Retail trade

Retail trade

Services

First option – FREEDEOM 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 register a company in Croatia provided that you submit the following:

  • A statement
  • E-application for compliance of the retail premises with the minimum technical requirements
  • A proof that business premises meet the requirements in accordance with special regulations (on construction of buildings, food hygiene, environmental protection, urban planning, protection and preservation of cultural heritage, protection of life and human health and safety at work)
  • A proof on the right to use business premises (title deed or commercial 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 provided that you submit the following:

  • A statement to trgovina@mingor.hr
  • E-application for compliance of the retail premises with the minimum technical requirements
  • A proof that business premises meet the requirements in accordance with special regulations (on construction of buildings, food hygiene, environmental protection, urban planning, protection and preservation of cultural heritage, protection of life and human health and safety at work)
  • A proof on the right to use business premises (title deed or commercial lease agreement)

Minimum technical requirements

  • Exterior of commercial premises has to be completed in terms of construction activities.
  • The sign with a name and registered office has to be clearly placed on the exterior side of a building, and working hours have to be clearly indicated at the entrance into the premises.
  • The front area and the entrance have to be safe, undisturbed, regulated, illuminated, made of a material which is easy to clean and easy for maintenance. 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 minimum 0.70 m wide. If the entrance and exit doors are separated, “Entrance” and “Exit” signs have to be attached to them and have to provide for easy handling of goods.
  • Premises (walls and floors) have to be completed in terms of construction and built from impermeable, non-absorptive, washable, nontoxic and even surfaces of a proper height for activities to be conducted.
  • Premises (commercial and auxiliary) have to be properly illuminated (by a natural light through doors and windows and light fitting), aired and ventilated (through doors and windows and by air-conditioners) and heated in accordance with the types of goods. The room (from finally treated floor to a finally treated ceiling) has to be at least 2.8 m high. Exceptionally, this height may be lower but minimum 2.2 m high, provided that 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 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) have to 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 preparation of food) a 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 a proper lighting in an emergency. These premises have to contain sanitary units for women and men separately (each unit should have at least one toilet, and a unit for men should have urinal as well, and a separate unit with wash basin supplied with hot and cold water).
  • In predominantly self-service commercial premises there has to be sufficient number of baskets for carrying goods and of shopping carts.
  • Dressing cabins in commercial premises have to have a proper lighting, a mirror, clothes rack and a chair.
  • Instruments for measuring, weighing and testing goods have to be properly adjusted, and retail traders have to ensure customers to see the process of measuring.
  • In order to monitor deliveries of goods and services, a payment device has to 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 device for ventilation.
  • 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 has to 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 a prior approval is granted in accordance with applicable regulations on the protection and preservation of cultural property.

Other requirements (depending on the retail type)

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

Physical planning documents stipulate requirements for 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 other, intended use of the area is specified, as well as requirements for development of activities and their physical planning.

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 has to submit a copy of building permit, i.e. a copy of main design of the building to be constructed, or works that may be carried out in accordance with the main design.

Every building, depending of its intended use, has to 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 authorised 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 aforementioned buildings, a use permit has to be issued.

Fees

EUR 6.64 for commercial premises for non-store retailing (stands, markets, vending machines)

EUR 17.25 for commercial premises up to 200m2

EUR 37.16 HRK for commercial premises bigger than 200m2

Payments are made to the State budget via Internet banking, i.e. to the budget of a county in charge.

Application

e-service available to EU/EEA citizens

Competent authority and regulations

Ministry of the Economy and Sustainable Development

Ulica grada Vukovara 78, 10000 Zagreb

+385 1 6106 304

trgovina@mingor.hr

Retail Trade Act (NN 87/08, 116/08, 76/09, 114/11, 68/13, 30/14, 32/19, 98/19 and 32/20) 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 (NN 35/05, 41/08, 125/11, 78/15 and 29/18).

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 (NN 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 (NN 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

The decision may be appealed to the Ministry of the Economy and Sustainable Development at pisarnica@mingor.hr within 15 days of delivery of the decision.

Last updated on 12 December 2022

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