Reflections of European Market Law on the Croatian Legislative Framework of Consumer Protection

Sanja Gongeta – University of Applied Sciences Lavoslav Ružička in Vukovar; Blage Zadre 2, 3200 Vukovar, Croatia

Abstract: European legislation has had a significant impact on the devel­opment of consumer protection in Croatia. As a member of the European Union, Croatia is obliged to implement and enforce EU directives and reg­ulations related to consumer rights and protection. The main legal frame­work for consumer protection in Croatia is the Consumer Protection Act (Zakon o zaštiti potrošača NN 19/22, 56/23) and European legislation has played a crucial role in shaping it. It has contributed to the establishment of robust consumer rights, harmonized standards, and improved mechanisms for resolving consumer disputes. By aligning its legislation with EU directives and regulations, Croatia has integrated itself into a broader framework of consumer protection that spans across the European Union.

The paper analyses the new Consumer Protection Act which entered into force in May of 2022, completely replacing the previous Act of the same name from 2014. The main reason for adopting the new Consumer Protec­tion Act was the implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/2161 and regulation of digital segment of the conclusion of contracts to a greater extent than it was before

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