[REVISION HISTORY]

Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina transport reforms 2026

17 recorded revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-12 18:02 UTC → 2026-10-18 07:53 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,~~ While the ~~cabinet approved a~~ project was initially valued at €160 million, recent reports highlight a core €80 million ~~project~~ component for the ~~Free-Flow system, funded by €115.6 million from~~ free-flow technology. To utilize the ~~EU Recovery Fund~~ ALPR method, passenger vehicle owners must register their license plates and ~~€44.9 million from Hrvatske autoceste (HAC). However, the transition faces potential delays after HAC cancelled~~ a ~~critical tender for digital components, including~~ valid payment method via the internet, a ~~sales web portal,~~ mobile ~~application, and integrated data exchange platform. HAC determined that none~~ app, or authorized sales points prior to their journey. Full implementation of the three submitted bids were valid; specifically, a proposal from Abysalto was rejected because its €379,000 bid exceeded the €330,000 estimate. While over 100 gantries are already installed, these software and data integration setbacks threaten the Crolibertas system is scheduled ~~full operation date of~~ for 1 March 2027. ~~Concerns~~ Alongside tolling changes, new vehicle marking regulations have ~~also emerged regarding~~ been established. While EU-style plates with the ~~high costs of~~ HR identifier do not require additional stickers within the ~~Crolibertas system~~ EU, a physical HR sticker is mandatory when traveling to non-EU countries like Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Drivers with older registration plates lacking the EU symbol must display the sticker even when traveling within the EU. Concerns remain regarding costs compared to Slovenia’s vignette ~~model, alongside~~ model and technical ~~worries about license~~ issues with plate ~~readability during poor weather.~~ readability. Concurrently, Bosnia and Herzegovina is implementing transport reforms to ~~improve road safety and~~ digitize administration, including replacing paper vehicle ownership booklets with digital confirmations.

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