Assessing Croatia’s policy performance within the European Union

Daniel Hinšt completed Advanced Master of European Studies and graduated in Political Science with specialization in public policy and public management, as well as international relations and diplomacy, at the University of Zagreb. His policy analysis and research is mostly focused on designing methodologically based policy solutions for institutional and market reforms, and on detecting disinformation and geopolitical risks against values of individual liberty and EU / NATO transatlantic institutions.

Summary

The purpose of this article is to provide examples of Croatia’s policy performance within the European Union. In an age of rising populist disinformation against EU institutions, it is important to present certain policy benefits of Croatia’s EU membership, especially concerning political and economic liberalisation. The article will therefore focus on the importance of developing a long-term institutional framework for liberal democracy and the coordinated public management of some structural reforms, despite many institutional and political barriers. The first part of the article describes the political barriers and circumstances which influenced the European integration process. As a follow-up, the second part provides an overview of Croatia’s fiscal consolidation, business environment and market reforms within the European Semester, subsequent to EU accession. It is important to note that assessing Croatia’s policy performance within the EU, including the economic benefits after EU accession, is possible only by understanding the political background, which has changed to meet EU policy criteria.

Keywords: Croatia, European Union, institutional framework, public management, structural reforms, European integration, European Semester

The article is available in printed form and originally published by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

READ ARTICLE