Doing business
Current business situation
The
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides advice for business
travellers and tourists going to Croatia. This is regularly updated and
should be checked before planning travel.
Business culture
Croatians
like to know their business partners very well, however the first stage of
business relationship is formal.
Business
cards are exchanged without a formal ritual. Although not absolutely necessary
having one side of your business card translated into Croatian shows
consideration.
It is
good business sense to avoid the discussion concerning the political and
military history of Yugoslavia.
Meeting
schedules are not very rigid in Croatia. There may be an agenda, but it serves
more as a guideline for the discussion than anything else. Business people will
want a clear understanding of what is to be dealt with in any meeting. A
company profile and product literature should be provided.
Surnames
are usual until you are invited to use first names. People can be quite
conscious of hierarchy and protocol.
English
is widely spoken in business circles in big cities, but you may wish to offer
the option of interpreting.
Smoking
is prohibited in most office buildings and restaurants.
Setting up in Croatia
The
Croatian Company Act offers several different legal structures suitable for
every line of business. For more information on setting up business in Croatia,
visit the Agency
for Investments and Competitiveness or HAMAG
INVEST
websites.
Banking and finance
The
largest banks in Croatia include:
- Zagrebacka Banka
- Privredna
- Erste
- Hypo Alpe Adria
- Raiffeisen
- Splitska Banka
- Hrvatska Postanska
- OTP
- Volksbank
- Medi-murska
Links and resources
Government, business and trade
Government of Croatia
Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Ministry of Economic Affairs
Agency for Investments and Competitiveness
HAMAG INVEST
Croatian Chamber of Economy
News and media
Croatian Times
Daily tPortal
Please note: This list of websites and resources is not definitive. Inclusion in this list does not imply endorsement by Austrade. The information provided is a guide only. The content is for information and carries no warranty; as such, the addressee must exercise their own discretion in its use. Australia’s anti-bribery laws apply overseas and Austrade will not provide business related services to any party who breaches the law and will report credible evidence of any breach. For further information, please see foreign bribery information and awareness pack.