After 10 years working towards EU membership, on 1 July 2013 Croatia joined the European Union. On 1 April 2009 Croatia achieved full NATO membership and became a WTO member in 2000. Whilst economic conditions have changed substantially in the EU since Croatia embarked on EU membership 10 years ago, the Government of Croatia remains determined to use its newly acquired EU membership to undertake an ambitious infrastructure investment plan.

As with many Eastern European countries, Croatia has suffered from underinvestment in infrastructure during communism. However, the Croatian Government envisages that EU entry will attract investors to upgrade its infrastructure. Since the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, Croatia has completed what is regarded as the first step in the process, the construction of a modern motorway network (completed in part by Public Private Partnership) which provides a foundation to further develop Croatia’s infrastructure to enhance the Croatian tourism industry (which is a major contributor to Croatian GDP), and continue to develop the Government's vision of making Croatia a European transit country. 

During our recent meeting with Mr Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, the Minister outlined to us the Government's immediate plans to attract investment to develop Croatia's infrastructure. He named the following key projects: