Retail trade

First option - FREEDOM TO PROVIDE CROSS-BORDER SERVICES
 
If you are already established in any EU/EEA state, you are free to provide services as a legal or natural person, on occasional and temporary basis, without obligation to establish and register retail activity in Croatia, if you submit:
  • a statement on cross-border provision of services together with a scanned certificate of registration for trade activity in another EU/EEA country and with a request to meet the minimum technical conditions for the store premises (to the competent office in the county or the City of Zagreb)
  • proof of compliance with the requirements of business premises based on special regulations (on construction of buildings, food hygiene, environmental protection, development of settlements, protection and preservation of cultural assets, life and health of people, and safety at work)
  • proof of the right to use business premises (ownership certificate or lease agreement).
 
Second option - FREEDOM OF ESTABLISHMENT
 
If you are already established in any EU/EEA state, you are free to provide services as a legal or natural person, on occasional and temporary basis, without obligation to register a company in Croatia if you submit the following:
  • a request to meet the minimum technical conditions for the premises of the store (to the competent office in the county, i.e. in the City of Zagreb)
  • proof of compliance with the requirements of business premises based on special regulations (on construction of buildings, food hygiene, environmental protection, development of settlements, protection and preservation of cultural assets, life and health of people, and safety at work)
  • proof of the right to use business premises (ownership certificate or lease agreement).
 
Competent offices for submitting applications for the issuance of decisions and any possible appeals against decisions- regional self-government (offices in the counties or in the City of Zagreb) 
 
Minimum technical requirements - applicable to both options
  • Exterior of commercial premises must be completed in terms of construction activities.
  • The sign with a name and registered office must be clearly placed on the exterior side of a building, and working hours must be clearly indicated at the entrance into the premises.
  • The front area and the entrance have to be safe, undisturbed, regulated, illuminated, and made of a material that is easy to clean and easy to maintain. The access to an entrance may be from the road, street, yard, hallway or public access and it must not be a shared access to residential units. The exit door has to be a minimum of 0.70 m wide. If the entrance and exit doors are separated, “Entrance” and “Exit” signs must be attached to them and must provide for easy handling of goods.
  • Premises (walls and floors) must be completed in terms of construction and built from impermeable, non-absorptive, washable, non-toxic and even surfaces of a proper height for activities to be conducted.
  • Premises (commercial and auxiliary) must be properly illuminated (by natural light through doors and windows and light fittings), aired and ventilated (through doors and windows and by air-conditioners) and heated in accordance with the types of goods. The room (from the finally treated floor to the finally treated ceiling) has to be at least 2.8 m high. Exceptionally, this height may be lower but a minimum of 2.2 m high, if it is in accordance with special regulations.
  • If commercial premises have more than one floor, then they have to be interconnected with a stairway of a minimum 1.10 m2 and a cargo elevator if heavy and large goods are sold there, while a room with a surface of 1200 m2 and more has to have an elevator for 4 and more persons or an escalator.
  • Commercial premises where a catering trade is conducted as well (except for soft drinks in slot-machines) must contain a room functionally separated for that business activity.
  • Surface of commercial premises may not be below 6m2, except for a kiosk (not intended for the preparation of food) at which may not be smaller than 3.5m2.
  • Commercial premises larger than 600m2 have to contain a power unit, while others have to contain devices for proper lighting in an emergency. These premises must contain sanitary units for women and men separately (each unit should have at least one toilet, and a unit for men should have a urinal as well, and a separate unit with a wash basin supplied with hot and cold water).
  • In predominantly self-service commercial premises, there has to be a sufficient number of baskets for carrying goods and of shopping carts.
  • Dressing cabins in commercial premises have to have proper lighting, a mirror, a clothes rack and a chair.
  • Instruments for measuring, weighing and testing goods must be properly adjusted, and retail traders must ensure that customers to see the process of measuring.
  • To monitor deliveries of goods and services, a payment device must be installed, or another type of records kept in accordance with special regulations.
  • Commercial premises for selling goods of animal origin have to have refrigerated display cabinets and freezers.
  • Commercial premises for selling roasted meat (in pieces or sliced), including various salads, have to contain an additional ventilation device.
  • For selling food that is not pre-packed, a washbasin supplied with hot and cold water is required. Hand washing facilities for persons who handle that type of food have to include taps that prevent contamination.
  • A parking area must be provided for commercial premises of 1200 m2 and more.
  • If a shop is situated within historic and cultural facilities, an exception to the minimum requirements may be allowed, provided that prior approval is granted in accordance with applicable regulations on the protection and preservation of cultural property.
 
Other requirements (depending on the retail type) -- applicable to both options
  • General sanitary and health requirements in line with food regulations that have to be fulfilled by commercial premises, equipment, installations and persons directly dealing with goods which may influence human health.
  • Conditions specified in special regulations in accordance with the type of goods, methods of trading, physical, chemical and other characteristics of goods.
  • Conditions of construction, hygiene, fire prevention, safety at work and environmental protection.  

Construction requirements -- applicable to both options 
Physical planning documents stipulate requirements for the construction and implementation of other interventions in premises on a certain level and/or location. In this respect, a physical planning act is issued (site permit or building permit). Among others, the intended use of the area is specified, as well as requirements for the development of activities and their physical planning.
 
A constructed or reconstructed building may be used, i.e. put in operation, and a decision on conducting an activity in the building may be issued after the use permit has been issued. Along with an application for issuing the use permit, the investor or the owner of the building must submit a copy of the building permit, i.e. a copy of the main design of the building to be constructed or works that may be carried out in accordance with the main design.
 
Every building, depending on its intended use, must be designed and constructed in a way that it fulfils basic building requirements during its life cycle, as well as other requirements, i.e. conditions (regulated under the Building Act and specific requirements). As an authorized person, a designer should ensure that every essential requirement is applied and fulfilled in the main design, and prove with technical solutions that all basic requirements for the building have been met (mechanical resistance and stability, fire safety, energy economy and heat retention, safety and accessibility in use, noise protection, hygiene, health and environmental protection, and sustainable use of natural resources).
 
Adaptation for carrying out an activity other than the activity specified in the building permit or in the use permit (e.g. catering activities, tourist activities or retail trading) may be conducted for an existing building intended for business use, in accordance with the main design, without issuing a new building permit. For the buildings, a use permit must be issued.
 
Competent authority and regulations 

Ministry of the Economy
Ulica grada Vukovara 78, 10000 Zagreb
+385 1 6106 304
trgovina@mingo.hr
 
Services Act (OG 80/11)
Retail Trade Act (OG 87/08, 116/08, 76/09, 114/11, 68/13, 30/14, 32/19, 98/19, 32/20, 33/23) regulates basic requirements for a retail trade, working hours, supervision, administrative measures and measures to prohibit unfair trading.
Unless otherwise specified in the Retail Trade Act, contractual relations for brokerage services in trading will be subject to provisions of the Civil Obligations Act (OG 35/05, 41/08, 125/11, 78/15, 29/18, 125/21, 114/22, 156/22, 155/23).
Ordinance on the minimum technical requirements and other conditions referring to commercial premises, equipment and installations in commercial premises and requirements for non-store retailing (OG 66/09, 108/09, 8/10 and 108/14) regulates minimum technical requirements for all types of commercial premises for wholesale and retail trade
Ordinance on classification of stores and other retail units (OG 39/09 and 46/15) regulates types of retail trade and defines stores in accordance with basic common features.
 
Authorization 

Decision on compliance with the minimum technical requirements and other conditions for conducting retail trade
 
Deadline: 30 days
 
Legal remedies 

An appeal against the decision of the first‑instance body may be filed with the Ministry of Economy, as the second‑instance body, in accordance with the instructions of the first‑instance authority in the contested decision and is to be submitted through the first‑instance body.