Payment Terms Legislation In Croatia

The Act on Financial Operations and Pre-Bankruptcy Settlement enacts the EU Late Payment Directive (see European Union for details). Additionally, negotiated terms above 60 days are strictly limited to 360 days provided that the debtor issues a security instrument with the legal effect of an enforceable title to the creditor. Fines may be issued by the local tax authority for late payment.

Law – OG 52 / 2021-1052 – amends the previous Law on the Prohibition of Unfair Commercial Practices in the Food Supply Chain of 2017, to harmonise with the EU UTP in the supply chain directive (see European Union for details). Additionally, instead of five company size tiers a simple definition of a buyer with significant influence is any company with consolidated income in Croatia of at least HRK 15 million. No size criteria is set for agricultural suppliers. The terms apply from the day of delivery and are applied differently for “regular” and “irregular” deliveries.

See European Union for the Directive on Unfair Trading Practices in the Food Supply Chain which was adopted on 30 April 2019.

Article 3 of the Act on Financial Operations and Pre-Bankruptcy Settlement sets minimum penalty interest at the European Central Bank rate plus 8%. This applies in commercial transactions between entrepreneurs, or between entrepreneurs and public entities.