education, by increasing students’ enrolment in general secondary education (‘gimnazija’ programmes), while reducing the share of vocational education and training (VET) and improving the labour market relevance of vocational programmes.

The reform shall contribute to consolidating the numerous existing secondary vocational programmes, by reducing surplus vocational programmes and increasing the programmes’ relevance to labour market needs. The reform shall introduce new curricula based on qualification and occupational standards of the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF), which shall be accompanied by the development of new teaching material and professional training of vocational education teachers.

This sub-set of measures of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

·Adult education

The aim of the reform is to increase the quality and relevance of adult education. The New Adult Education Act shall align adult education programmes with the qualification standards of the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF), which is expected to facilitate the recognition of acquired knowledge and skills. The reform shall also provide for the introduction of individual education accounts to enable every person to participate in lifelong learning. The reform shall also introduce a system of evaluation of adult education providers.

This sub-set of measures of the reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

This reform is supported by three investments (C3.1 R1-I1, C3.1 R1-I2 and C3.1 R1-I3).

Investment C3.1 R1-I1: Construction, upgrading, reconstruction and equipping of ECEC facilities

The objective of this investment is to support access to early childhood education and care in Croatia. It includes the construction of new ECEC facilities and the renovation of existing ones, with the objective to create 22 500 new places in ECEC. The investment is expected to reduce regional inequalities in the availability of ECEC.

The construction and renovation of ECEC facilities shall be based on the results of a needs’ analysis, taking into account existing infrastructure capacity and demographic developments, with a detailed mapping of the existing network of ECEC facilities and a projection of future needs.

The implementation of the investments shall take place at local level, and cities and municipalities are expected to participate in calls for the realisation of infrastructure projects in their territory.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C3.1 R1-I2: Construction, upgrading, reconstruction and equipping of primary schools for single shift full-day teaching

The objective of this measure is to support the shift to full-day teaching for primary schools in Croatia. It includes the construction of new primary schools and the upgrade of existing ones, with the objective that all primary school pupils may be provided with full day teaching.

The construction and renovation of primary schools shall be based on the assessment of infrastructure investments needs, taking into account the schools’ capacities and demographic developments. The implementation of these investments shall take place at local level, and cities and municipalities are expected to participate in calls for the realisation of infrastructure projects in their territory.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C3.1 R1-I3: Construction, upgrading, refurbishment and equipping of secondary schools

The objective of this measure is to increase students’ enrolment in general secondary education (“gimnazija” programmes) by increasing physical infrastructure capacities. It includes the construction of new secondary schools and the upgrade of existing ones, including schools’ sport infrastructures, to support the objective that 9 000 additional students attend general secondary education.

The construction and renovation of schools running secondary education programmes shall be based on the assessment of existing capacities and needs for additional physical infrastructure.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C3.1 R2: Modernisation of higher education

This reform aims at improving the availability, quality and labour market relevance of higher education, as well as at increasing the share of higher education graduates, in particular from vulnerable and under-represented groups.

The reform shall include the adoption of a new Science and Higher Education Act and a new Law on Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education, in order to establish a new efficient funding model for public universities and other public higher education institutions. The new funding model shall be based on transparent criteria and performance indicators linked to the institution’s development objectives. The introduction of the new funding model is expected to be implemented through programme agreements covering the university/institution’s scientific research and teaching activities for a period of two years.

The reform also aims at better aligning education with labour market needs. It shall continue setting up qualification standards for all higher education qualifications and including them in the Register of the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF), which is expected to better align higher education qualifications with labour market needs. The reform shall also set up a digital register of diplomas, which is a step towards the development of a graduate tracking system to enable tracking of graduates’ employability.

The reform shall also support closer links between teaching and scientific research activities, the internationalisation and participation of Croatian universities in alliances of the European universities of the future, and support the digital transformation of higher education.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C3.1 R2-I1: Digital transformation of higher education

The objective of the investment is to support the digital transformation of higher education and facilitate e-learning. It includes investments in digital infrastructures for teaching and digital teaching tools.

The investment also includes the purchase of classroom equipment (such as projectors, video-recording systems, sound systems, cameras and audio equipment to record lessons, software equipment to archive teaching digital resources) and covers underlying infrastructure equipment (such as electro-installations, network LAN, wifi network) necessary to use the digital teaching equipment.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

P.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 265 | C3.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the revised adult learning legal framework | Entry into force of the revised legal framework regulating adult learning |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The revised legal framework regulating adults’ education shall support a better match between the offer of programmes and labour market needs, by aligning adult education programmes with the content of the qualification standards of the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF) and enabling the recognition of informal and non-formal learning. |
| 266 | C3.1. R1 | M | Comprehensive analysis of secondary education needs | Publication on the website of the Ministry of Science and Education of the results of the comprehensive analysis conducted on secondary education needs |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | Comprehensive analysis of secondary education needs shall be conducted to support measures to increase the share of students enrolled in general secondary education programmes, to reduce the share of students enrolled in surplus vocational programmes and to align vocational programmes with labour market needs. |
| 267 | C3.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Model for the Financing of Early Childhood Education and Care | Entry into force of the ECEC funding model |  |  |  | Q1 | 2023 | The Croatian Government shall adopt a model for financing the operating costs of ECEC facilities for municipalities/local government units with less financial capacity, in order to ensure the sustainability of the investment after the renovation of existing or construction of new ECEC facilities. |
| 268 | C3.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the amendments for a full-day teaching model | Entry into force of the amendments adopted to the law regulating primary and secondary education for full-day teaching |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | The amendments to the law regulating primary and secondary education shall define the conditions for the introduction of full-day teaching. |
| 269 | C3.1. R1 | T | Participation in early childhood education and care | Report from the Ministry of Science and Education (MZO) | % (Percentage) | 76,3 | 90 | Q2 | 2026 | Increase the coverage of children aged 3 up to school age attending ECEC to 90% (compared to 2018). |
| 270 | C3.1. R1-I1 | T | Number of places built in ECEC | Publication by the Ministry of Science and Education (MZO) of infrastructure projects’ reports, including a summary report providing an overview. | Number | 0 | 22 500 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 22 500 new places in ECEC shall be created as a result of the infrastructure investments in construction, upgrade and reconstruction of ECEC facilities, which shall enable a significant increase in the share of children (from 3 to school age) participating in early childhood education and care |
| 271 | C3.1. R1-I2 | T | Percentage of students attending primary one-shift schools | Publication of data from the Ministry of Science and Education (MZO) | % (Percentage) | 40 | 70 | Q2 | 2026 | The proportion of primary school pupils attending one-shift schools shall increase to 70%. |
| 272 | C3.1. R1-I3 | T | Enrolment in general secondary education programmes | Publication of data from the Ministry of Science and Education (MZO) | % (Percentage) | 30 | 35 | Q2 | 2026 | The percentage of secondary education students attending general secondary education (‘gimnazija’ programmes) shall increase to 35%. |
| 273 | C3.1. R2 | M | Adoption of the new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education | Entry into force of the New Science and Higher Education Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The new framework shall enable organisational reform of public universities and scientific institutes and introduce a performance based funding model. |
| 274 | C3.1. R2-I1 | T | Share of public higher education institutions equipped with digital infrastructure | Investments reports from the Ministry of Science and Education (MZO), including a summary report providing an overview. | % (Percentage) | 0 | 90 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 90% of public higher institutions shall improve their digital infrastructure and equipment through the purchase of active equipment (such as equipment of classrooms by projector, computer, sounding, video-recording systems) and the improvement of the passive network (such as electro-installations, circuit boards, connectors) that support new technologies and digital teaching resources.   Public higher education institutions benefitting from these improvements comprise public universities, polytechnics and colleges, including student campuses. |

Q. COMPONENT 3.2: BOOSTING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CAPACITY

The Croatian public research and innovation landscape is highly fragmented. Insufficient investment in research, development and innovation, in particular from the business sector, combined with an inadequate funding and organisational model of universities and scientific institutes, hamper the full potential of the Croatian research sector. As a result, scientific productivity, efficiency and knowledge transfer remain limited. Preconditions for developing human resources in Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) fields, which would allow for increasing society’s readiness for the digital transition, are underdeveloped. The fragmentation and inefficiencies of research, development and innovation policies and the lack of results from research, development and innovation investments are some of the main causes of the hampered productivity and competitiveness growth.

This component aims to address these challenges by pursuing the following objectives:

-Improving the system of institutional funding for universities and scientific institutes to motivate scientific productivity, efficiency and knowledge transfer through direct investment and increased scientific research funding.

-Increased investment in research infrastructure and organisational capacities of universities and scientific institutes, which shall allow for a higher quality of scientific research as well as improving the attractiveness of research careers in Croatia.

-Introducing a new enabling framework for the advancement and career development of researchers, in line with the specificities of scientific fields, attracting and retaining young Croatian scientists and high-quality foreign scientists.

-Introducing a more efficient institutional and programming framework for research and development funding schemes.

The component supports addressing the country specific recommendation on investment-related economic policy on research and innovation (country specific recommendation 3, 2019).

Q.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C3.2 R1 – Reform and strengthening of the research and development capacities of the public research sector

The objective of this reform is to increase the quality and international visibility of public research, strengthen targeted research and the impact of science on the further development of innovation, economy and society through the reorganisation of the public research sector. The reform shall include the following actions:

-Adopting a new model of programme agreements for funding the public scientific research system,

-Increasing the budget of scientific institutions for more impactful research,

-Reducing the fragmentation of the scientific research system through the integration of scientific research institutions with a view of transitioning to a more efficient organisation of universities and research institutes,

-Improving the quality of scientific research work by fostering a transition to a performance-based funding system.

The implementation of the reform shall include the adoption of a new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education providing a legal and financial framework for the organisational and functional integration of universities and scientific institutes, as well as a dialogue on institutional objectives and a new results-based funding framework. The new legal and financial framework is expected to lead to more influential publications, more competitive projects, stronger international cooperation, and an increased number of projects in cooperation with businesses.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

Investment C3.2 R1-I1 – Development of a system of programme agreements for funding universities and research institutes focused on innovation, research and development

The objective of this investment is to improve the system of funding for the scientific work of universities and scientific institutes with the goal of achieving higher quality and greater relevance of research results for the development of the economy and society.

The investment shall include procuring advisory assistance from external experts for the preparation of a proposal for a new framework of programme agreements, set up between the Ministry of Science and the universities and research institutes, enabling a transition to result-focused financing system of the universities and the research institutes, and for the negotiation process with stakeholders. This shall include analyses of the current framework, review of arrangements in other countries, proposals for drawing up the programme agreements and communicating their use, as well as preparation of the legal amendments and technical project documentation.

A support scheme shall be launched to deliver institutional funding for universities and research institutes that have signed the programme agreements allowing for a more efficient use of resources and an increased research performance. As part of the reform, two funding cycles of programme agreements shall be implemented, which shall be accompanied by a new monitoring system through an annual performance framework. The programme agreements shall continue to be financed from the national budget after 2026, as the new financing model shall allow major savings in the long term.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall exclude the following list of activities: (i) activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[19](#footnote20)
; (ii) activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[20](#footnote21)
; (iii) activities related to waste landfills, incinerators
[21](#footnote22)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[22](#footnote23)
; and (iv) activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment. The terms of reference shall additionally require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation may be selected.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment C3.2 R1-I2 – Strengthening institutional capacity of universities and research institutes for innovation

The objective of this investment is to help reduce the fragmentation of the scientific system through the construction of infrastructure to allow for the consolidation of universities and scientific institutes. Funding for scientific research infrastructure shall only be granted to those institutions that shall introduce the new programme agreements, as indicated in investment C3.2 R1-I1.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform C3.2 R2 – Creating a framework for attracting students and researchers to STEM and ICT fields

The objective of this reform is to introduce a new enabling framework for the advancement and career development of researchers in STEM and ICT fields in order to increase the number and quality of researchers and professionals in the scientific and business sectors and to enhance the potential for innovation. In the long term, the reform is expected to allow human capital to spill over from scientific institutions to the economy through the transfer of specialised knowledge, advanced technologies, collaboration between academia and business through technology platforms and the development of high-tech start-ups and spin-offs, as well as open research and technology infrastructures.

Scientific careers shall be made more attractive through a clear, transparent and merit-based recruitment policy in the key areas of scientific research. Science careers in STEM and ICT shall be promoted from the earliest levels of education. The legislative framework shall be amended to address the uncompetitive, administratively burdensome recruitment and promotion model in Croatia’s scientific research system.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

Investment C3.2 R2-I1 – Development of an enabling model for researchers’ career progression and conducting cutting-edge scientific research in STEM and ICT fields

The objective of this investment is to develop and introduce a new enabling framework and incentive system for the development of researchers’ careers. The investment shall include:

-Establishing a new framework of funding research programmes for supporting the advancement and career development of researchers, based on a detailed analysis and recommendations of an expert study. The framework shall focus on rewarding research excellence, cooperation with industry, and international cooperation.

-Implementation of the new framework of funding research programmes to strengthen, attract and retain research talent, to strengthen STEM and ICT skills, to foster mobility to and from international institutions and the industry, to encourage start-ups, and to establish independent research careers for scientists in internationally competitive and targeted research at high technology readiness levels. The framework shall include grants for: (i) STEM and ICT scholarships; (ii) a Young Researchers Programme; (iii) a Tenure track programme; (iv) a Mobility scheme; (v) Starts up/spin off of young researchers’ companies; and (vi) an Entrepreneurship Traineeships Programme.

Sustainability of the funding programmes after 2026 shall be ensured through the state budget, expected savings from the implementation of the programme agreements for universities and institutes, and through the expected increase in research grants awarded to the scientific community from EU Funds.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall exclude the following list of activities: (i) activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[23](#footnote24)
; (ii) activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[24](#footnote25)
; (iii) activities related to waste landfills, incinerators
[25](#footnote26)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[26](#footnote27)
; and (iv) activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment. The terms of reference shall additionally require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation may be selected.

The investment shall be implemented by 30 March 2025.

Investment C3.2 R2-I2 – Investing in research – technology infrastructure in STEM and ICT fields

The objective of this investment is to support the digital transition through investments in key infrastructure projects for applied and targeted research, to enable young researchers to develop careers in cooperation with the business sector and provide experienced researchers with a collaborative platform for innovation activities.

This measure shall set up and equip the scientific, technological and innovation infrastructure of strategic importance with high research potential for STEM and ICT, which shall strengthen human capacity for cutting-edge scientific research and cooperation with the business sector. The infrastructure shall be based on open innovation principles and directly support clean technology areas and the green and digital transitions.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C3.2 R3 – Improving the
   efficiency of public investment in research, development and innovation

The objective of this reform is to implement a more functional and efficient governance model for competitive research and put in place development and innovation schemes enabling a faster, merit-based selection process of research projects.

The reform shall include the adoption of a new Act on the Croatian Science Foundation to strengthen the capacity of the Croatian Science Foundation and reduce the number of institutions currently involved in the management and implementation of research and innovation funding programmes. This new legal framework shall enable to transform and strengthen the Foundation’s capacity into a body that, in addition to clearly agreed and defined competences within the framework of inter-institutional coordination within the National Innovation Council, shall ensure a simplified and systematic approach to project funding management.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

Investment C3.2 R3-I1 – Introducing a more functional research, development and innovation project funding programming framework

The objective of this measure is to improve the existing system of research, development and innovation (R&D&I) financing and support the development of cutting-edge research and products. The investment shall include:

-Establishing a new framework for delivering R&D&I policies by designing new funding programmes for supporting research and development as well as improving the capacities of the Croatian Science foundation, based on detailed analyses and studies by external experts.

-Implementation of funding programmes (research innovation projects) through the new framework, representing a ‘pilot phase’ with the long-term aim of replicating the new mind-set in planning and implementing R & D & I policies and programmes, irrespective of the source of funding.

Sustainability of the new programming framework after 2026 shall be ensured through funding from the State budget, while also taking into account complementarity with ESIF-funded programmes.

In order to ensure that the measure complies with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01), the eligibility criteria contained in terms of reference for upcoming calls for projects shall exclude the following list of activities: (i) activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use
[27](#footnote28)
; (ii) activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks
[28](#footnote29)
; (iii) activities related to waste landfills, incinerators
[29](#footnote30)
 and mechanical biological treatment plants
[30](#footnote31)
; and (iv) activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment. The terms of reference shall additionally require that only activities that comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation may be selected.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

 

 

Q.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 275 | C3.2. R1 | M | New Science and Higher Education Act | Entry into force of the New Science and Higher Education Act |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The new legislative act shall create legal and financial conditions for organisational and functional reform of public universities and scientific institutes and funding aimed at achieving institutional development objectives. |
| 276 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Funding allocated to research projects based on internal calls by research organisations during the first two-year cycle of program agreements implementation |  | Number (Amount) |  | 17 619 079 | Q1 | 2023 | EUR 17 619 079 shall have been awarded to research projects carried out by universities and research institutes which have signed the programme agreements. The projects shall support direct scientific and research activities (research projects) and be based on published tender specifications, with terms of reference including eligibility criteria that ensure that the selected projects comply with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) through the use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation. |
| 277 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Share of universities or research institutes that have signed programme agreements |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 65 | Q3 | 2024 | At least 65% of public universities and scientific institutes shall have signed new programme agreements in accordance with the provisions of the new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education that shall introduce a performance-based system of funding targets for public scientific organisations. |
| 278 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Completed research projects, in the ‘Green’ field, by scientific organisations that have signed new Programme Agreements |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q1 | 2025 | At least 4 research projects directly supporting the green transition, carried out by scientific organisations which have signed the new Programme Agreements, shall have been completed on the basis of a call for projects based on published tender specifications, with terms of reference including eligibility criteria that ensure that the selected projects comply with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) through the use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation. |
| 279 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Funding allocated to research projects based on internal calls by research organisations |  | Number (Amount) |  | 58 730 264 | Q2 | 2025 | EUR 58 730 264 shall have been awarded to research projects carried out by universities and research institutes which have signed the programme agreements. The projects shall support direct scientific and research activities (research projects) and be based on published tender specifications, with terms of reference including eligibility criteria that ensure that the selected projects comply with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) through the use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation. |
| 280 | C3.2. R1-I2 | T | Reorganisations of higher education institutions and scientific institutes |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q4 | 2025 | Based on the model for the reorganisation of higher education institutions and scientific institutes developed by independent external experts and adopted by the Ministry of science and education in dialogue with academia and social partners, at least six (6) reorganisations of higher education institutions and scientific institutes involving at least twelve (12) scientific research organisations shall be finalised. Implementation of a particular reorganisation may involve formal mergers, functional integration and/or institutional consolidation (e.g. consolidation of several components of the University, integration of previously independent institutes into a university, merger of two or more institutes). A reorganisation is deemed to involve a status change of two or more institutions, and this measure shall therefore result in the integration/consolidation of at least 12 scientific research organisations. |
| 281 | C3.2. R2 | M | New legal framework regulating quality requirements for study programmes, doctoral studies and working conditions for scientific institutions | Entry into force of a new legal framework |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The new legal framework shall provide a basis for a new promotion system based on excellence and better regulation of career development, thus enabling conditions for attracting and retaining quality researchers. The new legal framework shall allow young scientists to thrive on the basis of internationally recognised scientific quality criteria and with less administrative barriers. It shall include flexible working arrangements to promote the recruitment of researchers with care responsibilities.  The new legal framework consists of:  1) New Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education Act   2) Ordinance on the conditions for selection in scientific titles |
| 282 | C3.2. R2-I1 | T | Grants awarded under the programming framework for increasing availability and employability of graduates in STEM/ICT fields and improving their mobility for national and international cooperation |  | Number | 0 | 3 354 | Q1 | 2025 | On the basis of advisory services from external experts which shall be engaged to prepare the new framework of instruments for the promotion and career development of researchers, at least 3 354 grants shall be awarded, under the new framework. The calls for projects shall be based on published tender specifications, with terms of reference including eligibility criteria that ensure that the selected projects comply with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) through the use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation. |
| 283 | C3.2. R2-I2 | T | Infrastructure projects for applied and targeted research |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q2 | 2026 | Four science-technology infrastructure projects for applied and targeted research shall be finalised, to enable young researchers to develop a career in collaboration with the business sector and experienced researchers, and to support the digital transformation process. |
| 284 | C3.2. R3 | M | New law on the Croatian Science Foundation | Entry into force of the new Act on the Croatian Science Foundation. |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The new Act on the Croatian Science Foundation shall define a clear mission of the Foundation for Conducting, Coordination, Design, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Programme and Evaluation of R & D project funding programmes and policies, creating a strong and independent system for implementing the selection, funding and monitoring of the effects of R & D project. |
| 285 | C3.2. R3-I1 | T | Grants awarded under a ‘pilot programme’ supporting the establishment of a reformed R & D & I framework. |  | Number | 0 | 300 | Q4 | 2025 | Based on advisory assistance from external experts engaged for the establishment of the new R & D & I institutional and programming framework and design of new R & D programmes, at least 300 grants shall have been awarded for projects targeting cooperation between enterprises and research organisations or knowledge and technology transfers under a ‘pilot programme’ to support the establishment of a reformed R & D & I framework. These projects shall be based on published tender specifications, with terms of reference including eligibility criteria that ensure that the selected projects comply with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01) through the use of an exclusion list and the requirement of compliance with the relevant EU and national environmental legislation. |

   R. COMPONENT 4.1: IMPROVING EMPLOYMENT MEASURES AND THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR A MODERN LABOUR MARKET AND THE ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE

This component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan addresses labour market issues, namely through modernizing the labour market regulation and developing targeted active labour market policies. The overarching objective of the reforms and investments in this component is to help increase employment in Croatia, which is still well below EU average despite improvements in recent years.

The specific objectives pursued by this component are the following:

-Development and implementation of new active labour market policies supporting job creation in green and digital areas

-Improvements to the system of inclusion and monitoring of vulnerable groups in the labour market

-Introduction of a voucher system for adult education and upskilling, particularly the acquisition of skills related to green and digital technologies

-Improvements to the labour law

This component addresses the country specific recommendation to strengthen labour market measures and institutions and their coordination with social services (country specific recommendation 2, 2019), as well as the country specific recommendation to promote the acquisition of skills (country-specific recommendation 2.4, 2020). 

R.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C4.1 R1 – Development and implementation of new targeted active labour market policies for the purposes of green and digital transition of the labour market

The objective of this measure is to adopt new active labour market policies (ALMP) to boost employment and self-employment linked to the green and digital transitions and increase the competitiveness and employability of the labour force in line with labour market needs and with a particular focus on the activation of the long-term unemployed.

The measure shall develop and fund three new active labour market policy measures focusing on the twin transition, namely:

-Grant support for employment in jobs related to the green and digital transitions

-Grant support for traineeships related to the green and digital transitions

-Grant support for self-employment related to the green and digital transitions

In the case of support for employment and traineeships, jobs in the green and digital transitions shall be defined by the Croatian Public Employment Service in line with best practices such as the International Labour Organisation’s definition of green jobs.

In the case of self-employment, the Croatian Public Employment Service (PES) shall develop criteria, in line with best practices, for assessing the consistency of applicants’ business plans with the green and digital transitions, in which cases the amount of the support grant will be higher.

In order to increase the coverage of ALMP measures, particularly towards vulnerable groups of severely disadvantaged beneficiaries on the labour market, the duration of employment support grants shall be extended to two years for new recruits.

New measures for the long-term unemployed and less employable people from vulnerable groups shall be combined with the use of skills vouchers to provide skills related to the green and digital transitions.

Funding of grants to support employment in jobs related to the green transition is expected to amount to 70% of the overall allocation while the remaining 30% is envisaged for funding grants to support employment in jobs related to the digital transition.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform C.4.1 R2 – Strengthening of the system of inclusion and monitoring of vulnerable groups in the labour market through improvements of the employment service processes

The objective of this measure is to strengthen support to unemployed people and vulnerable groups through:

-Strengthening administrative capacity and staff skills to work with vulnerable groups

-Improving profiling systems and segmentation of vulnerable groups

-Introduction of labour market integration plans and activation programmes for vulnerable groups

-Developing a monitoring system for outcomes of labour market integration through active employment policy measures at the level of beneficiary

-Expanding and reorganising the existing network of CISOK career orientation centres, focusing on their role in attracting young people not in employment, education or training

-Increasing the amount and the duration of the unemployment benefit in line with the outcomes of an analysis.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C4.1 R3 – Setting up a voucher system for adult education, training and upskilling

The objective of this reform is to increase employability of workers and better match supply and demand on the labour market by supporting lifelong learning and the acquisition of new skills, particularly green and digital skills.

The reform shall include:

-The adoption of a new Adult Education Act, which shall aim to improve the quality of adult learning through improved accreditation, monitoring and evaluation of adult education institutions, introduction of adult education vouchers and their alignment with the Croatian Qualifications Framework in the adult education system.

-Skills mapping, with a focus on priority skills in the labour market, including skills in shortage, green and digital skills, which will be used to update the skills catalogue and define the skills and related educational programmes to be funded by vouchers.

-Development of an IT tool for a comprehensive assessment of the potential beneficiaries’ skills.

-Outreach to vulnerable groups using orientation and counselling to increase their participation in upskilling initiatives, including vouchers.

-Operationalisation of the application for the use of vouchers by beneficiaries, education providers, counsellors and employers.

The reform shall be implemented by 30 June 2025.

Investment C4.1 R3-I1 – Implementation of vouchers for adult education, training and upskilling

This investment shall include the funding of vouchers for accredited adult education, training and upskilling programmes to acquire the skills needed in the labour market, and particularly in the transition towards a green and digital economy. Funding for programmes related to skills needed in the green transition is expected to amount to 70% of the overall investment allocation while the remaining 30% is envisaged for funding programmes related to acquiring digital skills.

The investment shall be implemented continuously from 30 June 2022 at the latest, until 30 June 2026.

Reform C4.1 R4 – Improvements to the labour legislation

The objective of this reform is to create a clear and modern legislative framework aimed at improving working conditions and work-life balance, better regulating novel forms of work and encouraging the transitions from fixed to open-ended contracts and from undeclared to declared work.

The reform shall include amendments to the Labour Act, namely:

(1)Regulating work carried out from home aimed at ensuring legal certainty for the parties to the employment relationship in exceptional and regular circumstances.

(2)Disincentives to the use of unjustified fixed-term employment contracts, in particular those of extremely short duration and limiting the number of possible successive temporary contracts and preventing abuse of such contracts, in particular as regards recruitment by related employers, and better defining the concept of ‘successiveness’.

(3)Strengthening the right to additional work for other employers.

(4)Creating a legal framework that regulates work through online platforms as a specific work form, by laying down the subjective rights and obligations arising from this specific legal relationship – fundamental rights and obligations on the basis of work, compulsory insurance, safety and security, rest periods, termination of contracts, co-decision and association and rights in collective employment relationships.

(5)Revisions of the legal provision on automatic termination of employment at the onset of retirement age and revision of the provision of mandatory severance in cases of employees reaching retirement age, with the aim of incentivising workers to remain active, while avoiding undue burden on employers.

(6)Adequately defining the concept of pay and all of its components, in order to better link it with the minimum wage and facilitate the application of labour regulations and rules on taxation of income from employment.

(7)Defining the coverage of collective agreement rights by better linking it to membership, in order to increase the low participation of workers in trade unions and collective bargaining and thus strengthen social dialogue.

The reform shall amend the Law on compulsory health insurance by transferring the cost of sick leave for active workers that are eligible for old-age retirement to the Croatian Health Insurance Institute.

The reform shall include amendments to existing laws governing employment relations and the adoption of a new law on tackling undeclared work, as well as non-legislative actions to combat undeclared work, namely:

(1)Strengthening the knowledge and competences of stakeholders and the institutions supervising them

(2)Creating common databases for effective enforcement monitoring

(3)Redefining and better harmonising penalties imposed for undeclared work

(4)Increasing public awareness of the benefits of legal work and drawbacks of undeclared work, including through campaigns that will also advertise possibilities of using active labour market measures linked to self-employment, as well as trainings on the different ways to register a business crafts for which public benefits are paid in lump sums in accordance with tax rules.

(5)Establishing electronic records of workers and working time in the construction sector, and then gradually in other activities.

(6)A broader regulation of liability for non-payment of wages in the contractual chain in the event of subcontracting.

(7)Defining undeclared work in all its manifestations, strengthening inspections and penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions and regulating the actions of the authorities involved in the fight against undeclared work.

(8)Defining the process of transitioning from undeclared to declared work, by mandating employers to register an employee retroactively from their first day at work (and a minimum of three months) within three days after the inspection detects undeclared work. In addition, the infringement will carry a penalty in the prescribed amount per undeclared worker and an obligation to pay the worker’s salary and contributions and benefits.

The reform shall include amendments to the Minimum Wage Act, namely:

(1)Exclusion of the majority of wage supplements from the amount of the minimum wage and mandating minimum increases for overtime, night work and work on Sundays and holidays.

(2)Ruling out the possibility of renouncing the minimum wage in order to prevent possible abuses by employers.

(3)Strengthening controls by inspection authorities and redefine penalties for non-payment of minimum wages.

(4)Strengthening the role of the Expert Commission for Monitoring and Analysis of Minimum Wage Developments by entrusting it with analyses of the potential impact of minimum wage increases on the economy, employment, standard of living and other segments of life and work, and, accordingly, to recommend guidelines.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

R.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 286 | C4.1. R1 | M | Supplementing active labour market policies | Three new active labour market policy measures adopted |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | The Croatian Employment Service shall adopt three new measures to support job creation in the green and digital transitions. The conditions and criteria for the use of funds under these measures, as well as the activities of the Croatian Public Employment Service, shall be designed to prioritise reactivation and (self-)employment of inactive, long-term unemployed and young people not in employment, education or training (NEET). |
| 287 | C4.1. R1 | T | Number of beneficiaries of the new active labour market policy measures |  | Number | 0 | 26 400 | Q4 | 2025 | At least 26 400 benefit from the new active labour market policies, of which at least 13 000 shall be long-term unemployed, inactive and young NEETs. |
| 288 | C4.1. R2 | M | Entry into force of the amendments to the Labour Market Act | Entry into force of the act amending the Labour Market Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | Entry into force of an amended or new Labour Market Act which increases the amount and prolongs the duration of unemployment benefits, relaxes requirements for vulnerable workers and digitalises the application process for unemployment benefits in line with the analysis carried out. |
| 289 | C4.1. R2 | M | Improved quality of support for vulnerable groups | Entry into force of a delegated act or adoption of an internal rulebook on enhanced processes for the work of the CES for profiling, segmentation, integration and activation of vulnerable groups |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | The new Croatian Public Employment Service processes are operational for profiling, segmentation, integration and activation of vulnerable groups, development of tools for matching unemployed with job vacancies and operationalisation of ALMPs monitoring and evaluation system. |
| 290 | C4.1. R2 | T | Improved quality of support for at least 5 000 people from vulnerable groups |  | Number | 0 | 5 000 | Q2 | 2025 | Outreach activities towards vulnerable groups shall allow for the inclusion of 5 000 new users. |
| 291 | C4.1. R3 | M | Developing skills according to market needs | Voucher system in use |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | The voucher system is operational and in use to finance participation exclusively in educational programmes developed on the basis of the Croatian Qualifications Framework and implemented through accredited institutions in accordance with the adopted new Adult Education Act. At least 25 educational programmes are involved. The system shall contain a skills catalogue that maps existing and needed skills in the labour market, as well as an IT application for managing and awarding vouchers. The voucher system shall benefit employed and unemployed persons, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups (long-term unemployed, inactive or young NEETs). |
| 292 | C4.1. R3-I1 | T | Use of education vouchers |  | Number | 0 | 30 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Vouchers awarded to at least 30 000 unique beneficiaries, of which at least 12 000 long-term unemployed, inactive or young NEETs. |
| 293 | C4.1. R4 | M | Entry into force of the amendments to the Minimum Wage Act | Entry into force of the act amending the Minimum Wage Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The new Minimum Wage Act shall exclude the various wage supplements from the minimum wage and mandate minimum increases for overtime, night work, Sundays and public holidays. It shall also prohibit the possibility of renouncing the minimum wage in order to prevent abuse, strengthen the control of inspection bodies and redefine penalties for offenders. |
| 294 | C4.1. R4 | M | Adoption of the Law on Tackling Undeclared Work and the new Labour Law | Entry into force of the Law on Tackling Undeclared Work and the Act amending the Labour Law |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The amended or new Labour Law shall regulate outplace work and platform work, limit the number of successive temporary contracts, strengthen the right to work for other employers and revise the 65-year retirement clause, change the provisions on financing of sick leave and severance for workers at retirement age, encourage additional employment and part-time employment and include provisions to allow flexibility in working time and place of work and reduce the gender pay gap. The new or amended Law on Tackling Undeclared Work shall define undeclared work and all its manifestations, strengthen inspections and laying down misdemeanour provisions, regulate the process of transferring workers from undeclared to declared work. |
| 295 | C4.1. R4 | T | Increasing the ratio of the minimum wage to the average gross wage in 2024 to 50%. in |  | % (Percentage) | 46,29 | 50 | Q1 | 2025 | In consultation with the social partners and in cooperation with the Expert Panel on Monitoring and Analysis of Minimum Wage Developments, the minimum wage shall be increased to 50 % of the average wage from the previous year. |
| 296 | C4.1. R4 | T | Reducing the share of temporary contracts to 17% |  | % (Percentage) | 18,1 | 17 | Q2 | 2026 | Amendments to the Labour Law shall create the conditions for reducing the number of temporary contracts, which is expected to decrease from 18,1% to no more than 17%. |

   S. COMPONENT 4.2: IMPROVING THE PENSION SYSTEM THROUGH INCREASED PENSION ADEQUACY

This component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan aims at further strengthening the sustainability of the pension system, namely through incentivising longer working lives, strengthening the second pension pillar and increasing the lowest pensions. The overarching objective of the reform in this component is to improve pension adequacy and sustainability.

S.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C4.2 R1 – Increasing pension adequacy through continued pension reform

The objective of this reform is threefold: i) improving pension adequacy, particularly for beneficiaries with the lowest income, ii) improving sustainability of the pension system through strengthening the second pension pillar and iii) reinvigorating reform efforts in the longer term in a socially inclusive way by forming a Working Group that would involve all key stakeholders and social partners.

To improve pension adequacy, the reform shall include:

-An increase in the minimum pension by a minimum of 3% in real terms (i.e. in excess of the regular indexation);

-Modifications to the calculation of the survivor’s pension, resulting in an increase of the total pension income of at least 10% for the beneficiaries of a survivor’s pension and introducing the possibility to use a part of the survivor's pension in addition to a personal pension for lower pension beneficiaries (of both old age and invalidity pensions) under conditions related to age and income.

For strengthening the second pension pillar, the reform shall include:

-Broadening of the scope of eligible investments for second pillar pension funds;

-Government adoption of a conclusion on the Report on cost-effectiveness analyses of compulsory pension funds’ investments in state-owned enterprises.

To reinvigorate reform efforts in the pension system, the reform shall include:

-The setting up of a Working Group to analyse the situation of the pension system, aimed at improving pension adequacy and ensuring the sustainability of the pension system.

-Implementation of the conclusions of the Working Group through legislative changes.

The measures of this reform shall be implemented through amendments to the Pension Insurance Act.

The reform shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

 

S.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators   (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators   (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 297 | C4.2. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the Pension Insurance Act | Entry into force of the new or amended Pension Insurance Act. |  |  |  | Q1 | 2023 | The amendments to the Pension Insurance Act shall increase the minimum pension and the pension factor used to calculate the amount of the survivor’s pension to make it possible to use part of the survivor’s pension in addition to a personal pension (old/invalidity) under conditions related to age and income, for lower income pensioners. |
| 298 | C4.2. R1 | M | Adoption of the Conclusions on Acceptance of the Report on cost-effectiveness analyses of compulsory pension funds’ investments in state-owned enterprises. | Government adoption of the Conclusion on Acceptance of the Report on Profitability Analysis of Compulsory Pension Funds Investments in SOEs. |  |  |  | Q1 | 2024 | An expert analyses shall be carried out, followed by a Report on the analyses carried out and endorsed by the Government, and to determine whether a change in the legislative framework in the form of capitalised savings is necessary in order to increase pension adequacy under the 2nd pension pillar. |
| 299 | C4.2. R1 | T | An increase of between 10% and 15% in the total pension income for beneficiaries of the redefined form of survivor’s pension (minimum 10%). |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 10-15 | Q1 | 2025 | A redefinition of the survivor’s pension model shall increase the survivor’s pension between 10% and 15% overall in relation to 2014 levels. |
| 300 | C4.2. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the Pension Insurance Act | The entry into force of the new or amended Pension Insurance Act, which shall contain measures, in line with the conclusions of the Working Group on the analysis of the situation of the pension system, to improve pension adequacy and sustainability of the pension system . (published in the Official Journal) |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | A Working Group shall be set up with the task to analyse the situation of the pension system and discuss further options for improving its adequacy and sustainability. It shall be comprised of social partners, pension associations, academia, specialised consultants and other interested stakeholders. The Conclusions and recommendations of the Working Group shall be taken into account to the greatest extent when amending the legislative framework, which shall be subject to public consultations. |
| 301 | C4.2. R1 | T | Increase of the minimum pension by 3% |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 3 | Q1 | 2026 | An increase in the minimum pension of at least 3% overall in real terms (i.e. in excess of the regular indexation) compared to 2020. |

   T. COMPONENT 4.3: IMPROVING THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM

This component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan addresses challenges concerning social welfare system, both as regards social benefits and social services. The overarching objective of the reforms and investments in this component is to reduce poverty, prevent social exclusion and develop social services tailored for vulnerable groups, thereby building of a more resilient society.

The component shall include the following measures:  

-Improving the legislative framework by adoption of the new Social Welfare Act and three strategic documents;

-Raising the adequacy and coverage of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit, the main poverty reducing benefit at the national level;

-Technical and functional consolidation of social benefits, at national and local levels, with the introduction of regular indexation and adaptation of the eligibility criteria;

-Harmonizing the pricing of social services across various existing providers;

-Development of the new social services (social mentorship and family assistants) with aim to prevent institutionalisation and social exclusion;

-Fostering transition to home and community-based long-term care for elderly people by developing non-institutional services, while providing sufficient accommodation capacities exclusively for people in need of long-term care without viable home and community based alternative.

The component addresses the country-specific recommendation to consolidate social benefits and improve their capacity to reduce poverty (country-specific recommendation 2.2, 2019), on the adequacy of unemployment benefits and minimum income schemes improvement (country-specific recommendation 2.2, 2020), as well as on contributing to increasing access to digital infrastructure and services (country-specific recommendation 2.3, 2020), and promotion of the skills acquisition (country-specific recommendation 2.4, 2020).

T.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C4.3 R1 - Transparency and adequacy of social benefits in the social protection system

The objective of this measure is to increase the adequacy of the main social benefits targeted at the most vulnerable groups of society and contribute to the reduction of inequalities, administrative burden and increase the transparency of the system. Furthermore, the reform shall allow faster and more efficient provision of benefits by merging existing social benefits into a single benefit. The reform measure shall aim to achieve better coverage and fairness by improving eligibility and adequacy in the application of the benefits. Some aspects of this reform are envisaged to be phased in gradually over a longer period, while others can be more promptly implemented. For this reason, the reform will require changes to some legislation at two points in time.

The reform shall entail the following changes to social benefits, which shall be included in the new Social Welfare Act:

-Combining costs of housing and heating allowances;

-Raising the basic amount of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit to HRK 1 000 and by 25% for children, and relaxing the most difficult eligibility criteria including an increase of the income threshold for eligibility to HRK 1 000.

The reform shall also include the adoption of the National Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2021-2027 to:

-Define a target to reduce the at-risk-of-poverty rate to less than 15% from a baseline of 18,3% for 2019 and implementation plan;

-Ensure conditions that effectively reduce poverty and social exclusion and improve the daily lives of people at risk of poverty, especially for those experiencing severe material deprivation.

-Identify development priorities for the fight against poverty and social exclusion and recognise special system relevant requirements in relation to vulnerable groups.

The reform shall include the adoption of the Act Amending the Social Welfare Act or the Inclusive Supplement Act on integrated social benefits to:

-Amend the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit by increasing the basic amount to HRK 1 200 and by at least 25% for households with children, and ensuring the full integration of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit with other social benefits, entry in force from 1 January 2025;

-Based on the outcomes of expert analysis, specify the scope of merging of benefits with the same functions and include measures to improve coverage, adequacy and targeting of social benefits, with a particular focus on people suffering from persistent poverty

-Contain provisions on the evaluation and monitoring of social benefits effectiveness and adequacy;

-Introduce indexation as the standard feature of social benefits.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2024. 

Investment C4.3 R1-I1 - Improving the digitalisation of the social benefits system between the national and local levels

The objective of this investment is to further develop functional access to all available data on social benefits for each individual beneficiary. In cooperation with the Tax Administration, the retrieval of income subject to tax and gross income records (EDIP) and the extension of the report on gross income, income tax and surtax and compulsory insurance contributions (JOPPD) code on the social benefits part of the social protection system shall make it possible to consult data on social benefits for each individual beneficiary to all local and regional units as well as services at national level.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025. 

Investment C4.3 R1-I2 - Development of a web application on the possibility to receive social benefits at the national level

The objective of this investment is to create a web application accessible to citizens that brings together social benefits in the social protection system at the national level and the conditions for their provision. The conditions for obtaining 12 types of social benefits in a social protection system at the national level shall be available in the application.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2024. 

Reform C4.3 R2 - Development of social mentoring service

The objective of this reform is to ensure sufficient human capacity to carry out social services, through better cooperation and data sharing, to beneficiaries of guaranteed minimum benefits and disadvantaged groups of beneficiaries. The reform shall introduce a new social mentoring service targeted at individuals at risk or already in a marginalised position in society, which shall be included in the new Social Welfare Act.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025. 

Investment C4.3 R2-I1 - Introduction of social mentoring services

The objective of this investment is to make the new social mentoring service available to all potential beneficiaries, in particular beneficiaries of Guaranteed Minimum Benefit, persons with disabilities, victims of violence, the homeless, migrants, Roma and young people departing from the social welfare system, persons serving prison sentences and members of other socially vulnerable groups. For a more impactful and effective social mentoring system, the investment shall include the preparation of a protocol on cooperation and commitments between social welfare centres and employment establishing a joint case management and data sharing.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform C4.3 R3 - Developing community-based services to prevent institutionalisation

The objective of this reform is to adopt the National Plan for the Development of Social Services 2021-2027, which shall:

-Identify priorities for the development of social services;

-Review the needs for different forms of social care, both non-institutional and institutional, with particular focus on the long-term unemployed, persons with disabilities, beneficiaries of Guaranteed Minimum Benefits, victims of violence and human trafficking, young people without care, the homeless, migrants, Roma and persons serving prison sentences;

-Lay out a systematic long-term care plan that is tailored to the specific requirements of beneficiaries;

-List objectives and criteria for developing residence services for users who functionally entirely depend on institutional care and whose needs cannot be provided through out-of-institutional services, community and home help services as well as other services that improve the quality of life and allow users to reside longer in their homes and community;

-Adapt services to focus on empowering individuals to influence their social status by moving from exclusion to inclusion and working towards expanding their social network;

-Develop a systematic and integrated long-term care for older people that shall prioritise transition from institutionalised care to home and community-based elderly care;

-Support the development of home services and community-based services for long-term care;

-Ensure availability of institutional services only for those elderly persons who functionally entirely depend on institutional care, and whose needs cannot be provided through out-of-institutional services;

-Plan of semi-residential or residential time of care, with the strong preference for home care services taking into account the availability of services and users' needs.

Furthermore, as part of the reform standards of treatment for Family Assistants shall be developed. The standardisation of professional practices in the implementation of family protection measures shall contribute to improving the protection of children, adults with disabilities and elderly people, equalising quality of the provided service and preventing institutionalisation by providing services directly at the home of users in cooperation with other relevant stakeholders at local level.

The reform shall include amendments to the new Social Welfare Act to:

-Prioritise deinstitutionalisation in long-term care to induce structural changes in this social policy area;

-Enable and promote coordination between social services and ensure a coordinated approach across the wide range of quality services they deliver.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022. 

Investment C4.3 R3-I1 - Strengthening the capacity of community service professionals

The objective of this measure is to improve human capacity to deliver social services through educational activities and the recruitment of professionals. The investment shall finance the training and licensing of 750 Advisers on legal family protection measures and 40 Family Assistants. Additionally, a number of 400 professional workers in social care institutions shall be recruited to provide out-of-institutional services. The investment shall contribute to the development and regional accessibility of community-based social services and strengthen professionals’ competencies for standardised treatment in family and legal protection work to prevent the institutionalisation of children, young people, and other socially vulnerable groups.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024. 

Investment C4.3 R3-I2 - Improving the digitalisation of social welfare system and connecting social welfare centres with social service providers

The objective of this investment is to upgrade the social care home application that manages and records procedures relating to recognising rights to social services by individual service providers. The investment shall include the integration of the application into the single social welfare IT system providing a single digital platform for monitoring and analysing data on users and welfare services.

The investment shall be completed by 31 December 2024. 

Investment C4.3 R3-I3 - Improving the digitalisation of social welfare system and implementing system on methodology to calculate the prices of social services

The objective of this measure is to develop a new data management solution for social service providers financed by the state budget. The main functionality of the developed data management solution shall be the automated data collection, quality analysis and calculation of social service prices. The investment shall finance software, hardware and educational requirements for enabling full functionality of the solution.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2023. 

  

 Investment C4.3 R3-I4 - Construction and equipping of centres for the elderly care (home and community based services and institutional services)

The objective of this measure is to construct eight centres for the elderly that shall accommodate 800 older adults who functionally entirely depend on institutional care and whose needs cannot be provided through out-of-institutional services. Furthermore, the centres for the elderly shall create conditions to provide community care and out-of-institutional services to older people living at home. The locations of the elderly care centres shall be determined through a public call to allow cities and counties to participate in the building and equipping of centres for the older people, while the selection criteria shall be based on the ability to ensure the sustainability of the investments, regional dimension to achieve even territorial capacity coverage, based on the mapping analysis.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

T.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 302 | C4.3. R1 | M | Adoption of the National Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2021-2027 | Adoption of the National Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion adopted 2021-2027 |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | National Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion adopted 2021-2027, which shall:      - Define the target of reducing the at-risk-of-poverty rate to less than 15% from a baseline of 18,3% for 2019 and implementation plan;  - Ensure conditions that effectively reduce poverty and social exclusion and improve the daily lives of people at risk of poverty, as well as those experiencing severe material deprivation.  - Identify development priorities for the fight against poverty and social exclusion and identifies needs in relation to vulnerable groups in systems. |
| 303 | C4.3. R1 | M | Adoption of the new Social Welfare Act | Entry into force of the new Social Welfare Act |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | The new Social Welfare Act shall introduce the following changes:   - Combining existing housing costs and heating allowances into one integrated allowance;  - Provision on the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit shall be changed by raising the basic amount to HRK 1 000 and increase for at least 25% for households with children by relaxing the most difficult eligibility criteria, including an increase of the income threshold to HRK 1 000;   - Introduction of a new social mentoring service;  - Structural changes introduced to long-term care ensuring facilitating deinstitutionalisation and transition to home and community based services;  - Provision to mandate the cooperation and regular exchange of information between institutions providing social services and social benefits to ensure a coordinated approach across the range of delivered services. |
| 304 | C4.3. R1 | T | Beneficiaries of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit |  | Number | 56 905 | 68 000 | Q4 | 2023 | - |
| 305 | C4.3. R1 | M | Adoption of a normative rule on functionally integrated social benefits | Entry into force of the Social Welfare Act or Inclusive Supplement Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | Amendments to the Social Welfare Act or the Inclusive Supplement Acton integrated social benefits which shall:  -Amend the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit by increasing the basic amount to HRK 1 200 and at least by 25% for households with children, and ensures the full integration of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit (GMB) with other social benefits.   -Define the (functional) integration of social benefits on the basis of expert analysis;  -Strengthen provisions on eligibility for receiving social benefits inter alia through better use of means and income testing;  -Include measures and provisions to improve coverage, adequacy and targeting of social benefits, based on expert analysis and with a particular focus on people suffering from persistent poverty;  -Contain provisions on the monitoring process and the involvement of relevant stakeholders during implementation;  -Introduce indexation of social benefits. |
| 306 | C4.3. R1 | T | At-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers |  | Percentage | 18,3 (2019) | 16,5 | Q4 | 2025 |  |
| 307 | C4.3. R1-I1 | T | Local government units data access on social benefits for each individual beneficiary |  | Percentage | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2025 | All local and regional government units shall have functional access to all available data on social benefits for each individual beneficiary. In cooperation with the Tax Administration, the retrieval of income subject to tax and gross income records (EDIP) and the extension of the report on gross income, income tax and surtax and compulsory insurance contributions (JOPPD) code on the social benefits part of the social protection system shall make it possible to consult data on social benefits for each individual beneficiary to all local and regional units as well as services at national level; |
| 308 | C4.3. R1-I2 | M | Digital availability of information on social protection benefits at national level | Developed and functional web application to provide information on social benefits with implemented criteria and conditions for obtaining 12 types of social benefits in a social protection system at national level |  |  |  | Q4 | 2024 | On the basis of project file and a technical specification a web application shall be developed and made accessible to all citizens. The application shall provide access to information on all existing social security benefits in the social protection system and the indicative possibility to obtain them at national level. The criteria and conditions for obtaining 12 types of social benefits in a social protection system at national level shall be available in the application. |
| 309 | C4.3. R2 | T | Training of social mentoring professionals |  | Number | 0 | 220 | Q2 | 2022 | The training of social mentors shall be carried out through 15 modules and shall be completed by 220 professionals. This service shall follow the principles of the social work profession and complement already existing activities of social welfare centres. It shall address the need to cooperate with other community-based social service providers and the need to actively engage the beneficiaries of social welfare systems in overcoming their own social exclusion. |
| 310 | C4.3. R2 | T | Employment of social mentoring professionals |  | Number | 0 | 220 | Q4 | 2025 | The employment of 220 social mentoring professionals that completed the training in social mentoring shall create a prerequisite for setting up the service social mentoring for disadvantaged and socially excluded groups of beneficiaries who shall receive individualised approach and empowerment in the form of developing skills required for active inclusion in the labour market and the life in the community. |
| 311 | C4.3. R2-I1 | T | Social mentoring services provided to beneficiaries |  | Number | 0 | 30 000 | Q4 | 2025 | The introduction of a social mentoring service shall contribute to the recruitment of long-term unemployed and other socially excluded groups. Through gradual introduction of the social mentoring service which shall be available in all 118 Social Welfare Centres including their subsidiaries, and ultimately to make the service actively benefiting to at least 30 000 users. |
| 312 | C4.3. R3 | M | Adoption of the National Plan for the Development of Social Services 2021-2027 | Adoption of the National Plan for the Development of Social Services 2021-2027 |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | -The National Plan for the Development of Social Services 2021-2027 shall identify priorities for the development of social services and outline the needs of all user groups for different forms of care, both non-institutional and institutional, with a view to achieving a systematic and holistic care plan that is tailored to the needs of users. The plan shall also define and set criteria necessary to develop residence services, home based and community services as well as other services that improve the quality of life and allow users to stay longer in their homes and community. The plan shall also outline the introduction of a social mentoring service, as well as the transition from institutional to home and community-based services in elderly care, which shall:  -Support the development of home services and community-based services for long-term care;   -Ensure availability of institutional services only for those elderly persons who functionally entirely depend on institutional care, and whose needs cannot be provided through out-of-institutional services;  -Introduce planning of semi-residential or residential type of care, with the strong preference for home care services taking into account the availability of services and users' needs. |
| 313 | C4.3. R3 | M | Adoption of standards of treatment for family assistants | Adoption of standards of treatment for family assistants |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Developed standards to regulate activities of family assistants shall enable the harmonised provision of on-the-spot services in the beneficiary’s home in cooperation with other stakeholders at the local community level. |
| 314 | C4.3. R3-I1 | T | Strengthening human capacity to deliver community-based services |  | Number | 0 | 400 | Q4 | 2024 | The prevention of institutionalisation shall be achieved through the recruitment of new professionals in social service to provide out-of-institutional services and the training and licensing of Advisers on legal family protection measures. In particular, continuous and targeted training and licensing of professionals of social welfare institutions for the implementation of legal family protection measures for children (education and licensing for a total of 750 professionals in social service– Advisers on legal family protection measures and training of 30 Family Assistants) shall be carried out. The number of 400 professional workers shall be recruited in social care institutions and social services providers. |
| 315 | C4.3. R3-I2 | T | Single Information System (SocSkrb information system) |  | Percentage | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2024 | The objective of this investment is to upgrade the social care application that manages and records procedures relating to recognising rights to social services into a single functional IT system which will involve all stakeholders in the process of recognising rights and providing services to the user, thus it shall allow the monitoring and analysis of data on users and services in the social welfare system, such as information on the available places with service providers and the prices of their services.. The developed software solution shall be integrated into the existing SocSkrb information system used by social welfare centres. Finally, this shall enable the IT connection of all social welfare centres with the social service providers financed by the state budget. |
| 316 | C4.3. R3-I3 | M | IT system calculation of prices for social services and service providers in the network | Developed and functional IT system for calculation of prices for all social services and all service providers in the network | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2023 | Data management IT system developed to automatically collect and analyse data and calculate prices for all types of provided social services and all social service providers in the network. The investment shall finance software, hardware and educational requirements for enabling full functionality of the solution. |
| 317 | C4.3. R3-I4 | T | Construction of centres for the elderly institutional, home and community care |  | Number | 0 | 8 | Q2 | 2026 | The construction and entry into operation of centres for the elderly shall create conditions for providing integrated care. On the basis of the data obtained from the analysis, provision is made for accommodation construction of eight centres for 800 beneficiaries exclusively for people who functionally entirely depend on institutional care and whose needs cannot be provided at home or community level. The locations of the elderly care centres shall be determined through a public call to allow cities and counties to participate in the building and equipping of centres for the older people, while the selection criteria shall be guided by the ability to ensure the sustainability of the investments, regional dimension to achieve even territorial capacity coverage, based on the mapping analysis. All new constructions must be nearly zero-energy buildings under the Energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD), while the renovation of existing buildings should achieve on average, at least medium depth renovation, as defined in the Commission Recommendation on building renovation, or achieve on average at least a 30% reduction in direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions compared to ex-ante emissions. For all buildings, particular attention should be paid to ensuring healthy indoor climate conditions, fire safety and risks associated with increased seismic activity. |

   U. COMPONENT 5.1: STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCE OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

This component of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan aims to address challenges, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerning the resilience and sustainability of the health care system in connection with below EU average life expectancy, weak preventive, chronic and long-term care. The overarching objective of the reforms and investments in this component is to improve the efficiency, quality, accessibility, and financial sustainability of the health system.

The component shall include the following measures:

-Introduction of new care models for patients, with a particular focus on the preventive and chronic care of cancer patients;

-Functional integration of hospitals and the strengthening of day hospitals at secondary and tertiary level (horizontal and vertical);

-Increasing the share of family specialists in the total number of doctors contracted in general and family teams;

-Improving the digitalised system of joint procurement to include county-owned hospitals, with a view to bringing significant savings in the system and improving quality;

-The broad use of a central preparation system in 8 hospitals and the introduction of a unit therapy distribution system in 40 hospitals.

The component shall contribute to addressing the country-specific recommendation on enhancing the resilience of the health system, balanced geographical distribution of health workers and facilities, closer cooperation between all levels of administration and investments in e-health (country-specific recommendation 1.2, 2020), as well as contributing to increasing access to digital infrastructure and services (country-specific recommendation 2.3, 2020), and promotion of the skills acquisition (country-specific recommendation 2.4, 2020).

It is expected that no measure in this component does significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

U.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C5.1 R1 - Improving the efficiency, quality and accessibility of the health system

The objective of this measure is to increase equal access to primary healthcare, especially in the rural, remote and islands areas, by improving the range and quality of services at the level of family doctors (general practitioners), thus reducing the burden on the hospitals. To better track the health outcomes, the Health System Performance Assessment (HSPA) framework shall be established to contribute to the creation of key performance indicators according to a defined methodology with the intention of linking measures to the objectives set out in the national strategy papers and reforms, improving the timeliness of health data available for strategic and policy analysis.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2022.

  

Investment C5.1 R1-I1 - Introduction of mobile pharmacies into primary care

The objective of this investment is to supply medication in areas which have no pharmacies or pharmacy depots by procuring four mobile pharmacies in the form of caravans and four pharmacies in the form of boats. This investment is expected to have positive effects on the demography and quality of living of peripheral areas. This measure shall focus on covering certain remote areas, particularly on islands and rural mainland areas, to achieve full coverage of pharmacy service in Croatia. Furthermore, it shall increase the availability of pharmacy services both for residents and tourists (during seasonal peaks), to improve the quality of life and contribute to population growth in rural, remote and islands areas.

The measure shall be completed by 30 September 2024.

Investment C5.1 R1-I2 – Mobile outpatient care units

The objective of this measure is to set up a mobile primary outpatient care system in rural, remote and island areas, managed by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with local and regional government, as well as Health Centres. The investment shall include mapping the required capacities to reach the target of 80% mobile primary outpatient care service coverage of rural, remote and islands areas. In addition, a contracting model to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the service shall be established. Furthermore, the investment shall develop specific health standards to rural, remote and island specificities, taking into account the needs of all inhabitants of these areas, including the older and less mobile population. The Ministry of Health shall administer the training to raise the capacity of mobile teams in providing outpatient primary health care.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment C5.1 R1-I3 - Construction and equipping of clinical insulation units (3, 4 and 1/5 of buildings) Infectious Disease Clinic ‘Dr Fran Mihaljević’

The objective of this measure is to build modern capacities for the Infectious Disease Clinic ‘Dr Fran Mihaljević’, the primary institution in charge of leading efforts in combating COVID-19 pandemics and whose buildings were damaged in the 2020 earthquakes, some of which shall be demolished. At the same time, the aim is to achieve treatment of infectious diseases using up-to-date and innovative technologies to reduce treatment time, cost and provide high-quality care to patients. In order to achieve the objective and increase the resilience of the health system within its remit and the necessary functionality, the project shall include necessary equipment replacement actions. Furthermore, the new building shall be equipped with modern diagnosing tools.

The measure shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Investment C5.1 R1-I4 - Digital image diagnostics of Clinical Hospital Centre ‘KBC Split’

The objective of this measure is to upgrade the digital image diagnosis of KBC Split, thus improving healthcare in the field of prevention, treatment and diagnosis of diseases. The investment shall aim to increase the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all categories of patients, improve clinical outcomes, and provide earlier and better-quality diagnostics, especially in paediatric and oncological patients. In particular, it shall digitalise health services and processes, ensure transparency in health service delivery, optimise the use of the resources of the hospital system and ensure future financial stability. The investment shall adapt the space to host the newly acquired medical equipment, including of Magnetic resonance 3T, Neurointervention digital DSA angio-room, Digital diascopic RTG machine and Endoscopic gastroenterological room.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Investment C5.1 R1-I5 - Construction and fitting out of the General Hospital ‘OB Varaždin’ central operating block

The objective of this measure is to construct and outfit a central operating block with an intensive treatment unit (JIL), central sterilisation, RTG diagnostics, transfusions and medical-biochemical laboratories, and the construction of connecting corridors to existing medical facilities. This investment is expected to optimise the resources of the hospital healthcare system, increase patient safety and provide adequate conditions for the work of healthcare staff. Furthermore, by bringing together modern and functional spaces of all the ancillary operations of the operating block, it is expected to increase the quality and safety of patients when moving from department to unit. General Hospital (OB) Varaždin shall transform from the pavilion type hospital to a single functionally-connected building as a whole and this is also expected to ensure financial sustainability.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C5.1 R1-I6 - Digital image diagnostics Clinical Hospital ‘KB Dubrava’

The objective of this measure is to purchase digital radiological equipment for the KB Dubrava Clinical Institute for Diagnostic and Intervention Radiology that provides service to more than 350 000 patients. Overall, this investment is expected to significantly improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all categories of patients, improve diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment monitoring, and thus clinical outcomes for all groups of patients, including for patients requiring most complex treatment in clinics and organisational units of the hospital. As a result, the duration of hospitalisation, complications, hospitalisation in intensive care units, treatment costs and waiting lists are expected to be reduced. The investment shall include purchasing a state-of-the-art equipment.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment C5.1 R1-I7 - Equipping new facilities for day hospital and one-day surgery and integrated emergency hospital admission and adaptation of Neurosurgery Clinic at Clinical Hospital Centre ‘KBC Sestre Milosrdnice’ The objective of this measure is to increase the capacity for treating patients by at least 22% compared to the number of patients currently treated. The investment is expected to considerably improve the quality of healthcare for about 700 000 patients treated by KBC, of which about 300 000 represent emergencies and around 40 000 patients are treated in day hospital and surgery. The measure shall equip new facilities for day hospital and one-day surgery and integrated hospital emergency admission and adapt Neurosurgery Clinic in the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Sestre Milosrdnice.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C5.1 R1-I8 - Pre-operational treatment and treatment of patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy in General Hospital ‘KB Dubrava’

The objective of this measure is the further development of the Institute of Neurology KB Dubrava as well as the pre-operational methods and treatments of epilepsy in pharmaco-resistant patients. The investment shall include the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment and the adaptation of spatial capacity.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2023.

Investment C5.1 R1-I9 - Development of Clinical Hospital Centre ‘KBC Zagreb’, Stage III – equipping with medical and non-medical equipment

The objective of this measure is to ensure that the necessary technical conditions are in place to optimise the implementation of existing forms of care and the development of new services, enabling the application of modern technologies and increasing access to care at tertiary and quaternary levels of healthcare. As part of the Development Project of Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb, the investment shall purchase the medical and non-medical equipment. The measure shall be completed by 31 March 2026.

Reform C5.1 R2 - Introducing a new care model for key health challenges

The objective of this measure is to improve and harmonise the quality of healthcare services by developing integrated Clinical e-Guidelines. The system shall have well-defined organisation of treatment through a national network, also key clinical guidelines and patient tracking that shall determine the concrete steps in treatment and acceptable waiting times.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2025.

Investment (C5.1 R2-I1) - Purchase of equipment for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients

The objective of this measure is to ensure optimal treatment for all oncological patients in Croatia without delay in treatment, using modern radiotherapy techniques to optimise equipment utilisation and control the quality of the radiotherapy process, thus improving the quality of services and improving health outcomes when treating oncological patients. The measure entails the following that shall be implemented: Construction of fourteen bunkers for linear siting accelerators), radiotherapy equipment, twenty-three VMAT linear accelerators, three linear SBRT accelerators, five HDR brachytherapy, six CT simulator, radiotherapy network equipment, dosimetry equipment, fixation equipment.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment (C5.1 R2-I2) - Acquisition and implementation of equipment for the establishment of the National Oncological Network and National Oncological Database

The objective of this measure is to create a national network for the National Oncological Database, linking and recording data from hospital information systems and other systems by automatism, compatible and parallel to hospital IT systems, additional burden on healthcare professionals. Furthermore, it shall establish a single, uniform IT platform for connecting, monitoring and optimal treatment of oncological patients, allow planning organisational and structural changes, identifying risks and the basis for implementing further steps of the strategy, including the establishment of a radiotherapy network. In the comprehensive National Network of Oncological Data on the IT platform, all patients shall receive oncological care according to guidelines and a single/complementary database on the quality of oncological care.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform C5.1 R3 - Introducing a system of strategic management of human resources in health

This reform is aimed at increasing access to healthcare for citizens, especially those in rural and less densely populated areas while improving the effectiveness of emergency medicine and ensuring high quality and efficient health system. To achieve this objective specialist training shall be provided for healthcare professionals, notably doctors at the primary healthcare level as well as for the nurses and technicians in the field of emergency medicine, thus achieving a balanced geographical distribution of health professionals and sufficient occupation of the Public Health Service Network. Furthermore the reform envisages adoption of the National Health Development Plan 2021-2027 which shall:

- Define development needs for achieving flexible, efficient and holistically managed healthcare system;

- Indicate measures on successful health promotion and disease prevention;

-Introduce coordination of healthcare providers and the transformation of treatment and rehabilitation models towards active care process management at all stages and levels;

-Define integration of health services and social care and development of integrated long-term care models;

-Introduce measures to control and improve the quality of healthcare and patient safety;

-Improve staff management provisions.

-Introduce specific objectives which indirectly contribute to achieving the strategic objective set out in the National Reform Strategy (NRS) by 2030. Increase in health years of life expectancy shall be contributed by:

-Promoting healthy lifestyles and disease prevention that are a leading public health problem;

-Improving the quality of healthcare through improved effectiveness, safety, accessibility and functional integration of all levels and parts of health care;

-Introduction of the new care model for key health challenges such as cardiovascular, oncological and rare diseases, and diabetes to prolong length and improve quality of life

-Make the health system a desirable place of employment through strategic governance, thus ensuring the optimal number and distribution of employees in the health system;

- Improving the financing and management model of the health system.

The reform shall be completed by 30 September 2021.

Investment C5.1 R3-I1 - Central funding for specialisations

The objective of this measure is to ensure that all health services are adequately accessible to the public also in view of shortages of doctors, due to the retirement of doctors, lack of interest in accepting jobs in rural and deprived environments, including islands, and the outflow of young doctors abroad. The Investment shall provide specialist training for healthcare professionals, doctors of medicine at the basic primary level of health care, as well as in the field of public health.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C5.1 R3-I2 - Specialist training of nurses and technicians in emergency medicine

The objective of this measure is to provide specialist training of nurses and technicians in emergency medicine, enabling them to work independently in emergency medical services. Training shall allow the provision of a broader range of healthcare services towards emergency patients, and a large number of interventions would not require direct presence of a doctor. In addition, the measure shall allow the phase-out of doctors working in the outpatient emergency medical service, thus covering the shortage of doctors in the hospital system leading to an improved rationalisation of the emergency medical system.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Reform C5.1 R4 - Ensuring the financial sustainability of the health system

The objective of this measure is to address the unsustainable rise in arrears, inconsistent procedures and the procurement of costly medicines in the health system, with the aim of achieving a financially sustainable public health system, by conducting a uniform standard of preparation, contracting, and implementing procedures that influence the ways and possibilities of providing healthcare. The reform shall include the revision of the legislative framework consisting of the Health Care Act and Compulsory Health Insurance Act with the following elements:

-Improving the organisation of emergency medicine activities of the Institute for Emergency Medicine and carrying out operational tasks through defined organisational units;

-Reorganisation of the public health service with aim to increase its efficiency, with a particular focus on prevention and early diagnosis, improved response in emergency and special circumstances (pandemics);

-Transferring hospitals management rights from the counties and the City of Zagreb to the Republic of Croatia, in order to achieve efficient and effective use of existing capacities, and improving the availability and quality of healthcare by reorganising the hospital management model;

-Shortening the time on waiting lists for individual medical services, optimisation and better distribution of available healthcare resources from compulsory health insurance to achieve more accessible health services for insured persons;

-Strengthening financial management provisions while guaranteeing financial capital for the purpose of achieving financial stability of the public health system;

-Legislative changes to ensure timely fulfilment of payment obligations of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO).

The reform shall achieve following targets:

-Functional integration of at least 8 hospitals shall be completed;

-At least 85% of purchasing categories, representing at least 80% of total government managed hospitals’ spending, procured through a joint procurement procedure.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C5.1 R4-I1 - Central preparation of parenteral preparations in 8 Croatian hospitals

The objective of this measure is to implement a central preparation system for at least 75% of the parenteral preparations in 8 hospitals, with a view to lower costs and providing the highest level of safety in the use of parenteral medicines, preventing medication errors, additional days of hospitalisation and reducing the burden on doctors and nurses in the hospital department. The measure shall ensure traceability of the drug from prescriber to patient and automation of the generation of treatment data as a basis for monitoring treatment outcomes.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C5.1 R4-I2 - Introduction of a unit therapy distribution system in 40 Croatian hospitals

The objective of this measure is to contribute to increasing patient safety, preventing medication errors, control of medicines’ stocks and increasing patient advocacy, leading to improved overall treatment outcomes. The investment shall introduce a unit therapy distribution system in 40 hospitals and improve the quality and accuracy of care, taking into account increasingly important pharmacoeconomic outcomes that enable maintaining and further improving the quality of therapy distribution.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

Investment C5.1 R4-I3 - Digitising the medicine tracking through healthcare institutions at secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare

The objective of this measure is the digitalisation of the drug pathway to enable the Croatian health system to monitor the consumption of medicines. This investment is expected to reduce the administrative and financial burden of the system by eliminating the need for all paper documents accompanying the medicinal product, reducing administrative costs and the use of medicines in departments. It shall allow the generation of pharmaco-epidemiological data to support more systematic planning, monitoring and evaluation of all health-related processes.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C5.1 R4-I4 - Development of a medicines shortages monitoring and prevention system in Croatia

The objective of this measure is to introduce a targeted management of medicine stockpile data that shall allow for more efficiency in acquiring medicines and ensure the availability of medicinal products at the best available price. Furthermore, the measure shall establish operational precise system for monitoring and analysing the turnover of certain medicines that shall provide Croatia with a model and tool for anticipating and preventing shortages of drugs.

The measure shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment C5.1 R4-I5 - Introducing a treatment outcome monitoring system for outpatient care with a focus on chronic patients in public pharmacies

The objective of this measure is to achieve more systematic planning, monitoring and evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of investments in the pharmaco-therapy of non-hospital patients. The system for monitoring the outcomes of non-hospital chronic patients in public pharmacies shall be introduced. The model shall enable the Croatian health system to fully and transparently monitor the outcomes of treatments and improve understanding of different outcomes of purchased medicines. Furthermore, it shall allow the creation of valuable pharmaco-epidemiological databases.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Investment C5.1 R4-I6 - Waste management at Clinical Hospital Centre KBC Zagreb

The objective of this measure is to considerably reduce the costs of disposal and transport of medical waste, increase hygiene quality, improve staff safety and reduce the weight and volume of medical waste processed. Furthermore, it shall contribute to the reduction of the adverse impact on the environment, by reducing emissions into the environment and mitigating the risks arising from the transport of infectious waste. The investment shall build, in compliance with the do-no-significant-harm to climate objectives, incineration and supporting facilities for the disposal and treatment of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste generated on site by KBC Zagreb. This project covers the construction of a modern medical waste management facility consisting of:

-Refrigerated storage of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste compliant with all regulations for the storage of this type of waste;

-Non-recyclable hazardous medical waste handling lines;

-Lines for energy recovery of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste with flue-gas cleaning system and continuous emissions monitoring system;

-Modern automatic lines for washing containers;

It is expected that this measure does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measures and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2024.

Reform C5.1 R5 – eHealth

The objective of this measure is to improve management capacity through more efficient use of data and encourage innovative health solutions to improve health system management. E-Health reform shall support efforts to ensure that all people have access to the necessary health services (including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care) of sufficient quality. The reform shall include the adoption of the national telemedical framework with a view to:

-Extending the scope of telemedical services and ensuring interoperability with the national health information system and suitability for future cross-border exchange;

-The transmission of patient vital parameters from Emergency Health Service (HMS) to Joint Emergency Hospital Service (OHBP) and remote outpatient monitoring.

-Establishing remote Emergency Healthcare Service (HMS) surveillance and an action plan for the introduction of supervision and a framework for monitoring implementation, based on documents Situation Analysis, National framework and Action Plan delivered under the associated Technical Support Instrument.

The national eHealth information management system shall include the following functionalities:

-Regular reporting on population’s health as a basis for targeted disease prevention and management activities;

-Build national data analytics capacities, including the integration of healthcare providers and patients interfaces with existing infrastructures and practices;

-Enhance national capacities for the deployment of Artificial Intelligence and high-performance computing, raising the level of e-Health cybersecurity and advanced digital skills for healthcare professionals, as well as patients through advanced technologies, in particular artificial intelligence;

-Enable the development of new health services based on anonymously collected data available in the health system.

Five accompanying investments (C5.1 R5-I1 to I5) shall support the reform.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Investment C5.1 R5-I1 - Digital integration of operating theatres and robotic surgery at KBC Split

The objective of this measure is to allow to comprehensively treat patients with malignant diseases and to integrate healthcare optimisation measures. In this way, the investment is expected to improve health outcomes thanks to introducing a new care model for patients, in particular new state-of-the-art surgical treatments. The investment address the digitalisation of operating theatres and the purchase of equipment for advanced cancer treatment in KBC Split.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

  

Investment C5.1 R5-I2 – TELECORDIS

The objective of this measure is digitising cardiology services that shall enable continuous monitoring of the condition of patients, especially those with chronic cardiac diseases. Rapid and accessible cardiology diagnostic services at the primary care level are expected to help the timely detection of cardiac health problems of patients, timely and appropriate treatment and continuous monitoring of their state of health. Moreover, the ECG Holter telemedical service shall provide patients in remote and rural areas access to specialist care, thus significantly increasing the availability of specialist health services in local outpatient centres, improving the performance of specialists, improving patient outcomes, reducing waiting lists and the cost of providing healthcare service. The investment shall include the digitisation of diagnostic processes and shall enable sharing the data with dispersed specialist centres.

The measure shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

Investment C5.1 R5-I3 – Tele-transfusion

The objective of this measure is digitising the transfusion service and ensuring the availability of an on-call transfusion specialist for all hospital healthcare establishments with transfusion units, contributing to a strong development of the telemedicine service through the digital transmission of medical data and strengthen the interconnection of all hospital establishments with transfusion units.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2022.

Investment C5.1 R5-I4 – Digitalisation and integration of operating rooms equipped with robotic surgery in Clinical Hospital Centre ‘KBC Sestre Milosrdnice’

The objective of this measure is the digitalisation of operating theatres and the purchase of advanced treatment equipment for new modern surgical treatments. Digitalisation and integration of operating rooms shall change the planning, documentation, storage and sharing of data on patients and types and methods of operational treatment. Robot surgery shall improve the quality of surgical treatment, increase patient safety, achieve more transparency in treatment, better cost control and health outcomes, strengthen and consolidate essential health information infrastructure resources, introduce a paperless health services system and contribute to the digital transition.

The measure shall be completed by 31 December 2023.

Investment C5.1 R5-I5 – Digitalisation and equipping of Clinical Hospital ‘KB Merkur’ diagnostic units

The objective of this measure is to digitise and equip diagnostic units, to facilitate the monitoring of diagnostic development procedures and to provide the improved quality service to patients. The investment shall include the purchase of the state-of the-art devices.

The measure shall be completed by 31 March 2023.

U.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 318 | C5.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Health System Performance Assessment Framework (HSPA) | Entry into force of the Health System Performance Assessment Framework |  |  |  | Q3 | 2022 | The Health System Performance Assessment (HSPA), shall establish a health performance measurement framework, set-out of key performance indicators according to a defined assessment methodology, linked to the process of linking measures to the objectives set out in the national strategy papers and reforms, the timeliness of the data, and to improve the monitoring of health outcomes. |
| 319 | C5.1. R1 | T | Optimising time for diagnostic treatment – waiting lists |  | Number of days | 400 | 270 | Q4 | 2023 | Waiting time period for patients on diagnostic treatment shall be reduced to 270 days from the current waiting list time frame of 400 days. |
| 320 | C5.1. R1-I1 | T | Access to pharmacy care and medicines |  | Number | 0 | 8 | Q3 | 2024 | Access to health care shall be ensured for all residents and for tourists throughout the territory of the Republic of Croatia, with services provided during the tourist season also in places and islands that do not have pharmacies, nor a pharmacy depot, because they do not meet the conditions of distance from another pharmacy or the number of inhabitants, such as the lack of cost-effectiveness of their daily work in the area. In order to achieve the target, at least four mobile caravan pharmacies and at least four boat pharmacies shall be procured. |
| 321 | C5.1. R1-I2 | T | Provision of mobile outpatient primary healthcare |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 80 | Q2 | 2025 | Based on the legal framework set up, Ministry of Health (MIZ), in cooperation with counties and health centres, shall set up a mobile clinic system (primary care outpatient vehicle) in 80% of rural, remote and island areas. In cooperation and coordination with the head of Health Centre, the doctor and nurse shall visit small remote locations in a Health Centres coverage areas where there is no availability of the service with the necessary medical and technical equipment for a family medical practice and examine patients, practice therapy, issue different type of prescriptions, and carry out home visits to immobile patients. Number of vehicles shall be determined after mapping analyses of necessary capacity to reach the target. |
| 322 | C5.1. R1-I3 | T | New building in the complex of the Infectious Disease Clinic Dr Fran Mihaljević |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q1 | 2026 | The project shall consists of the demolition of the existing buildings (3, 4 and 1/5) and the construction of a new building as part of the complex with cellar level, ground floors and three new floors. All new construction shall be at least nearly zero-energy buildings according to the Energy Performance of Buildings directive while the reconstruction of the existing buildings shall achieve on average, at least a medium depth level renovation as defined in the Commission Recommendation on Building Renovation, or to achieve, on average, at least a 30% reduction of direct and indirect GHG emission compared to the ex-ante emission. For all construction, particular attention needs to be paid to ensuring healthy indoor climate conditions, fire safety and the risks related to increased seismic activity. |
| 323 | C5.1. R1-I4 | M | Modernisation of health services in Clinical Hospital Centre KBC Split | Purchased equipment for the Clinical Institute for Diagnostic and Intervention Radiology KBC Split |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Installing of equipment for the Clinical Institute for Diagnostic and Intervention Radiology and at the Clinical Nuclear Medicine Institute and construction and equipment of a hybrid endoscopic room at the Gastroenterology Institute, to allow for the introduction of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in Clinical Hospital Centre KBC Split. The installed equipment shall be at least magnetic resonance 3T, neurointervention digital DSA angio room, digital diascopic X-ray machine, endoscopic gastroenterological room. |
| 324 | C5.1. R1-I5 | T | Central Operating Block building with accompanying contents of Varaždin General Hospital |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2025 | Construction and equipping of the Central Operating Block (COB) building with intensive care units (JIL), central sterilisation, RTG diagnostics, transfusions and medical-biochemical laboratories, and construction of connecting corridors to existing medical facilities. All new construction shall be at least nearly zero-energy buildings according to the Energy Performance of Buildings directive while the reconstruction of the existing buildings shall achieve on average, at least a medium depth level renovation as defined in the Commission Recommendation on Building Renovation, or to achieve, on average, at least a 30% reduction of direct and indirect GHG emission compared to the ex-ante emission. For all construction, particular attention needs to be paid to ensuring healthy indoor climate conditions, fire safety and the risks related to increased seismic activity. |
| 325 | C5.1. R1-I6 | T | Diagnostic medical devices in Clinical Hospital (KB) Dubrava |  | Number | 0 | 8 | Q2 | 2023 | Purchase and installation of eight diagnostic medical devices and Digital radiological equipment for the Clinical Institute for Diagnostic and Intervention Radiology. All devices are planned to be gradually installed while all shall be operational at the latest by 30 June 2023. |
| 326 | C5.1. R1-I7 | T | New facilities at the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Sestre Milosrdnice |  | Number | 0 | 2 | Q4 | 2023 | The Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Sestre Milosrdnice shall be equipped with integrated emergency hospital admission facilities, day hospital and one-day surgery facilities with medical, non-medical equipment and furniture. |
| 327 | C5.1. R1-I8 | T | Medical devices for Operational treatment and treatment of patients with pharmaco-resistant epilepsy in Clinical Hospital (KB) Dubrava |  | Number | 0 | 10 | Q2 | 2023 | For the purpose of further development of the Institute of Neurology at Clinical Hospital (KB) Dubrava ten medical equipment (devices) shall be installed and made operational by 30 June 2023 at the latest. The investment shall include the acquisition of equipment such as SEEG 256 canal recording devices, digital EMNG and EP 12 channel imaging device. Radio Frequency (RF) thermocoagulation device and adaptation of adequate spatial capacity. |
| 328 | C5.1. R1-I9 | T | Development Project of Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q1 | 2026 | Completion of the Development Project of Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb shall include the purchase of a new medical and necessary non-medical equipment (such as furniture and kitchen equipment) for six Departments and Clinics. |
| 329 | C5.1. R2 | M | Improving and harmonising the quality of healthcare by developing Clinical e-Guidelines | Clinical guidelines developed and integrated in e-Guidelines in the Croatian health system by Ministry of Health (MIZ). |  |  |  | Q3 | 2025 | Based on scientific evidence, the Ministry of Health (MIZ) shall develop and integrate in the Croatian health system clinical guidelines as well as e-Guidelines harmonising the quality of healthcare, with the aim to unify patient treatments and improving treatment outcomes. The implementation of clinical guidelines shall be integrated into and e-Guidelines in the Croatian health system, thus it shall benefit to raising is important for the quality of healthcare and the improvement of system management for the benefit of patients, healthcare professionals and society as a whole. |
| 330 | C5.1. R2 | T | Optimising time for radiological treatment – waiting lists |  | Number of days |  | 30 | Q2 | 2026 | Waiting time period for patients on radiological treatment shall be reduced to 30 days since diagnosis indication. |
| 331 | C5.1. R2-I1 | T | Improving the quality of oncology radiotherapy |  | Number | 0 | 6 | Q4 | 2025 | Six hospitals shall be equipped with medical devices for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The investment shall entail acquisition of new equipment and restoration of old equipment, according to defined priorities. |
| 332 | C5.1. R2-I2 | T | Single IT platform to connect, monitor and optimally treat oncological patients |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2025 | A single, uniform IT platform for connecting, monitoring and optimal treatment of oncological patients shall be developed and made operational. The IT platform shall allow collecting health data, planning organisational and structural changes, identifying risks and the basis for implementing further steps of the strategy, including the establishment of a radiotherapy network. All oncology institutions in Croatia shall be included in the national oncological network. Appropriate algorithms of basic diagnostic procedures necessary for initiating treatment of the most common diagnoses shall also be installed within the national IT oncological network in order to standardise treatment at all levels in Croatia, from small oncological outpatients to clinical hospital centres. |
| 333 | C5.1. R3 |  | National Health Development Plan 2021-2027 | Adoption of the National Health Development Plan 2021-2027 |  |  |  | Q3 | 2021 | National Health Development Plan 2021-2027 as an umbrella sectoral planning act shall set out specific objectives, measures, projects and activities to be implemented under the auspices of the Ministry of Health (MIZ) with the primary objective of improving the health system and the health outcomes. The National Health Development Plan shall be consistent with the Croatian Government’s Reform Programme, and the European Commission’s Cohesion Policy Guidelines for 2021-2027. The National Health Development Plan shall define medium-term development needs by:   - Defining development needs for achieving flexible, efficient and holistically managed healthcare system;  - Indicating measures on successful health promotion and disease prevention;  -Introducing coordination of healthcare providers and the transformation of treatment and rehabilitation models towards active care process management at all stages and levels;  -Defining integration of health services and social care and development of integrated long-term care models;  -Introducing measures to control and improve the quality of healthcare and patient safety;  -Improving staff management provisions.   -Introducing specific objectives which indirectly contribute to achieving the strategic objective set out in the National Reform Strategy (NRS) by 2030. Increase in health years of life expectancy shall be contributed by:   -Promoting healthy lifestyles and disease prevention that are a leading public health problem;  -Improving the quality of healthcare through improved effectiveness, safety, accessibility and functional integration of all levels and parts of health care;   -Introduction of the new care model for key health challenges such as cardiovascular, oncological and rare diseases, and diabetes to prolong length and improve quality of life  -Make the health system a desirable place of employment through strategic governance, thus ensuring the optimal number and distribution of employees in the health system;  - Improving the financing and management model of the health system.  In order to achieve the specific objectives, measures and actions to be implemented shall be defined. The outcome indicators for each of the specific objectives and result indicators shall be defined for each of the actions. The National Health Development Plan shall include the results of the mapping of health and social care needs in the area of long-term care. The document itself uses inputs from other national acts and programmes (National Strategic Framework against Cancer to 2030, National Plan for the Development of Clinical Hospitals, Clinical Hospitals, Clinics and General Hospitals in Croatia, National Cancer, Diabetes, Rare Diseases) and Recommendations (CSRs) for Croatia for 2019 and 2020. |
| 334 | C5.1. R3-I1 | T | Specialist medical training at the primary basic level of health care |  | Number | 0 | 467 | Q4 | 2025 | Specialist training shall be completed by 467 health professionals:   - Doctors of medicine at the basic primary level of healthcare as well as in the field of   Doctors in field of public health funded from central funding programme for specialisations.   The investment shall contribute to availability of health care to all citizens as well as a sufficient capacity of public health network. |
| 335 | C5.1. R3-I2 | T | Bachelors of nursing specialist training in emergency medicine |  | Number | 0 | 375 | Q4 | 2025 | A total of 375 bachelors of nursing/medical technicians shall be trained in one-year specialist training in emergency medicine, of which 210 from existing T2 teams already working at County Emergency Institutes, to ensure in the existing Emergency Medicine Network that each T2 team has one bachelor of nursing with specialist training, and the remaining 165 bachelors with a completed specialisation programme shall strengthen the healthcare system, especially in those areas with a shortage of doctors. |
| 336 | C5.1. R4 | M | Amendment of the Health Care Act and Compulsory Health Insurance Act | Entry into force of the Acts Amending the Health Care Act and the Compulsory Health Insurance Act |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The amendments to the Health Care Act shall allow the new Joint Procurement Decision to be binding also on those health institutions whose participation has so far been voluntary and shall consequently increase the number of stakeholders covered by the joint procurement.  -The Single Office for Emergency Medicine improves the organisation of emergency medicine activities and carries out operational tasks throughout the territory of the Republic of Croatia through certain organisational units;   -The reorganisation of the public health service shall contribute to increasing efficiency and strengthen the public health system, with a particular focus on prevention and early diagnosis, improved response in emergency and special circumstances (pandemics);   -Transferring the management rights of the hospitals currently managed by the counties and the City of Zagreb to the Republic of Croatia in order to achieve rational and quality use of existing capacities, improve the availability and quality of healthcare by reorganising the hospital management model.      The amendments to the Compulsory Health Insurance Act shall establish a clear and transparent criteria for determining the programme of health care measures under compulsory health insurance, the bodies that shall establish and adopt a programme of measures and the scope of health care to be covered by compulsory health insurance and compliance with other legislation. The Act shall aims at:  -Making healthcare more accessible and timely for insured persons when they need it;   -Reduction of waiting lists for individual medical services, optimisation and, in this connection, better distribution of available healthcare resources from compulsory health insurance  -Provide finance for the purpose of achieving financial stability, its sustainability and, in this connection, improving the situation of insured persons in the exercise of statutory health insurance;   -Insert provision to favour the contracting entities of the HZZO as healthcare providers from compulsory health insurance, as regards the payment of the HZZO’s obligations towards them within the time limits prescribed by law, in order to guarantee the right to health care for insured persons. |
| 337 | C5.1. R4 | T | Functional integration of hospitals |  | Number | 12 | 20 | Q4 | 2023 | Functional integration of at least 8 hospitals shall be completed, to rationalise the hospital system through reduction/redistribution of activities and reduction of acute stationary capacity, strengthening day-to-day hospitals as more cost-effective treatments. |
| 338 | C5.1. R4 | T | Joint procurement procedure for health institutions |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 85 | Q4 | 2023 | At least 85% of purchasing categories, representing at least 80% of total government managed hospitals’ spending, shall be procured through a joint procurement procedure. To achieve the target, based on an amendment of the decision on the mandatory joint conduct of a specific procurement procedure for health institutions – the Ministry of Health (MIZ) shall: i) decide to exercise a joint procurement procedure;   ii) conclude agreements with joint procurement stakeholders; iii) set up expert panels to draw up technical specifications for the categories concerned; and iv) implement the procurement categories referred to in the decision on the mandatory joint implementation of a specific procurement procedure for health institutions – after entry into force of technical specifications. Joint procurement procedures shall be conducted in accordance with the Act on Public Procurement and framework agreements/contracts conclusion. |
| 339 | C5.1. R4-I1 | T | Central management of parenteral preparations in 8 hospitals |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 75 | Q4 | 2024 | At least 75% of parenteral preparations in eight Croatian hospitals shall be carried out through central preparation of medicines. With the implementation of central drug preparation, the pharmacy’s laboratory shall prepare most of the necessary parenteral therapy for the departments, developed according to the highest safety standards in the ‘ready to use’ section. The preparations shall be labelled with the name of the patient, the name of the medicinal product and the dose, and this labelling system shall prevent any possible errors in the treatment. |
| 340 | C5.1. R4-I2 | T | Unit therapy system for solid forms of medicines in 40 Croatian hospitals |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 50 | Q4 | 2025 | By 31 December 2025, 50% of all solid form medicines shall be prepared using a unit therapy system in 40 Croatian hospitals. Space for the distribution of unit therapy shall be organised for each individual hospital and devices with adequate capacity to pack the unit therapy for the hospital’s day-to-day needs. A digital communication channel shall be established from the hospital department to the hospital pharmacy, thus enabling doctors to order the necessary treatment for the patient and receive feedback on the time of delivery (integration of the new solution into the hospital’s information system). |
| 341 | C5.1. R4-I3 | T | Monitoring of the medicine in the hospital system from the pharmacy to the patient |  | Number | 0 | 30 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 30 hospitals shall have a functional integrated IT solution for full monitoring of the medicine in the hospital system from the pharmacy to the patient. A form for reporting to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) and The Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of Croatia (HALMED) on the consumption of all medicines shall be created and separated from the consumption of specific categories of medicinal products such as spare antibiotics, particularly expensive medicines or any other pharmaco-epidemiological information required by the health system. A software solution for digitising the drug pathway in hospitals shall be developed and integrated in at least 30 hospitals in the final phase. |
| 342 | C5.1. R4-I4 | T | System to monitor shortages of medicinal products based on “blockchain” technology |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 100 | Q2 | 2025 | A software solution shall be developed to monitor shortages of medicines in Croatia and develop an integrated model for anticipating and preventing shortages of medicines. In order to protect the individual users, the ‘blockchain’ technology shall be used to provide transparency for the data released to public, while protecting data that is considered to be anonymous or possibly accessible to the government. 100% of medicines shall be monitored for anticipating and preventing shortages through the blockchain software solution. |
| 343 | C5.1. R4-I5 | T | Diagnostic units Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Merkur |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q1 | 2023 | To improve the quality of the service, increase the number of patient treatments, speed up and increase the availability and quality of healthcare for all categories of patients the equipment shall be installed for at least 4 diagnostic units at Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Merkur. The installed equipment shall consist of:  -Apparatus for transthoracic and transesogastric echocardiography;  -Three monitors for coronary unit purposes;  -System for telemetry of patients in the open ward;  -Stronger power ultrasound;  -Lower power ultrasound;  -Magnetic resonance MR 3T;  -Mammography scanner;  -Multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT);  -Ultrasound;   -Ultrasound with 3D/4D convex, 3D/4D vaginal, 2 D vaginal and 2D convex probe and printer;  -Ultrasound High Class Color Doppler. |
| 344 | C5.1. R4-I5 | T | Monitoring the treatment outcomes of non-hospital chronic patients in public pharmacies |  | % (Percentage) | 0 | 20 | Q4 | 2024 | 20% of non-hospital patients shall participate in a monitoring programme for treatment outcomes in public pharmacies.   The project involves monitoring patients and creating structured data that shall be made available through Central Health Information System of the Republic of Croatia (CEZIH) for further evaluation by the selected family doctor. |
| 345 | C5.1. R4-I6 | M | Medical Waste Facility at Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q4 | 2024 | A medical waste facility only for incineration of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste generated by Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb shall be completed This project covers the construction of a modern medical waste management facility consisting of:   -Refrigerated storage of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste compliant with all regulations for the storage of this type of waste;  -Non-recyclable hazardous medical waste handling lines;   -Lines for energy recovery of non-recyclable hazardous medical waste with flue-gas cleaning system and continuous emissions monitoring system;   -Modern automatic lines for washing containers; |
| 346 | C5.1. R5 | M | Improvement and extension of telemedical services | Entry into force of a national telemedical framework extending the scope of telemedical services |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The reform shall introduce provisions for the establishment of a functional national telemedical framework for the transmission of patient vital parameters from Emergency Health Service (HMS) to Joint Emergency Hospital Service (OHBP) and remote monitoring of outpatient Emergency Health Service (HMS). The project shall deliver: i). Situational analysis; ii) National framework for establishing remote Emergency Health Service (HMS) surveillance and iii) An action plan for the introduction of supervision and a framework for monitoring implementation.   Given the limited resources and duration of technical assistance, the teleradiology component shall only be an introductory component at the level of best practice mapping. |
| 347 | C5.1. R5-I1 | T | Digitised, integrated operating halls (Firule and Križine) and robotic system at the Firule site installed and functional |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q4 | 2023 | The project includes digitisation and integration of 4 operating theatres in Firule and Križine, as well as a robotic system at the Firule site. The digital transition, integration and robot surgery shall change the treatment pathway by improving the quality of surgical treatment, improving patient safety, achieving greater transparency in treatment, better controlling costs and health outcomes, reinforcing and consolidating key health information infrastructure resources and modernising paperless healthcare services. |
| 348 | C5.1. R5-I2 | T | Telecardiological services |  | Number | 0 | 40 | Q1 | 2023 | The objective of the TeleCordis project is to install the medical and computer equipment necessary for the performance of electrocardiogram (ECG) holter, pressure holter and 12 channel electrocardiogram (ECG) services in remote and rural areas which are insufficiently covered by those services, such as not having a cardiology specialist at their disposal. The equipment shall be purchased (package per centre) and placed in at least 40 telemedical access centres. The programme shall connect with telemedical specialist centres and provides a telecardiology service. |
| 349 | C5.1. R5-I3 | T | Teletransfusion services |  | Number | 0 | 35 | Q4 | 2022 | The Teletransfusion project shall support the existing digital treatment process infrastructure where it uses the patient data obtained from the ePrescription and eDossier needed to start treatment in a secondary or tertiary healthcare facility.  The project shall connect hospital transfusion centres in Croatia’s territory (at least 35 hospital transfusion centres) and shall make the service available 24 hours a day seven days a week. The equipment shall be purchased (package per centre) and placed in telemedical access centres, the programme shall connect with telemedical specialist centres and provides a teletransfusion service. |
| 350 | C5.1. R5-I4 | T | Operating theatres Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Sestre milosrdnice equipped with robotic surgery |  | Number | 0 | 4 | Q4 | 2023 | At least 4 newly equipped operating rooms with state-of-the-art robot technology,   The following functionality shall be possible: obtaining all data about the patient in real time on the monitor’s screen in the operating room itself during the operation. Furthermore, it shall be possible to have all patient imaging material available on the monitor’s screen during the operation contributing to safer and more effective procedures. Integration shall also allow the use of other diagnostic and therapeutic devices in the same operating theatre, which shall also be integrated into the integrated operating room system. |

   V. INITIATIVE 6.1: RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS

Croatia’s current building stock is relatively old and the rate of energy renovation of buildings was only 0,7% per year in 2014-2020. Old and inefficient buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions, and as many as 30% of buildings fall under the worst performing category. Most of the worst performing buildings do not meet the minimum requirements of protection against earthquakes, fire protection or health protection and therefore require a comprehensive renovation. In addition, in March and December 2020, two series of earthquakes hit Croatia and caused major material damage in the city of Zagreb, Zagreb County, Krapina-Zagorje County, Sisak-Moslavina County and Karlovac County. According to the Rapid damage needs assessment (Government of the Republic of Croatia, 2020), total reconstruction and recovery needs in the City of Zagreb, Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje counties from the March earthquake have been assessed at around EUR 17 469 000 000. The assessment of the damages from the December earthquake are still being evaluated.

This initiative in the Croatian recovery and resilience plan concerns investments and reforms aiming to encourage comprehensive renovation of buildings, including energy renovation, structural reinforcement and post-earthquake renovation. Renovation shall cover multi-dwelling and public buildings, including health and educational facilities, as well as buildings with the status of a cultural good.

The initiative includes reforms that shall support the process of renovation and decarbonisation of buildings, while addressing barriers in the construction market and social issues: i) a reform aimed at decarbonisation of buildings, ii) a reform aiming at increasing the number of workers and experts in energy efficiency and post-earthquake reconstruction iii) a reform aiming at reducing the administrative burden for the applicants in the renovation process, iv) a reform aiming at increasing knowledge of seismic activities, v) a reform aiming at promotion and development of green infrastructure and circular management of buildings and spaces and, vi) a reform aiming at developing systematic energy management and testing a new energy-efficiency financing model.

The investments and reforms shall contribute to the Country Specific Recommendations addressed to Croatia in the past two years, on the need to “focus investment-related policy on […] energy efficiency, […] and environmental infrastructure (Country Specific Recommendation 3, 2019) and “to focus investment on the green and […] transition, in particular on environmental infrastructure […] (Country Specific Recommendation 3, 2020).

V.1. 
   Description of the reforms and investments for non-repayable financial support

Reform C6.1.R1 – Decarbonisation of buildings

The reform shall contribute to the renovation wave initiative of the existing buildings and to the transformation of the existing building stock into a highly energy efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050.

The reform shall include the adoption of energy efficiency renovation programmes for the period 2021-2030 for multi-dwelling buildings, public buildings and a special category of buildings with a status of the cultural good, as well as the adoption of the energy poverty reduction programme in areas of special state concern for 2021-2025. These programmes shall encourage in-depth renovation of buildings while paying particular attention to ensuring healthy indoor climate conditions, fire safety and addressing the risks related to increased seismic activity as well as reducing energy poverty.

The reform shall be completed by 31 March 2022.

Investment C6.1.R1-I1 – Energy renovation of buildings

The aim of the investment is to foster the green transition and decarbonisation of buildings by reducing energy consumption for heating in multi-dwelling and public sector buildings by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation. Since heating accounts for 71% of total final energy consumption (Croatian bureau of statistics, 2015) the above savings in consumption for heating shall correspond to, at least, an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state. The investment also aims to increase the use of renewable energy sources and consequently reduce CO2 emissions, alleviate energy poverty, and encourage the use of development of green infrastructure and the circular management of buildings and spaces.

The investment shall primarily finance the energy renovation projects that are already in the pipeline. The investment through the Recovery and Resilience Facility shall be as follows:

-For energy renovation, grants shall cover 60% of eligible renovation costs and 85% of documentation costs.

-For deep energy renovation, which includes energy efficiency measures on the outer walls and the roof of the buildings as well as technical systems in addition to minimum reduction of 50% in energy consumption for heating and primary energy consumption, grants shall cover 80% of eligible renovation costs and 85% of documentation costs.

-For comprehensive renovation, which combines energy renovation, seismic reinforcement, fire safety and ensuring healthy indoor climate conditions, grants shall cover 80% of eligible renovation costs and 100% of documentation costs.

It is expected that this investment does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, the cost of installing gas-condensing boilers shall represent at most 20% of the overall renovation programme cost and gas-condensing boilers shall be installed in order to replace existing inefficient gas, coal and oil-based boilers.

The investment shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Investment C6.1.R1-I2 – Renovation of buildings damaged in earthquakes with energy renovation

The objective of the investment is to repair the damages caused by the 2020 earthquakes to multi-apartment and public buildings, to increase the seismic resilience of buildings and to increase their energy efficiency. The renovation of buildings to their original state before damage shall be financed by the EU Solidarity Fund, where applicable, while the difference to full renovation, including the increase in the energy efficiency of buildings and increasing their seismic resilience (build back better principle), shall be financed by this investment. It is expected that this investment does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, the cost of installing gas-condensing boilers shall represent at most 20% of the overall renovation programme cost and gas-condensing boilers shall be installed in order to replace existing inefficient gas, coal and oil-based boilers. All renovated buildings shall achieve a reduction of energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation (except for cultural heritage buildings), which shall correspond to, at least, an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state.

The investment shall be implemented by 30 June 2026.

Investment C6.1.R1-I3 – Energy renovation of buildings with the status of a cultural good

The aim of this investment is the energy renovation of buildings with the status of a cultural good. This shall reduce CO2 emissions, lower energy consumption, reduce maintenance costs in the long term, and contribute to the development of a circular economy and the use of nature-based solutions. The measure shall cover two categories of buildings: individually protected cultural goods (individual buildings and building assemblies) and buildings located within a protected cultural and historical unit.

Given the cultural and social value of cultural heritage buildings and the sizable resources needed for their renovation, the renovation of public and cultural buildings with the status of cultural goods shall be financed at a rate of 100%. It is expected that this investment does no significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, taking into account the description of the measure and the mitigating steps set out in the recovery and resilience plan in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01). In particular, the cost of installing gas-condensing boilers shall represent at most 20% of the overall renovation programme cost and gas-condensing boilers shall be installed in order to replace existing inefficient gas, coal and oil-based boilers. Energy renovation of buildings with the status of a cultural good shall require a yearly reduction of at least 20% in the project-anticipated energy consumption for heating or primary energy consumption compared to energy consumption before renovation. However, at the level of portfolio of all renovated buildings with the status of a cultural good, on average an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state shall be achieved.

The investment shall be implemented by 30 June 2026.

Reform C6.1.R2 – Developing a framework for ensuring adequate skills in the context of green jobs needed for post-earthquake reconstruction

This reform aims to alleviate the risk associated with the insufficient number of qualified workforce and provide adequate knowledge and skills needed to implement all post-earthquake energy renovation and reconstruction processes, integrating the necessary knowledge on seismic resilience, energy efficiency, circular management, protection of cultural heritage and post-earthquake reconstruction, through the improvement of existing education and training programmes and the development of new ones.

Education and training programmes shall be developed through a National plan for development of skills in the context of green jobs linked to energy and post-earthquake reconstruction.

The reform shall include:

-the design and implementation of adult education programmes with a focus on the development and implementation of retraining programs for the needs of renovation and decarbonisation of buildings with elements of post-earthquake renovation, cultural heritage protection, energy efficiency, green infrastructure and circular management of space and buildings;

-the establishment and implementation of a new interdisciplinary study programme that shall combine knowledge on cultural heritage restoration, application of nature-based solutions, urban forestry and urban renewal;

-the development and implementation of specialist studies and education programmes specialised in spatial planning and sustainable urban development, especially on post-earthquake reconstruction, integrated renovation of cultural heritage with elements of climate change adaptation, energy efficiency, circular management, nature-based solutions, and urban forestry;

-the development of programmes that shall support greater use of Building Information Modelling and its promotion in the building sector and spatial planning;

-running a promotional campaign to attract applicants.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C6.1.R3 – Increasing efficiency, reduction of administrative burden and digitalisation of the renovation process

The reform aims to provide services for citizens and building owners that will help to reduce the administrative burden for the applicants in the energy renovation and post-earthquake reconstruction process through digitisation and integration of information. The reform shall include further improving one-stop-shop services for energy renovation and developing one-stop-shop online services and offline offices for earthquake-affected areas to simplify the reconstruction process for citizens and other entities in need of administrative services during the post-earthquake recovery process. The reform shall also finance strengthening the professional capacities of employees in the one-stop-shop and public institutions involved in the reconstruction process to support full functionality of one-stop-shop services.

The reform shall be completed 30 June 2026.

Reform C6.1.R4 – Modernisation and integration of seismic data for the renovation process and planning of future construction and monitoring of public infrastructure

The reform aims to improve risk resilience in spatial planning and the construction sector by improving the collection and processing of seismic data and by strengthening the capacity to apply the data on seismic risks and implement measures to reduce potential damages. Collected data shall serve as input for risk-related maps, such as fault maps, seismic maps, and slip susceptibility maps, which shall be used in development of spatial plans of local government units in order to plan adequate typology of anti-seismic construction and increase Croatia’s resilience to earthquakes.

The reform shall strengthen the organisational and infrastructural capacity of the Seismological Survey of the Republic of Croatia for collecting, processing and analysing data on seismic activities. It shall also strengthen the administrative capacity of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets and related services, such as institutes and offices at regional level, so that the collected data could be properly applied in spatial planning and the construction sector.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2025.

Investment C6.1.R4-I1 – Seismological data network development

The aim of the investment is to finance the acquisition of at least 300 units of new seismic equipment needed by the Seismological Survey of the Republic of Croatia to carry out data monitoring, processing and analysis relating to seismic activities on Croatia’s territory. The investment shall also finance hiring and training of experts for using the acquired equipment and data processing. After 2026, salaries of the hired experts shall continue to be financed by the state budget.

The investment shall be implemented by 30 June 2026.

Reform C6.1.R5 – Introduction of a new model of green urban renewal strategies and implementation of a pilot project for the development of green infrastructure and the circular management of buildings and space

The aim of the reform is to develop a framework for the design and implementation of green urban renewal strategies. The new framework shall provide foundation for the development of sustainable space with a focus on developing green infrastructure and integrating nature-based solutions, models for circular management of space and buildings, strengthening resilience against risks and climate change, and supporting the overall sustainable development. The reform shall be available to all local government units in Croatia, but priority shall be given to those in earthquake-stricken areas.

Guidelines for drawing up green urban renewal strategies shall be developed by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, building on the national programmes for the development of green infrastructure in urban areas and for the development of circular management of buildings and spaces. The development of green urban renewal strategies as well as the implementation of pilot projects shall be carried in cooperation with the Ministry.

The reform shall be completed by 30 June 2026.

Reform C6.1.R6 – Pilot project for the establishment and implementation of systematic management energy and the development of a new financing model

Croatia has a functioning energy consumption monitoring system for individual public sector facilities, but this system is not yet developed for other sectors, such as private housing, industrial or transport sector. The aim of this measure is to develop and test a model for monitoring energy consumption in multi-dwelling buildings, which shall be implemented based on the voluntary interest of the owners. This model shall be based on pilot projects that shall monitor all energy and water consumption in a local government unit by establishing automatic data collection, which is expected to enable systematic energy management and lead to energy and water savings.

Based on collected data on energy and water consumption during the pilot project, this reform shall also analyse and develop a model that shall enable the customer to apply for an energy renovation loan and repay it through his/her energy account, adjusted for energy savings achieved through the renovation. This shall alleviate the problem of lack of financial resources of final beneficiaries for energy renovation purposes and is expected to positively contribute to the rate of energy renovation in Croatia. The reform shall also test the model on a pilot project for possible application at the national level.

The reform shall be completed by 31 December 2025.

V.2. 
   Milestones, targets, indicators, and timetable for monitoring and implementation for non-repayable financial support

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Measure | Milestone / Target | Name | Qualitative indicators    (for milestones) | Quantitative indicators    (for targets) | | | Time | | Description of each milestone and target |
|  |  |  |  |  | Unit | Baseline | Goal | Q | Year |  |
| 351 | C6.1. R1 | M | Adoption of national energy renovation programmes for (i) multi-dwelling buildings,(ii) for buildings that have the status of a cultural good (both for the period 2021-30), and for (iii) energy poverty reduction in areas of special state concern (for the period 2021-25) | Publication on the official website of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | Publication of the programmes to encourage in-depth renovation of buildings, high-efficiency alternative systems and which shall pay particular attention to ensuring healthy indoor climate conditions, fire safety and risks related to increased seismic activity. A specific category of energy renovation of buildings with the status of a cultural asset that has not yet been included in energy renovation programmes for EU co-financing in Croatia shall be introduced.  Publication of the energy poverty reduction programme in areas of special state concern, for the period 2021-2025, covering comprehensive renovation of buildings in assisted and special government care areas, capacity building to alleviate energy poverty, reduce end-use energy consumption and consequently reduce CO2 emissions from energy poor or vulnerable households. |
| 352 | C6.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Programme for the Energy renovation of public sector buildings for the period 2021-2030 | Publication on the official website of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q1 | 2022 | Publication of the programme for the energy renovation of public sector buildings for the period 2021-2030, which includes a comprehensive renovation of public sector buildings including energy and resource efficiency measures while reducing the thermal needs and energy consumption of public buildings and increasing the use of RES and the consequent reduction of CO2 emissions. |
| 353 | C6.1. R1-I1 | T | Contracts signed for the energy renovation of public and multi-dwelling buildings |  | EUR | 0 | 66 361 404 | Q4 | 2022 | Contracts signed providing EUR 66 361 404 for energy renovation of buildings. All contracts to state the relevant energy efficiency requirement of a minimum reduction of energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (expect for building with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to pre-renovation state and respecting the “do no significant harm principle” as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment. |
| 354 | C6.1. R1-I1 | T | Energy renovation of multi-dwelling buildings |  | Number (m2) | 0 | 180 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Energy renovation of at least 180 000 m2 of multi-dwelling buildings in line with the co-financing contracts, achieving a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state and respecting the “do no significant harm principle” as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, shall be completed. |
| 355 | C6.1. R1-I1 | T | Energy renovation of public buildings |  | Number  (m2) | 0 | 288 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Energy renovation of at least 288 000 m2 of public buildings in line with the co-financing contracts, achieving a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building, which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state and respecting the “do no significant harm principle” as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, shall be completed. |
| 356 | C6.1. R1-I2 | T | Energy and post-earthquake renovation of multi-dwelling buildings damaged by earthquake |  | Number  (m2) | 0 | 45 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Energy and post-earthquake renovation of at least 45 000 m2 of multi-dwelling buildings damaged by the earthquakes (in the areas of the City of Zagreb, Krapina-Zagorje County, Zagreb County, Sisak-Moslavina County and Karlovac County) completed in line with the co-financing contracts, achieving a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (except for buildings with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state and respecting the “do no significant harm principle” as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, shall be completed. |
| 357 | C6.1. R1-I2 | T | Energy and post-earthquake renovation of public buildings damaged by the earthquakes |  | Number (m2) | 0 | 274 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Energy and post-earthquake renovation of at least 274 000 m2 of public buildings damaged by the earthquakes (in the areas of the City of Zagreb, Krapina-Zagorje County, Zagreb County, Sisak-Moslavina County and Karlovac County) completed in line with the co-financing contracts, achieving a minimum requirement of reducing energy consumption for heating by at least 50% compared to the annual energy consumption for heating prior to the renovation for each building (except for buildings with a status of a cultural good), which shall deliver an increase of 30% primary energy savings compared to the pre-renovation state and respecting the “do no significant harm principle” as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, shall be completed. |
| 358 | C6.1. R1-I3 | T | Energy renovation of buildings with the status of a cultural good |  | Number (m2) | 0 | 31 000 | Q2 | 2026 | Energy renovation of at least 31 000 m2 of buildings with the status of cultural goods, achieving on average an increase of 30% primary energy savings, with a minimum requirement of 20% for each building, compared to the pre-renovation state and respecting the “do no significant harm principle” as set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, shall be completed.   The investment involves the preparation and implementation of open calls for proposals for drafting documentation and carrying out energy renovation works for buildings with the status of a cultural good for public and cultural purposes. The programme covers two categories of buildings: individually protected cultural goods (individual buildings and building assemblies) and buildings located within a protected cultural and historical unit. |
| 359 | C6.1. R2 | M | Publication of the National Skills Development Plan in the context of green jobs related to energy efficiency and post-earthquake reconstruction | Publication on the official website of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | The publication of the National Skills Development Plan that shall improve the skills of green jobs in the context of energy renovation, post-earthquake renovation, green infrastructure, application of nature-based solutions and circular management of space and building, based on a review of existing programmes and preparation and adaptation of educational programmes defined by the reform. |
| 360 | C6.1. R2 | T | Completed training and adult education programme for post-earthquake reconstruction and energy renovation |  | Number | 0 | 500 | Q2 | 2026 | 500 persons shall complete adult education programmes for post-earthquake renovation and energy renovation certified by Public Open University Zagreb/Croatia Employment Service/other relevant bodies. |
| 361 | C6.1. R2 | T | Completed expert studies and education programmes in the field of sustainable urban development and renovation of cultural heritage |  | Number | 0 | 50 | Q2 | 2026 | 50 persons shall complete expert studies and education programmes in the field of sustainable urban development and renovation of cultural heritage, certified by the Faculty of Architecture/Faculty of Forestry/other relevant bodies. |
| 362 | C6.1. R3 | M | A physical one-stop-shop office for energy renovation and seismic reinforcement set up and operational | One-stop-shop operational |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The physical one-stop-shop office shall be developed and made operational in the earthquake-affected area to reduce the administrative burden for citizens. The investment shall include the adaptation and modernisation of the physical infrastructure at a location where one-stop shop shall be established, investments in online system development and maintenance services, investments in the functionality of the online system, training of staff, training of public authorities involved and promotion activities. |
| 363 | C6.1. R3 | M | On-line one-stop-shop for energy renovation and seismic reinforcement set up and operational | On-line one-stop-shop operational |  |  |  | Q4 | 2022 | Putting into operation of an on-line one-stop-shop system bringing together all the necessary information for energy renovation and post-earthquake reconstruction.  The one-stop-shop shall be implemented in two phases: (i) emergency services necessary for the urgent structural renovation and necessary restoration of damage in order to ensure a level of safety for citizens and facilities; (ii) integrating all other services and information needed for comprehensive and energy renovation with the services and information included for the ‘build back better’ concept. |
| 364 | C6.1. R3 | T | Completed training for public employees for providing one-stop-shop services for energy efficiency and post-earthquake reconstruction |  | Number | 0 | 80 | Q2 | 2026 | At least 80 public employees trained to provide high-quality services combining energy efficiency and post-earthquake reconstruction. Of that, at least 40 employees of the one-stop-shop to get training on various aspects of reconstruction, especially on the removal of administrative barriers in the implementation of reconstruction activities, and the use of the on-line platform. Another at least 40 employees of implementing public institutions to get training on the administrative and technical aspects of the reconstruction and working on the on-line platform. |
| 365 | C6.1. R4 | T | Seismic data integrated in 10 expert bases for spatial plans of local government units |  | Number | 0 | 10 | Q2 | 2025 | Complete integration of seismic data (fault maps, seismic area maps, landslide susceptibility maps in appropriate resolutions etc.) into the spatial planning system and application to 10 expert pilot bases for local government units’ spatial plans. The results of the analysis of the seismic data may be used in the preparation of amendments to spatial plans or the creation of new spatial plans following the implementation of the reform. |
| 366 | C6.1. R4-I1 | T | Seismic equipment units procured |  | Number | 0 | 300 | Q4 | 2022 | The investment shall strengthen the organisational and infrastructure capacity of the Seismological Survey of the Republic of Croatia through the purchase of at least 300 equipment units in order to increase the quality of the collection, processing and application of the seismic data needed for the renovation process of buildings, planning for the development of new facilities and monitoring of public infrastructure, as well as strengthening Croatia’s resilience to earthquakes and associated risks. |
| 367 | C6.1. R4-I1 | M | Hiring and training of Seismological Survey experts |  | Number | 12 | 21 | Q2 | 2026 | Hiring of 9 additional experts in the Seismological Survey of the Republic of Croatia, whose wages will be financed by the state budget after the expiry of the RRF, and completed training for collecting, processing and analysing of seismic data on the territory of Croatia. |
| 368 | C6.1. R5 | M | Adoption of the Circular Management of Space and Buildings Development Programme for the period 2021-2030 and of the Urban Green Infrastructure Development Programme for the period 2021-2030 | Publication on the official website of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q4 | 2021 | The Circular Management of Space and Buildings Development Programme for the period from 2021 to 2030, to be adopted by the government, shall set out objectives and measures for circular management of space and buildings that inter alia encourage circularity measures in the planning of new buildings, the re-use of abandoned buildings and the extension of the durability of existing spaces and buildings, increasing the energy and resource efficiency of buildings and the use of renewable energy sources, the reuse of construction products and materials, for the purpose of efficient use of spatial resources and reducing the generation of building waste in line with the updated Waste Management Plan, as a basis for the development of green urban renewal strategies;     The Urban Green Infrastructure Development Programme for the period 2021-2030, to be adopted by the government, shall elaborates the objectives and measures that contribute to climate change mitigation and the reduction of the effects of heat islands, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improvement of the quality of life and housing in cities, improvement of human health, improvement of the quality of urban areas by transforming under-used and abandoned lands, encouragement of green investments, the support of the restoration and conservation of species and habitats under the Species and Habitats directives in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the creation of new jobs and the delivery of energy savings, which shall be the basis for the development of green urban renewal strategies. |
| 369 | C6.1. R5 | T | The adoption of green urban renewal strategies |  | Number | 0 | 10 | Q4 | 2023 | Adoption of at least 10 green urban renewal strategies to provide the basis for the development of sustainable space, with a focus on developing green urban infrastructure and integrating nature-based solutions, integrating models for circular management of space and buildings, strengthening resilience against risks and climate change, and supporting the overall sustainable development. |
| 370 | C6.1. R5 | T | The implementation of a pilot project identified through green urban renewal strategies and linked with the national programmes on green infrastructure and circular management of space and buildings |  | Number | 0 | 1 | Q2 | 2026 | Implementation of at least one pilot project identified through green urban renewal strategies and linked with the national programmes on green infrastructure and circular management of space and buildings. |
| 371 | C6.1. R6 | M | Successfully completed systematic energy management pilot project with the aim to test a new energy efficiency renovation financing model | Publication of a completed pilot project on the official website of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q4 | 2023 | Following a public call, the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets in cooperation with Croatian Government Real Estate Agency shall implement a pilot project covering all energy and water consumption sectors in the pilot local government unit by setting up automatic data collection on energy and water consumption in multi-dwelling buildings in the selected pilot area.   The objective of the pilot project is to achieve energy and water savings by setting up and implementing systematic energy management and allow for the testing the implementation possibilities of the new financing model for energy renovation of multi-dwelling buildings, including a cost-benefit analysis for its application at the national level.   On the basis of the pilot project guidelines on the application of the energy consumption management for multi-dwelling buildings model at national level shall be developed. |
| 372 | C6.1. R6 | M | Adoption of the guidelines for the application of a model for monitoring energy consumption in multi-dwelling buildings | Publication on the official website of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets |  |  |  | Q4 | 2025 | The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets shall adopt the guidelines for the application of a model for monitoring energy consumption in multi-dwelling buildings, based on the voluntary interest of owners of multi-dwelling buildings. |

2.Estimated total cost of the recovery and resilience plan

The estimated total cost of the recovery and resilience plan of Croatia is EUR 6 393 794 220.

SECTION 2: FINANCIAL SUPPORT

1.Financial contribution

The instalments referred to in Article 2(2) shall be organised in the following manner:

1.1.First Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 45 | C1.2. R1-I2 | M | The adoption by the Government of an Energy Efficiency Programme for decarbonising the energy sector |
| 46 | C1.2. R1-I2 | T | Number of companies receiving support for energy efficiency and renewable energy use in industry |
| 49 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Entry into force of the Alternative Transport Fuels Act |
| 59 | C1.3. R1 | M | Adoption of the Multiannual Water and Urban Wastewater Treatment Construction Programme |
| 81 | C1.3. R2 | M | Adoption of the Waste Management Act |
| 82 | C1.3. R2 | M | Revision of the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2017-2022 |
| 91 | C1.4. R1 | M | The amendments to the Roads Act |
| 92 | C1.4. R1 | M | The National Road Safety Program 2021-2030 |
| 98 | C1.4. R2 | M | Adoption of the Sectoral Policy Letter |
| 109 | C1.4. R3 | M | The new Regular and Seasonal Coastal Traffic Act |
| 110 | C1.4. R3 | M | The new Inland Navigation and Ports Act |
| 126 | C1.5. R1 | M | The Operational Programme for strengthening the market capacity of the fruit and vegetables sector for the period 2021-2026 |
| 134 | C1.5. R3 | M | Establishment of a Unit for Implementation and Management of Digital Transformation Projects in the Ministry of Agriculture |
| 140 | C1.6. R1 | M | Scenario analysis as part of the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy for 2030 |
| 156 | C2.1. R2 | M | Amendment of ARPA’s statutes to redefine its mandate |
| 157 | C2.1. R2 | M | Establishment of the implementation and audit and control system for the RRP |
| 158 | C2.1. R2 | M | Adoption of the Act on the institutional framework for EU funds |
| 159 | C2.1. R2 | M | Assessment of the administrative capacity |
| 207 | C2.4. R1 | M | New Croatian Government Decision adopted on state-owned enterprises of particular interest to Croatia |
| 231 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of a new anti-corruption strategy for 2021-2030 |
| 232 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of the new Law on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest |
| 247 | C2.7. R1 | M | Strengthening the fiscal framework through amending the Budget Act to improve the budgetary processes |
| 248 | C2.7. R1 | M | Ensuring the full functionality of the Fiscal Policy Commission. |
| 250 | C2.8. R1 | M | Raising awareness among all responsible parties through regular training |
| 251 | C2.8. R2 | M | Continuation of cooperation between the Anti-Money Laundering Office and supervisory authorities |
| 253 | C2.8. R3 | M | Complete implementation of the new Action Plan to mitigate identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks based on an updated national risk assessment. |
| 265 | C3.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the revised adult learning legal framework |
| 293 | C4.1. R4 | M | Entry into force of the amendments to the Minimum Wage Act |
| 302 | C4.3. R1 | M | Adoption of the National Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2021-2027 |
| 312 | C4.3. R3 | M | Adoption of the National Plan for the Development of Social Services 2021-2027 |
| 333 | C5.1. R3 | M | National Health Development Plan 2021-2027 |
| 351 | C6.1. R1 | M | Adoption of national energy renovation programmes for (i) multi-dwelling buildings,(ii) for buildings that have the status of a cultural good (both for the period 2021-30), and for (iii) energy poverty reduction in areas of special state concern (for the period 2021-25) |
| 362 | C6.1. R3 | M | A physical one-stop-shop office for energy renovation and seismic reinforcement set up and operational |
| 368 | C6.1. R5 | M | Adoption of the Circular Management of Space and Buildings Development Programme for the period 2021-2030 and of the Urban Green Infrastructure Development Programme for the period 2021-2030 |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 804 597 701 |

  

1.2.Second Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 2 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | M | Operational digital platform to pay fees |
| 6 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the Action Plan to reduce non-tax and parafiscal charges 2020 |
| 14 | C1.1.1. R4-I1 | M | Publication of calls for funding for investments targeting environmentally friendly activities with established eligibility criteria for applicants and projects (including DNSH compliance criteria) |
| 16 | C1.1.1. R4-I2 | M | Establishment of financial instrument to support investment by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises |
| 19 | C1.1.1. R4-I3 | M | Establishment of financial instrument to support investment by mid-caps and large companies |
| 21 | C1.1.1. R4-I4 | M | Establishment of financial instrument for more favourable financing of public entities |
| 25 | C1.1.1. R6 | M | Amendments to the legal framework |
| 36 | C1.2. R1 | M | Publication of an assessment document with recommendations to alleviate barriers and administrative procedures restraining to higher uptake of renewable energy sources |
| 50 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Adoption of the Hydrogen Development Strategy |
| 63 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Public sewerage network constructed or reconstructed |
| 68 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Public water supply network constructed or reconstructed |
| 131 | C1.5. R2 | M | New Act on Agricultural Land Consolidation |
| 138 | C1.5. R4 | M | The online platform for food waste prevention and upgraded food donation IT system |
| 160 | C2.1. R2 | M | Upgrading of the eFondovi IT system: Repository system for Audit and Controls: information for monitoring implementation of RRF |
| 174 | C2.2. R4 | M | Amendment of the legislative frameworks to encourage the voluntary functional or actual merger of the local government units (LGUs) and adoption of a Decision of the Croatian Government on the criteria for granting fiscal incentives for voluntary functional or actual mergers |
| 202 | C2.3. R4 | M | Optimisation of the permit granting process for connectivity investments |
| 214 | C2.5. R1 | M | Electronic tools provided and adequate administrative capacities for the State Judicial Council (Državno sudbeno vijeće, DSV) and the State Attorney's Council (Državnoodvjetničko vijeće, DOV) |
| 215 | C2.5. R1 | M | Amendments adopted to the Bankruptcy Act and the Consumer Insolvency Act |
| 216 | C2.5. R1 | M | Adopted amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure |
| 266 | C3.1. R1 | M | Comprehensive analysis of secondary education needs |
| 286 | C4.1. R1 | M | Supplementing active labour market policies |
| 291 | C4.1. R3 | M | Developing skills according to market needs |
| 303 | C4.3. R1 | M | Adoption of the new Social Welfare Act |
| 309 | C4.3. R2 | T | Training of social mentoring professionals |
| 352 | C6.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Programme for the Energy renovation of public sector buildings for the period 2021-2030 |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 804 597 701 |

1.3.Third Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 1 | C1.1.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Strategy for the Evaluation of the Economic Effects of Regulation on the SME sector by the Croatian Government and the accompanying Action Plan |
| 7 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of measures in the Action Plans to alleviate the administrative burden on the economy 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| 23 | C1.1.1. R5-I1 | M | Creation of an equity and quasi-equity financing instrument (PE) |
| 37 | C1.2. R1 | M | Entry into force of legislation and/or regulation to improve uptake of renewable energy sources, including introduction of a premium-based system for the support of renewable energy sources. |
| 60 | C1.3. R1 | M | Amendments to the legal framework in the water sector |
| 69 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Water metering devices installed at water abstraction sites |
| 74 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Works contracts concluded for flood protection projects |
| 75 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Flood protective structures built |
| 76 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Revitalised watercourses |
| 83 | C1.3. R2 | M | Adoption of the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2023-2029 |
| 84 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Reduction of the share of municipal waste sent for disposal (49%) |
| 99 | C1.4. R2 | M | The National Plan for the Development of Railway Infrastructure and the National Management Plan for Railway Infrastructure and Service Facilities |
| 111 | C1.4. R3 | M | The new Maritime Domain and Seaports Act |
| 114 | C1.4. R3-I3 | T | New cable ferry ‘Križnica’ operational across the River Drava in the Municipality of Pitomača |
| 141 | C1.6. R1 | M | Adoption of the Strategy for the Development of Sustainable Tourism by 2030 of the Government of the Republic of Croatia |
| 144 | C1.6. R1-I1 | M | Launching public calls for the green and digital transition of existing public tourism infrastructure and the development of public tourism infrastructure beyond the main tourist and coastal areas |
| 146 | C1.6. R1-I2 | M | Launch public calls to strengthen sustainability and boost the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs, with at least 50% of total investments supporting the green transition |
| 150 | C2.1. R1 | M | Amendments to the Act on the System of Strategic Planning and Management of Development of the Republic of Croatia and bylaws |
| 161 | C2.1. R2-I1 | T | Preparation of project technical documentation for green and digital transition projects |
| 165 | C2.2. R1-I2 | T | 100% of officials of all public institutions required to pass the state exam, digitally pass the state exam, based on a new exam model. |
| 176 | C2.3. R1 | M | Digital Croatia Strategy |
| 177 | C2.3. R2  C2.3. R2.I2 | M | Set-up of the platforms for the central interoperability system |
| 179 | C2.3. R3-I1 | T | Upgrade of the State Cloud |
| 195 | C2.3. R3-I12 | M | Digital archives of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) |
| 229 | C2.5. R1-I6 | M | All courts of first instance are equipped and meet the conditions for hearing remotely. |
| 233 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the Act on the protection of persons reporting irregularities |
| 249 | C2.7. R2 | M | Development of a structural macroeconomic model of the Croatian economy for producing medium-term macroeconomic forecasts, budgetary planning  and economic policy analyses |
| 256 | C2.9. R1 | M | Guidance on improving SMEs’ participation in and pooling of public procurement procedures |
| 259 | C2.9. R1-I1 | M | Publication of independent analysis and concrete recommendations to improve the burden management of all staff of key institutions in the procurement system (MINGOR, SAFU, DKOM). |
| 260 | C2.9. R2 | M | Amendment of the public procurement legislative framework making the use of e-appeal a mandatory means of lodging an appeal |
| 273 | C3.1. R2 | M | Adoption of the new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education |
| 275 | C3.2. R1 | M | New Science and Higher Education Act |
| 281 | C3.2. R2 | M | New legal framework regulating quality requirements for study programmes, doctoral studies and working conditions for scientific institutions |
| 284 | C3.2. R3 | M | New law on the Croatian Science Foundation |
| 294 | C4.1. R4 | M | Adoption of the Law on Tackling Undeclared Work and the new Labour Law |
| 313 | C4.3. R3 | M | Adoption of standards of treatment for family assistants |
| 318 | C5.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Health System Performance Assessment Framework (HSPA) |
| 323 | C5.1. R1-I4 | M | Modernisation of health services in Clinical Hospital Centre KBC Split |
| 336 | C5.1. R4 | M | Amendment of the Health Care Act and Compulsory Health Insurance Act |
| 346 | C5.1. R5 | M | Improvement and extension of telemedical services |
| 349 | C5.1. R5-I3 | T | Teletransfusion services |
| 353 | C6.1. R1-I1 | T | Contracts signed for the energy renovation of public and multi-dwelling buildings |
| 359 | C6.1. R2 | M | Adoption of the National Skills Development Plan in the context of green jobs related to energy efficiency and post-earthquake reconstruction |
| 363 | C6.1. R3 | M | On-line one-stop-shop for energy renovation and seismic reinforcement set up and operational |
| 366 | C6.1. R4-I1 | T | Seismic equipment units procured |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 804 597 701 |

1.4 Fourth Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 39 | C1.2. R1-I1 | M | Construction permit granted for the upgrade of the high voltage network |
| 163 | C2.2. R1 | M | Amended legislative framework for a centralised system of selection in the state administration, identifying the necessary qualifications of civil servants and establishing a modern recruitment system |
| 166 | C2.2. R2 | M | Entry into force of Acts on salaries in the state administration and public services and of regulations for mobility |
| 184 | C2.3. R3-I4 | M | CEZIH IT system |
| 205 | C2.3. R4-I2 | M | Grant agreement signed for the construction of passive electronic communications infrastructure |
| 217 | C2.5. R1 | T | New training programmes introduced in the framework of the judicial training programme |
| 218 | C2.5. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the legislative framework in the area of justice with the new Non-contentious Procedure Act. |
| 219 | C2.5. R1 | T | Set up four mediation centres at commercial courts in Zagreb, Split, Osijek and Rijeka and adopted amendments to the Mediation Act |
| 257 | C2.9. R1 | M | Amendment to the Rules on training in public procurement |
| 267 | C3.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the Model for the Financing of Early Childhood Education and Care |
| 276 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Funding allocated to research projects based on internal calls by research organisations during the first two-year cycle of program agreements implementation |
| 297 | C4.2. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the Pension Insurance Act |
| 316 | C4.3. R3-I3 | M | IT system calculation of prices for social services and service providers in the network |
| 325 | C5.1. R1-I6 | T | Diagnostic medical devices in Clinical Hospital (KB) Dubrava |
| 327 | C5.1. R1-I8 | T | Medical devices for Operational treatment and treatment of patients with pharmaco-resistant epilepsy in Clinical Hospital (KB) Dubrava |
| 343 | C5.1. R4-I5 | T | Diagnostic units Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Merkur |
| 348 | C5.1. R5-I2 | T | Telecardiological services |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 402 298 851 |

1.5 Fifth Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 8 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | M | Digitalisation of the SME Impact Assessment Test through the development of a digital platform for coordinators’ collaboration, online training and mutual communication |
| 9 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the actions of the new Action Plan to reduce non-tax and parafiscal charges |
| 38 | C1.2. R1 | M | Entry into force of the Act amending the State Assets Act, which shall provide a legal basis for the complete separation of the management of the gas transmission system operator (Plinacro) from state-owned production and supply activities. |
| 55 | C1.2. R1-I4 | M | Plan for the production and use of biofuels in transport adopted |
| 61 | C1.3. R1 | T | Integration of water service providers |
| 64 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Works contracts concluded for wastewater infrastructure projects |
| 70 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Works contracts concluded for water supply projects |
| 71 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Public water supply network constructed or reconstructed |
| 77 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Flood protective structures built |
| 94 | C1.4. R1-I2 | T | Establishment of a functional system for the exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities in the field of mobility |
| 127 | C1.5. R1-I1 | T | A logistic distribution centre (LDC) built and operational |
| 137 | C1.5. R3-I3 | M | Establishment of a traceability information system |
| 139 | C1.5. R4-I1 | M | Support Scheme for the infrastructure equipping of food banks and intermediaries in the food donation chain |
| 142 | C1.6. R1 | M | Drawing up the Sustainable Tourism Satellite Account of the Republic of Croatia |
| 143 | C1.6. R1 | M | Tourism Act establishing a framework for monitoring and development of the tourism sector |
| 151 | C2.1. R1 | M | Amendments to the Act on Regulatory Impact Assessment |
| 168 | C2.2. R2-I2 | T | At least 20% of civil servants work in the smartworking model |
| 169 | C2.2. R2-I2 | T | At least 60% of civil servants trained in smartworking working method |
| 170 | C2.2. R3 | M | Establishment of an e-conservation service |
| 178 | C2.3. R2-I1 | M | Set-up of the central interoperability system |
| 181 | C2.3. R3-I2 | M | Pilot project on cybersecurity |
| 183 | C2.3. R3-I3 | M | Establishment of a one-stop shop |
| 185 | C2.3. R3-I5 | T | Digital Identity Card e-signature |
| 191 | C2.3. R3-I9 | M | Establishment of a new public procurement platform and mobile application |
| 192 | C2.3. R3-I10 | M | CES’ digital identity and human resources management systems |
| 203 | C2.3. R4-I1 | M | Grant agreements signed for the implementation of the projects under the National Framework for development of broadband access infrastructure (ONP) |
| 220 | C2.5. R1 | M | New Framework Benchmarks for the work of judges adopted and an active judicial case management tool introduced |
| 234 | C2.6. R1 | M | Adoption of a code of ethics for parliamentarians and a code of ethics for officials in the executive |
| 243 | C2.6. R2 | M | Evaluation of the effects of the Law on the right of access to information |
| 254 | C2.8. R4 | M | Strengthening supervision of the financial sector based on a risk assessment in the area of AML/CFT |
| 258 | C2.9. R1 | M | Integration of a tailored framework for continuous training of procurement officers under ProcurCompEU into the mandatory training and certification scheme for public procurement. |
| 268 | C3.1. R1 | M | Adoption of the amendments for a full-day teaching model |
| 288 | C4.1. R2 | M | Entry into force of the amendments to the Labour Market Act |
| 304 | C4.3. R1 | T | Beneficiaries of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit |
| 319 | C5.1. R1 | T | Optimising time for diagnostic treatment – waiting lists |
| 326 | C5.1. R1-I7 | T | New facilities at the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Sestre Milosrdnice |
| 337 | C5.1. R4 | T | Functional integration of hospitals |
| 338 | C5.1. R4 | T | Joint procurement procedure for health institutions |
| 347 | C5.1. R5-I1 | T | Digitised, integrated operating halls (Firule and Križine) and robotic system at the Firule site installed and functional |
| 350 | C5.1. R5-I4 | T | Operating theatres Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Sestre milosrdnice equipped with robotic surgery |
| 369 | C6.1. R5 | T | The adoption of green urban renewal strategies |
| 371 | C6.1. R6 | M | Successfully completed systematic energy management pilot project with the aim to test a new energy efficiency renovation financing model |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 804 597 701 |

1.6 Sixth Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 40 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | Upgrade of underground cables connecting 6 islands to the mainland grid completed |
| 119 | C1.4. R5-I2 | T | Verification prototypes of fully autonomous and electric vehicles and relevant testing |
| 120 | C1.4. R5-I2 | M | New legislation on autonomous driving |
| 167 | C2.2. R2-I1 | T | The human resources management system, Registry of Public Officials and Centralised Salary System (RegZap – Cop), is complemented with nine new functionalities, digitising all related processes that shall simplify and speedup the amendment of the salary system |
| 171 | C2.2. R3 | M | Establishment of a national archive information system |
| 182 | C2.3. R3-I2 | M | Cybersecurity public prevention campaign |
| 208 | C2.4. R2 | M | New legal framework on state-owned enterprises, incorporating the recommendations of the OECD. |
| 228 | C2.5. R1-I5 | T | Newly renovated court buildings complying with the Technical Regulation on rational use of energy and thermal protection in buildings |
| 235 | C2.6. R1 | T | Increase the staff budget for employees of anti-corruption bodies in the justice system. |
| 236 | C2.6. R1 | T | Increase the budget for the acquisition of IT tools and equipment by judicial authorities to investigate corruption and organised crime offences |
| 241 | C2.6. R1-I3 | M | Improved asset declaration information systems for state officials and judicial officials |
| 244 | C2.6. R3 | M | Application of OECD corporate governance recommendations on majority ownership of local and regional units |
| 246 | C2.6. R4 | T | Training of judges on corruption risk management in public procurement and judicial protection in public procurement procedures |
| 263 | C2.9. R3 | M | Programmes and activities aimed at designing and managing innovative public procurement |
| 298 | C4.2. R1 | M | Adoption of the Conclusions on Acceptance of the Report on cost-effectiveness analyses of compulsory pension funds’ investments in state-owned enterprises. |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 402 298 851 |

1.7 Seventh Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 3 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | M | Upgrading START systems |
| 4 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | T | Setting up physical access points to the START platform |
| 5 | C1.1.1. R1-I1 | M | Digitalisation of MINGOR targeted processes under the Law on Strategic Investment Projects of the Republic of Croatia, the Law on Investment Promotion and the Law on State Aid for Research and Development Projects and the further digitalisation and networking of the JRPI system |
| 10 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the first set of measures set out in the new/fifth Action Plan for administrative burden relief for entrepreneurs |
| 12 | C1.1.1. R2 | T | Simplification or removal of at least 50 regulatory requirements for professional services |
| 13 | C1.1.1. R3 | M | Establishing a strategic framework for the promotion of private investment |
| 15 | C1.1.1. R4-I1 | T | Award of grants to SMEs and mid-cap companies for investments targeting environmentally friendly activities |
| 28 | C1.1.2. R1 | M | Amending and supplementing the legal framework for R & D tax incentive |
| 32 | C1.1.2. R2-I5 | T | Support to projects for the commercialisation of innovation |
| 41 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | The upgrade of the high voltage network (220/110 kV) completed |
| 42 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | An additional 1500 MW of RES capacity connected to the grid. |
| 43 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | Number of new consumers connected to the smart grid |
| 47 | C1.2. R1-I2 | T | Contracts signed for exploring geothermal potential in district heating |
| 56 | C1.2. R1-I4 | M | Construction permit granted for the construction of bio-refinery and pilot investment in carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) |
| 78 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Revitalised watercourses |
| 85 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Reduction of the share of municipal waste sent for disposal (41%) |
| 96 | C1.4. R1-I4 | M | Establishment of a well-functioning reporting control system for road passenger and freight transport |
| 97 | C1.4. R1-I5 | M | Development of a monitoring system for transport of dangerous goods by road (e-ADR) |
| 100 | C1.4. R2 | M | Reorganisation of the railway companies and business management |
| 107 | C1.4. R2-I6 | T | Two prototypes of battery trains produced and start of operational tests |
| 108 | C1.4. R2-I7 | M | Upgrading and operability of on-board ticketing systems |
| 118 | C1.4. R5-I1 | T | Implementation of a fully electrified and greened aircraft ground handling system at the Zadar Airport |
| 148 | C1.6. R1-I3 | M | Educational programmes to strengthen tourism knowledge and skills |
| 154 | C2.1. R1-I2 | T | Training modules for strategic planning and regulatory impact assessment at national, regional and local level |
| 164 | C2.2. R1-I1 | T | 100% of all newly recruited, permanent civil servants in government bodies are employed exclusively through a new centralised, digitised and standardised selection and recruitment system, available through a newly developed IT platform. |
| 186 | C2.3. R3-I6 | M | Establishment of the State information infrastructure (DII) network |
| 188 | C2.3. R3-I7 | T | Digital spatial plans |
| 190 | C2.3. R3-I8 | T | Digital e-public services integrated into the new mobile platform |
| 199 | C2.3. R3-I14 | M | System for e-invoices and online VAT accounting |
| 212 | C2.4. R5 | M | Develop an IT system and a methodology for of state-owned property portfolio reduction and faster and efficient activation of unused government assets |
| 224 | C2.5. R1-I1 | M | Upgraded eSpis system with new functionalities and new architecture integrated into the Shared Services Centre (CDU) |
| 226 | C2.5. R1-I3 | M | Upgraded eSpis system with new functionalities and new architecture integrated into the Shared Services Centre (CDU) |
| 252 | C2.8. R2 | T | Strengthen supervision through regular meetings of Interinstitutional Working Group on Supervision |
| 277 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Share of universities or research institutes that have signed programme agreements |
| 289 | C4.1. R2 | M | Improved quality of support for vulnerable groups |
| 305 | C4.3. R1 | M | Adoption of a normative rule on functionally integrated social benefits |
| 308 | C4.3. R1-I2 | M | Digital availability of information on social protection benefits at national level |
| 314 | C4.3. R3-I1 | T | Strengthening human capacity to deliver community-based services |
| 315 | C4.3. R3-I2 | T | Single Information System (SocSkrb information system) |
| 320 | C5.1. R1-I1 | T | Access to pharmacy care and medicines |
| 339 | C5.1. R4-I1 | T | Central management of parenteral preparations in 8 hospitals |
| 344 | C5.1. R4-I5 | T | Monitoring the treatment outcomes of non-hospital chronic patients in public pharmacies |
| 345 | C5.1. R4-I6 | M | Medical Waste Facility at Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 804 597 701 |

1.8 Eight Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 30 | C1.1.2. R2-I3 | T | Award of support to stimulate the growth of start-ups in high technology and knowledge sectors |
| 51 | C1.2. R1-I3 | T | New hydrogen production capacity installed |
| 133 | C1.5. R2-I2 | T | Upgrade of operational information system for monitoring agricultural land and establishment of 90 permanent stations to monitor the condition of agricultural land |
| 175 | C2.2. R4-I1 | M | Support mechanism for voluntary functional and real connections and the establishment of a complete support system for functional and effective coupling of units |
| 239 | C2.6. R1-I1 | M | Evaluation of the effects of the national information campaign against corruption |
| 242 | C2.6. R1-I4 | T | Upgrade and smart digitalisation of 4 regional centres of the Police National Office for Combating Corruption and Organised Crime (PN USKOK) |
| 278 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Completed research projects, in the ‘Green’ field, by scientific organisations that have signed new Programme Agreements |
| 279 | C3.2. R1-I1 | T | Funding allocated to research projects based on internal calls by research organisations |
| 282 | C3.2. R2-I1 | T | Grants awarded under the programming framework for increasing availability and employability of graduates in STEM/ICT fields and improving their mobility for national and international cooperation |
| 290 | C4.1. R2 | T | Improved quality of support for at least 5 000 people from vulnerable groups |
| 295 | C4.1. R4 | T | Increasing the ratio of the minimum wage to the average gross wage in 2024 to 50%. in |
| 299 | C4.2. R1 | T | An increase of between 10% and 15% in the total pension income for beneficiaries of the redefined form of survivor’s pension (minimum 10%). |
| 321 | C5.1. R1-I2 | T | Provision of mobile outpatient primary healthcare |
| 342 | C5.1. R4-I4 | T | System to monitor shortages of medicinal products based on “blockchain” technology |
| 365 | C6.1. R4 | T | Seismic data integrated in 10 expert bases for spatial plans of local government units |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 402 298 851 |

1.9 Ninth Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 11 | C1.1.1. R1-I2 | T | Implementation of the second set of measures set out in the new/fifth Action Plan to further reduce the administrative burden on entrepreneurs |
| 29 | C1.1.2. R2-I2 | T | Support SMEs to upgrade management capacity |
| 35 | C1.1.2. R4-I1 | T | Establishment of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) |
| 48 | C1.2. R1-I2 | M | Results of geothermal potential for district heating made publicly available |
| 65 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Waste water treatment plants constructed and operational |
| 66 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Public sewage network constructed or reconstructed |
| 72 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Public water supply network constructed or reconstructed |
| 79 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Flood protective structures built |
| 86 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Sorting facilities built |
| 87 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Built facilities to treat separately collected bio-waste |
| 88 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Functional fixed/mobile waste sorting site |
| 93 | C1.4. R1-I1 | M | New electronic toll system |
| 102 | C1.4. R2-I2 | T | Reconstruction of three stations at the section Oštarije – Knin – Split |
| 103 | C1.4. R2-I2 | M | On-board and operational signalling installations on the section of Oštarije – Knin – Split |
| 104 | C1.4. R2-I3 | T | Five bottlenecks removed on sections with the current constraint running speeds of 60 km/h |
| 105 | C1.4. R2-I4 | T | Double track railway line at Zagreb Kustošija - ZG Zapadni Kolodvor - Zagreb Glavni Kolodvor for a length of 3.4 km reconstructed and upgraded |
| 112 | C1.4. R3-I1 | T | Modernised/reconstructed 2 seaports open to public traffic |
| 116 | C1.4. R4-I1 | T | 70 alternative-fuel powered buses (electric and hydrogen) procured and put into service |
| 117 | C1.4. R4-I2 | T | 30 trams procured for public transport |
| 121 | C1.4. R5-I2 | T | Award of support for research and development of new urban mobility ecosystem project |
| 122 | C1.4. R5-I2 | M | Fully autonomous and electric vehicles adapted to the needs of disabled passengers and a specialised infrastructure |
| 135 | C1.5. R3-I1 | T | Digitalisation of at least 30 public services in agriculture listed in the Action Plan for the Digital Transformation of Agricultural Public Services |
| 136 | C1.5. R3-I2 | M | Setting up a Smart Agriculture platform |
| 145 | C1.6. R1-I1 | T | Full allocation per tender of the budget for the construction and adaptation of public tourism infrastructure according to eligibility criteria |
| 147 | C1.6. R1-I2 | T | Full allocation of funds to strengthen sustainability and foster the green and digital transition of tourism entrepreneurs |
| 149 | C1.6. R1-I3 | T | Educated students in education programmes to strengthen knowledge and skills in tourism, including digital skills for government and public officials in the tourism system, unemployed and employers’ education |
| 152 | C2.1. R1 | T | Reduction of the administrative burden directly affecting citizens, through digitalisation and simplification of procedures |
| 153 | C2.1. R1-I1 | T | Digitisation of all business processes mapping in the area of strategic planning and regulatory impact assessment |
| 155 | C2.1. R1-I2 | T | Training of officers linked to the system of strategic planning and implementation of regulatory impacts at national and regional level |
| 162 | C2.1. R2-I1 | T | Preparation of project technical documentation for green and digital transition projects |
| 187 | C2.3. R3-I6 | T | New users of the State information infrastructure network (DII) |
| 189 | C2.3. R3-I7 | M | Upgrade of the Spatial Plans Information System |
| 200 | C2.3. R3-I15 | T | New tools in the tourism IT system |
| 230 | C2.5. R1-I6 | M | Upgrade and optimisation of ICT infrastructures in all judicial bodies |
| 237 | C2.6. R1 | M | Setting up an information system to monitor the implementation of national anti-corruption measures |
| 240 | C2.6. R1-I2 | M | Establishment of an information system for the management of the ethical infrastructure of civil servants |
| 255 | C2.8. R4 | T | Increase in on-site supervisory activities based on identified money laundering and terrorist financing risks. |
| 264 | C2.9. R3 | T | Training of procurement officers on innovative public procurement procedures |
| 280 | C3.2. R1-I2 | T | Reorganisations of higher education institutions and scientific institutes |
| 285 | C3.2. R3-I1 | T | Grants awarded under a ‘pilot programme’ supporting the establishment of a reformed R & D & I framework. |
| 287 | C4.1. R1 | T | Number of beneficiaries of the new active labour market policy measures |
| 300 | C4.2. R1 | M | Adoption of amendments to the Pension Insurance Act |
| 306 | C4.3. R1 | T | At-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers |
| 307 | C4.3. R1-I1 | T | Local government units data access on social benefits for each individual beneficiary |
| 310 | C4.3. R2 | T | Employment of social mentoring professionals |
| 311 | C4.3. R2-I1 | T | Social mentoring services provided to beneficiaries |
| 324 | C5.1. R1-I5 | T | Central Operating Block building with accompanying contents of Varaždin General Hospital |
| 329 | C5.1. R2 | M | Improving and harmonising the quality of healthcare by developing Clinical e-Guidelines |
| 331 | C5.1. R2-I1 | T | Improving the quality of oncology radiotherapy |
| 332 | C5.1. R2-I2 | T | Single IT platform to connect, monitor and optimally treat oncological patients |
| 334 | C5.1. R3-I1 | T | Specialist medical training at the primary basic level of health care |
| 335 | C5.1. R3-I2 | T | Bachelors of nursing specialist training in emergency medicine |
| 340 | C5.1. R4-I2 | T | Unit therapy system for solid forms of medicines in 40 Croatian hospitals |
| 372 | C6.1. R6 | M | Adoption of the guidelines for the application of a model for monitoring energy consumption in multi-dwelling buildings |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 517 241 379 |

1.10 Tenth Instalment (non-repayable support):

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Number | Related Measure (Reform or Investment) | Milestone / Target | Name |
|  |  |  |  |
| 17 | C1.1.1. R4-I2 | T | Loans/interest rate subsidies granted to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises |
| 18 | C1.1.1. R4-I2 | T | Loans/interest rate subsidies granted to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises |
| 20 | C1.1.1. R4-I3 | T | Number of supported projects for mid-caps and large enterprises |
| 22 | C1.1.1. R4-I4 | T | Credits granted for public sector projects |
| 24 | C1.1.1. R5-I1 | T | Investments made in equity and quasi-equity instruments |
| 26 | C1.1.1. R6-I1 | T | Investments in the transformation and competitiveness of cultural and creative industries |
| 27 | C1.1.1. R6-I2 | M | Setting up a system for fact-checking |
| 31 | C1.1.2. R2-I4 | T | Supporting the growth of start-ups through the establishment of accelerator programme. |
| 33 | C1.1.2. R3-I2 | T | Grant support in the form of vouchers |
| 34 | C1.1.2. R3-I3 | T | Grant support for the digital transformation of Croatian SMEs |
| 44 | C1.2. R1-I1 | T | The upgrade of the high voltage network (220/110 kV) completed |
| 52 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Public tender launched for additional hydrogen capacity |
| 53 | C1.2. R1-I3 | T | At least 6 hydrogen charging stations for cars, buses and heavy duty vehicles have been built |
| 54 | C1.2. R1-I3 | M | Pilot carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) investment completed and fully operational with a capacity of 190 000 tonne CO2/year |
| 57 | C1.2. R1-I4 | T | Biorefinery built and operational |
| 58 | C1.2. R1-I4 | T | Pilot investment in carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) is completed and fully operational with a capacity of 52.000 t/year CO2 |
| 62 | C1.3. R1 | T | Reduction of losses in public water supply systems |
| 67 | C1.3. R1-I1 | T | Population benefitting from improved access to an improved waste water treatment system |
| 73 | C1.3. R1-I2 | T | Population with improved access to water supply |
| 80 | C1.3. R1-I3 | T | Residents covered by improved flood protection measures |
| 89 | C1.3. R2-I1 | T | Reduction of the share of municipal waste sent for disposal (30%) |
| 90 | C1.3. R2-I2 | T | Remediation of closed landfills |
| 95 | C1.4. R1-I3 | M | Establishment of a well-functioning national road transport electronic storage and data exchange system (NSCP) |
| 101 | C1.4. R2-I1 | T | Electrified double tracks built and reconstructed on section Dugo Selo – Novska, sub-section Kutina - Novska |
| 106 | C1.4. R2-I5 | T | Brake pads replaced on 2 000 freight wagons in order to reduce noise |
| 113 | C1.4. R3-I2 | T | Alternative-fuel-powered ships using electrical-solar propulsion |
| 115 | C1.4. R3-I4 | T | Three municipal berths built for the reception of waste from vessels |
| 123 | C1.4. R5-I2 | T | 50 000 vouchers for trips with fully autonomous vehicle granted free of charge to disabled people, valid for at least 5 years after issuance |
| 124 | C1.4. R5-I3 | T | Co-financed purchase of 2 000 alternatively powered road vehicles (electrical or hydrogen) |
| 125 | C1.4. R5-I3 | T | Co-financed construction of 1 300 electric charging stations |
| 128 | C1.5. R1-I1 | T | At least three logistic distribution centre (LDC) built and operational |
| 129 | C1.5. R1-I2 | T | Training for producer organisations |
| 130 | C1.5. R1-I2 | T | System for the labelling of fruit and vegetables |
| 132 | C1.5. R2-I1 | T | 18 000 ha of agricultural land consolidated |
| 172 | C2.2. R3-I1 | T | Creation of a set of 60 publicly available conservatoria bases for the most complex cultural and historical sites of high monument value |
| 173 | C2.2. R3-I2 | T | 600 document creators use the archive information system |
| 180 | C2.3. R3-I1 | T | Increase in number of users in the Shared Services Centre |
| 193 | C2.3. R3-I10 | M | Completion of the digitalisation of the CES |
| 194 | C2.3. R3-I11 | M | Upgraded IT system of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) |
| 196 | C2.3. R3-I12 | T | Number of pages in the new Digital Archives |
| 197 | C2.3. R3-I13 | M | New Tax Administration Information System |
| 198 | C2.3. R3-I13 | T | Percentage of tax determination and collection procedures implemented digitally through the new system |
| 201 | C2.3. R3-I16 | T | New application modules for the sport IT system |
| 204 | C2.3. R4-I1 | T | Broadband access for households in white NGA areas |
| 206 | C2.3. R4-I2 | T | Population with access to 5G |
| 209 | C2.4. R3 | T | Training plan for line ministries and central coordination units in corporate governance activities |
| 210 | C2.4. R4 | T | The realisation of the sale of 90 state-owned enterprises which are not of particular interest to the Republic of Croatia and are managed by CERP |
| 211 | C2.4. R4 | T | The realisation of the sales of 20 state-owned enterprises in the CERP portfolio that are not currently available for sale. |
| 213 | C2.4. R5 | T | Increasing the commercialisation, streamlining and activation of state-owned property |
| 221 | C2.5. R1 | T | Reduction of the duration of litigation and commercial cases |
| 222 | C2.5. R1 | T | Reduction of the total number of all pending cases |
| 223 | C2.5. R1 | T | Decrease in the share of cases over 3 years old in total backlogs |
| 225 | C2.5. R1-I2 | T | 60% of land registration and cadastral data completed with the ultimate goal of completion of up to 100% |
| 227 | C2.5. R1-I4 | T | Obtained a permit of use for a newly built building in the Justice Square in Zagreb as a precondition for the relocation of commercial and administrative courts, the Mediation Centre and the Judicial Academy |
| 238 | C2.6. R1 | T | Reducing the average length of court cases for corruption and organised crime offences |
| 245 | C2.6. R3 | M | Assessment of the effects of the implementation of the 2021-2022 Anti-Corruption Programme for majority-owned companies of local government and regional government units |
| 261 | C2.9. R2 | T | Reducing the average time limits for dealing with appeals and decisions to 28 days from the date of receipt of the appeal |
| 262 | C2.9. R2 | T | Reducing the average time limits to 14 days from the date of the filing of the appeal file |
| 269 | C3.1. R1 | T | Participation in early childhood education and care |
| 270 | C3.1. R1-I1 | T | Number of places built in ECEC |
| 271 | C3.1. R1-I2 | T | Percentage of students attending primary one-shift schools |
| 272 | C3.1. R1-I3 | T | Enrolment in general secondary education programmes |
| 274 | C3.1. R2-I1 | T | Share of public higher education institutions equipped with digital infrastructure |
| 283 | C3.2. R2-I2 | T | Infrastructure projects for applied and targeted research |
| 292 | C4.1. R3-I1 | T | Use of education vouchers |
| 296 | C4.1. R4 | T | Reducing the share of temporary contracts to 17% |
| 301 | C4.2. R1 | T | Increase of the minimum pension by 3% |
| 317 | C4.3. R3-I4 | T | Construction of centres for the elderly institutional, home and community care |
| 322 | C5.1. R1-I3 | T | New building in the complex of the Infectious Disease Clinic Dr Fran Mihaljević |
| 328 | C5.1. R1-I9 | T | Development Project of Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb |
| 330 | C5.1. R2 | T | Optimising time for radiological treatment – waiting lists |
| 341 | C5.1. R4-I3 | T | Monitoring of the medicine in the hospital system from the pharmacy to the patient |
| 354 | C6.1. R1-I1 | T | Energy renovation of multi-dwelling buildings |
| 355 | C6.1. R1-I1 | T | Energy renovation of public buildings |
| 356 | C6.1. R1-I2 | T | Energy and post-earthquake renovation of multi-dwelling buildings damaged by earthquake |
| 357 | C6.1. R1-I2 | T | Energy and post-earthquake renovation of public buildings damaged by the earthquakes |
| 358 | C6.1. R1-I3 | T | Energy renovation of buildings with the status of a cultural good |
| 360 | C6.1. R2 | T | Completed training and adult education programme for post-earthquake reconstruction and energy renovation |
| 361 | C6.1. R2 | T | Completed expert studies and education programmes in the field of sustainable urban development and renovation of cultural heritage |
| 364 | C6.1. R3 | T | Completed training for public employees for providing one-stop-shop services for energy efficiency and post-earthquake reconstruction |
| 367 | C6.1. R4-I1 | M | Hiring and training of Seismological Survey experts |
| 370 | C6.1. R5 | T | The implementation of a pilot project identified through green urban renewal strategies and linked with the national programmes on green infrastructure and circular management of space and buildings |
|  |  | Instalment Amount | EUR 548 304 709 |

  

SECTION 3: ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

1.Arrangements for monitoring and implementation of the recovery and resilience plan

The monitoring and implementation of the recovery and resilience plan of Croatia shall take place in accordance with the following arrangements:

A multi-level governance, monitoring and implementation structure shall be set up with dedicated tasks and responsibilities applicable at each level as set out hereunder:

a)Steering board, chaired by the Prime minister, responsible for the political leadership and monitoring of the implementation of the plan.

b)Implementation Committee, made up of representatives of the cabinet of the Prime minister, coordinating body, implementing bodies, audit authority, body responsible for sending payment claims, and the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, responsible for the overall monitoring and implementation of the plan as well as ensuring consistency with other EU funds.

c)Central Coordinating Body, set up under the Ministry of finance (Directorate for macroeconomic analysis) and tasked with the operational coordination and monitoring of the recovery and resilience plan, including the active monitoring of the progress in implementing the measures on the basis of the milestones and targets set for each component.

d)Audit authority, the Agency for the Audit of the European Union Programmes Implementation System, mandated to carry out audits in the scope of the Croatian recovery and resilience plan.

e)Body responsible for sending payment claims, the National Fund under the Ministry of Finance, responsible for drawing up and submitting payment requests and management declarations.

f)Implementing bodies and agencies responsible for the implementation of each specific measure as well as the monitoring of the projects’ progress.

The Croatian recovery and resilience plan states that the procedures are in place to ensure compliance to applicable Union and national law, throughout the implementation of the measures. Furthermore, these procedures shall be applied to address all serious irregularities (fraud, corruption, conflict of interest) and double funding by allowing for controls and audits to be implemented at the line Ministry level. To ensure that reliable data are reported, the implementing bodies responsible for each component shall carry out administrative and on-the-spot checks. Regular checks on the veracity and accuracy of data shall be carried out by the coordinating body in cooperation with the National Fund. Moreover, the audit authority, will carry out the second level controls, based on a half-yearly cycle, including system audits and audits on the achievement of the milestones and targets.

2.Arrangements for providing full access by the Commission to the underlying data

In order to provide full access to the Commission to the underlying relevant data, Croatia shall have in place the following arrangements:

The Central Coordinating Body shall be responsible for the overall implementation of the recovery and resilience plans, for ensuring coordination with other relevant authorities in the country (including ensuring coherence regarding the use of other EU funds), for monitoring progress on milestones and targets, and for providing all necessary reporting.

In carrying out its duties, the Coordinating Body shall rely on the eFondovi IT system, used for the monitoring of the European Structural and Investment Funds, which shall be upgraded with functionalities developed for reporting on the recovery and resilience plan’s qualitative and quantitative indicators. The IT system shall enable the collection of the information from the project beneficiaries on the progress in the implementation of the grant agreements. Implementing bodies shall be responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the data collected. Regular checks on the veracity and accuracy of data shall be carried out by the Coordinating Body in cooperation with the National Fund.

In accordance with Article 24(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, upon completion of the relevant agreed milestones and targets in Section 2.1 of this Annex, Croatia shall submit to the Commission a duly justified request for payment of the financial contribution. Croatia shall ensure that, upon request, the Commission has full access to the underlying relevant data that supports the due justification of the request for payment, both for the assessment of the request for payment in accordance with Article 24(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and for audit and control purposes.

:   [(1)](#footnoteref2)
     
       C(2021)2632 final
:   [(2)](#footnoteref3)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(3)](#footnoteref4)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(4)](#footnoteref5)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(5)](#footnoteref6)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(6)](#footnoteref7)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(7)](#footnoteref8)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(8)](#footnoteref9)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(9)](#footnoteref10)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(10)](#footnoteref11)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(11)](#footnoteref12)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(12)](#footnoteref13)

     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(13)](#footnoteref14)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(14)](#footnoteref15)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(15)](#footnoteref16)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(16)](#footnoteref17)

     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(17)](#footnoteref18)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(18)](#footnoteref19)
     
       In particular Roma children, children with disabilities, children living in Croatia’s least developed regions, children from families from lower socio-economic status and other vulnerable groups of children.
:   [(19)](#footnoteref20)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(20)](#footnoteref21)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(21)](#footnoteref22)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(22)](#footnoteref23)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(23)](#footnoteref24)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(24)](#footnoteref25)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(25)](#footnoteref26)

     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(26)](#footnoteref27)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(27)](#footnoteref28)
     
       Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
:   [(28)](#footnoteref29)
     
       Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not significantly lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
:   [(29)](#footnoteref30)

     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
:   [(30)](#footnoteref31)
     
       This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.

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