The Chamber Wants to Join the GSV

Our goal is for the Chamber to become a strong institution that brings together the entire Croatian economy and whose voice will be respected. The Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK) is a partner to the new Croatian Government, but also a corrective, and we want to be co-creators of economic policy just like other chambers in Europe,” said the president of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Luka Burilović, at yesterday’s meeting of association presidents at HGK, adding that ministries see the Chamber as a key point for the development of the economy and competitiveness.

The Chamber, Burilović believes, should also have a role in the Economic and Social Council to participate from the beginning in the creation of laws. „HGK could also take on certain public powers and agency tasks. For example, the registration of companies from commercial courts, which would be conducted in 20 cities, što would be faster and cheaper than it is now, and it would relieve the Commercial Court,“ said Burilović.

To give even greater significance to the Assembly of HGK, which includes the most distinguished representatives of the economy, it has been decided to increase the number of members of the Assembly from 77 to 95 in the new term, of which 17 or 18 will come from associations. Burilović called on the association presidents for two-way communication, emphasizing that their opinions are of exceptional importance, while they presented the problems of certain sectors they face as well as their satisfaction with the support provided by HGK.

The Vice President of HGK for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Ivan Škorić, proposed that associations be granted legal subjectivity so that they could take on a leading role in drawing funds from the EU, with the aim of attracting investments and increasing competitiveness.

„My proposal is to strengthen the role of the chamber as a law proposer. I believe that laws should come from the economy and that entrepreneurs should have the opportunity to influence the creation of economic policy from the very beginning,“ said the president of the Real Estate Business Association, Dubravko Ranilović.

The president of the Association of Machinery, Equipment, Motor Vehicles, Trailers, and Semi-Trailers, Vladimir Wagner, emphasized that the most important issue is the establishment of legal certainty, and he also advocates for the formation of a chamber legal team.

The president of the Hospitality Industry Association, Ivan Bogović, also believes that the problem is the inconsistency of laws and emphasized the necessity of creating synergy between the economy and state institutions for a stronger connection between green and blue Croatia.

As part of the greater internationalization of the Croatian economy, the Chamber plans to open an office in Shanghai in June, and it is also planned to open representations in Sarajevo and Belgrade as well as in Italy, Germany, and Austria. Additionally, offices will be opened independently or as part of consulates in Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Besides participating in and organizing economic forums, the Chamber is also working on projects such as CIRAZ – Center for Industrial Development, dual education to align education with labor market needs, the construction of a so-called Digital Chamber Platform that will consolidate all information and chamber services, as well as the Internationalization of the Croatian economy, which will help small and medium-sized enterprises step more easily into foreign markets, and Start-up Croatia aimed at financing start-up companies.