Digital connectivity in Croatia

National digital connectivity strategy and policy

Responsible authorities

• The Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (Ministarstvo mora, prometa i infrastrukture) is the central state administrative body with expertise and responsibility for administrative tasks in the area of electronic communications including digital connectivity policy and strategy. Through the Directorate for civil aviation, electronic communications and postal services, it is in charge of preparing proposals for strategies, studies, guidelines, programmes and implementation plans.
• The Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds (Ministarstvo regionalnoga razvoja i fondova Europske unije) ensures quality public policies in all parts of Croatia, especially in less developed areas and is managing two national EU-funded schemes.
• The Croatian national Regulatory Authority for Network Industries HAKOM (Hrvatska regulatorna agencija za mrežne djelatnosti) ensures market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market.

Main aims for digital connectivity development

The government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the National Plan for Broadband Development 2021-2027 in March 2021. The Croatian plan aims to provide connectivity with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps to all households, while providing government offices and public buildings such as schools and health facilities with symmetric connections of at least 1 Gbps. It also seeks 5G networks in all main cities and towns and along major highways.

The Digital Croatia Strategy until 2032, a multi-sectoral strategic planning act, was approved in 2022 and sets the following main strategic objectives: 

• developed and innovative digital economy,
• digitalised public administration,
• developed, available and taken-up Very High Capacity Networks,
• developed digital competences for working and living in a digital age.

The reforms and investments in Croatia's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) are helping it to become more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green transition and digital transition. The reports on implementation of the plan are regularly published by Croatian government.

Main measures and financial instruments for digital connectivity development

For digital connectivity mapping, HAKOM has developed and updates a central mapping tool, called HAKOMetar, where users can examine the quality of Internet access services. The results of the measurement are visible on a map and represent evidence in the process of resolving the user's objection to the quality of the service. 

The Croatia's Recovery and Resilience Plan foresees EUR 130 million to be invested in increasing national broadband coverage with gigabit connectivity in rural areas and construction of electronic communications infrastructure for 5G network thereby increasing the digital connectivity of rural areas.

Data on digital connectivity development and technologies in Croatia

For the latest data on digital connectivity coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different digital connectivity technologies check the Digital Decade country reports.

National and EU publications and press documents

English

• Broadband Investment Handbook
• Study on National Broadband Plans in the EU27

Croatian

• Nacionalni plan razvoja širokopojasnog pristupa u Republici Hrvatskoj u razdoblju od 2021. do 2027. godine
• Strategija digitalne Hrvatske za razdoblje do 2032

Contact information

BCO Croatia (national Broadband Competence Office): Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries, Development Programmes Department (HAKOM, Hrvatska regulatorna agencija za mrežne djelatnosti)

Contact via email
Website

Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure (Ministarstvo mora, prometa i infrastrukture)

Contact via email
Website