Croatian Veterinary Chamber seeks exemption from price transparency rules

The Croatian Veterinary Chamber has submitted a formal request to the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Economy seeking an exemption from new price transparency regulations. The request concerns upcoming mandates, effective October 1, 2026, which would require the display of ‘anchored prices’ and the mandatory publication of product and service price lists on websites.

The Chamber argues that veterinary services are uniquely regulated and of special public interest, making them unsuitable for standard commercial pricing models. They contend that veterinary costs are rarely fixed and depend on a complex range of variables, including the animal's species, health status, required clinical examinations, diagnostic procedures, medications used, and materials consumed during treatment.

Furthermore, the Chamber noted that certain veterinary activities, such as controlling infectious diseases and inspecting animal-origin food, are subject to specific regulations and financing determined by the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Inspectorate. They maintain that applying uniform pricing rules used for traditional trade to the veterinary profession would not account for these professional complexities.