[REVISION HISTORY]

Croatia administrative and transport reforms 2026

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What changed

2026-09-11 17:56 UTC → 2026-09-13 08:14 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In July 2026, Croatia began administrative modernisations, starting on 17 July with an electronic VAT-refund form (PDV-P) for non-EU shoppers. The government also announced transport reforms to replace physical toll booths with Multi-Lane Free Flow technology via the ‘Crolibertas’ system. This digital system aims to eliminate booths and ramps across the 1,400-kilometer highway network, including concession motorways managed by Bina-Istra and Autocesta Zagreb–Macelj. It will use Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) for passenger vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, while Electronic Toll Collection (ENC) devices remain mandatory for heavy vehicles. To prepare for the transition, SMART cards will be discontinued on 1 October 2026. On 30 July, the cabinet approved a €160 million project for the Free-Flow system, funded by €115.6 million from the EU Recovery Fund and €44.9 million from Hrvatske autoceste (HAC). As of ~~early September~~ mid-September 2026, the Crolibertas system is remains scheduled for full operation on 1 March 2027. The Crolibertas system will allow vehicles to pass through toll zones at speeds up to 130 km/h. Unlike some neighbors, Croatia will not use vignettes; tolls will be calculated by distance and vehicle category. Occasional users must register their vehicle and a valid payment method, such as a bank card, via a web portal, mobile app, or designated registration lanes. While the project faces potential delays due to a legal dispute—where the State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement annulled a decision regarding the system’s web portal and mobile application provider—HAC HAC maintains that ~~all~~ activities are proceeding according to legal ~~deadlines. HAC described~~ deadlines despite a legal dispute regarding the ~~transition~~ web portal provider, new concerns have emerged regarding payment compliance. Under the new Law on Toll Collection, drivers must ensure their registered payment methods, such as ENC devices or bank cards linked via ALPR, remain valid. Because the system processes vehicles without stopping, failure to update payment details—such as after receiving a ~~‘complex, multidisciplinary project’ and continues field work on 213 planned toll portals.~~ replacement bank card—could result in significant penalties, potentially reaching 720 euros in addition to unpaid tolls.

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