Croatia advances stricter veterinary drug law as vets stage protests

The Croatian government introduced a new Veterinary Drugs and Products Act aimed at tightening the use of antibiotics in animals, introducing mandatory electronic reporting and a ban on online sales of prescription drugs. The legislation aligns Croatia with EU standards and supports a pending US‑EU agreement on mutual recognition of veterinary drug quality checks. It also replaces five‑year limited market authorisation with indefinite approval, subject to safety monitoring.

Veterinary professionals responded with a second protest within a month, demanding the withdrawal of the law and the cancellation of concession tender processes they say favour large corporations. They warned that the law could turn veterinary medicines into ordinary commercial goods and marginalise vets, expressing frustration over lack of dialogue with Minister of Agriculture David Vlajčić.