About the Project

Background

The purpose of the EU Project "Development of Investment Climate" is to impact positively the investment climate in all participating counties and to increase Croatia’s competitiveness in attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects.

The total value of the project amounts to €3.44 million

The project is implemented using the Pre-Accession Assistance IPA component III C, and is the continuation of the previous two phases of Investment Certification Programme for Regions (ICPR) implemented in 2006 and 2008 using the EU (CARDS) and USAID funds. Twelve counties were certified according to the Basic ICPR standard.

From the beginning of the Project in 2010 until the start of 2012, the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship (MELE) was the beneficiary of the Project. In February this year this role was taken by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts, which become the institution responsible for the implementation of the Project.

This is one of the most valuable services contracts funded by EU in Croatia at present

The project provides strategic development and training to 20 Croatian counties and investment promotion staff of the Ministry to help them to be more effective in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Croatia.

The project “Development of Investment Climate” is the first project financed through the IPA Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme in Croatia which was granted an extension by the competent authorities, the EU Delegation to the Republic of Croatia and the Central Finance and Contracting Agency. The project was extended for additional 12 months and the budget allocated reached 3.44 million Euro of which the EU finances 85%, and the Republic of Croatia 15%. The project will be implemented over a period of 32 months, and it began on 1 February 2010.

In the first 20 months of the duration of the Project, 12 counties were successfully certified according to the Advanced ICPR Standard and 8 counties according to the Basic ICPR Standard. Following the extension of the Project for additional 12 months, the consultants' team continued to work with the counties on the Advanced Programme. The standards according to which the counties were certified include: Information, Property, Marketing and Investment Facilitation Standard (which is part of the Advanced ICPR).

The completion of the Project will mark the end of the certification process for all 20 counties in Croatia which will acquire the status of “Croatian Investor Friendly Region“ - CIFR.

12 Counties: Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Istra County, Karlovac County, Koprivnica-Križevci County, Krapina-Zagorje County, Međimurje County, Primorje-Gorski kotar County, Split-Dalmacija County, Šibenik-Knin County, Varaždin County and Zadar County.

8 Counties: Brod-Posavina County, Lika-Senj County, Požega-Slavonia County, Sisak-Moslavina County, Virovitica-Podravina County, Vukovar-Srijem County and Zagreb County.