AI regulation in Croatia (2026)

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (EU AI Act) entered into force on 1 August 2024 and applies directly in all EU member states, including Croatia, without requiring transposition. Prohibitions on unacceptable-risk AI applied from 2 February 2025; rules for high-risk systems and GPAI models fully apply from 2 August 2026.

AZOP (Croatia's data-protection authority) published the list of national competent authorities under the AI Act and declared readiness to serve as supervisory authority for high-risk AI systems affecting fundamental rights. It hosted a workshop on Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments (FRIA, Article 27 AI Act) in Zagreb on 13 June 2025 and published FAQs on AI Act compliance.

Croatia lacks a standalone national AI strategy. The government, led by MPUDT Minister Damir Habijan, announced development of a National Plan for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (2026–2028 action period), covering innovation/research, economic digitalisation, AI governance skills, and citizen data security.

Adopted in 2022, the Digital Croatia Strategy 2032 provides the overarching digital transformation framework and lists AI as a priority technology. It underpins Croatia's Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3 2029 revision), which also designates AI as a key domain for public investment.

Croatia was among approximately 13 EU member states that had not formally published their full national competent authority designation by the 2 August 2025 statutory deadline under Article 70 AI Act, though AZOP had already taken preparatory enforcement and guidance steps.

The OECD's October 2025 country note on Croatia's progress in implementing the EU Coordinated Plan on AI highlights sector-specific AI deployments (health via AI4Health.Cro, environment via ATMOSYS), and notes the AI Center Lipik for education and start-up incubation, but confirms no finalised national AI strategy as of that date.