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 register a company in Croatia.

In the abovementioned case there is no procedure for recognition of professional qualifications (unless the procedure is required by means of an exception before starting with the provision of services for the first time).

However, an e-statement is sent to the Point of Single Contact or directly to the provided e-mail address to a competent authority.

More detailed information may be found in the Sectoral requirements.

Second option – FREEDOM OF ESTABLISHMENT

Provision of services on a permanent basis is also provided by means of an establishment in Croatia.

Considering that in this case the procedure for recognition of professional qualifications is obligatory, it is necessary to send signed, photographed or scanned documents to the provided e-mail address (without a stamp).

There are two systems for the recognition of professional qualifications:

1. Automatic system means that anywhere in Europe there is harmonised minimum content of education valid for seven professions: doctors of medicine, specialised doctors of medicine, nurses for general care, doctors of dental medicine, specialised doctors of dental medicine, midwives, pharmacists, veterinary surgeons, and architects.

2. General system means that a person has to demonstrate that he or she has the appropriate education and additional knowledge and skills, work experience and, in some cases, the language knowledge.

More detailed information may be found in the Sectoral requirements.

In the process of recognition there is difference between educational and professional qualifications:

1. Educational qualification means a formal title for a certain level of acquired knowledge, skills and competencies, which is proven by a foreign school certificate, diploma and other public document issued by a competent institution. Thus, the educational qualification is a qualification acquired upon completion of formal education, which is evidenced by a diploma, certificate or other public document issued by a competent educational institution.

If you hold only educational qualification acquired abroad (certificate or diploma), you need to contact the Agency for Science and Higher Education for recognition of higher education qualification; and for recognition of secondary education you need to contact the Agency for Vocational Education and Training.

2. Professional qualification, apart from educational qualification as a basic condition, implies a certain upgrade of knowledge and skills after formal education. It can refer to, for example, gaining certain work experience, passing a professional exam, obtaining an approval for independent work from the competent chamber after meeting all prescribed conditions, etc.

If you hold foreign professional qualifications and have a permit to carry out independent work, issued by a competent authority or foreign professional organisation, you follow the procedure for recognition of your qualifications at a competent authority depending on the specific sectoral requirements.

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EPC

The EPC card is an electronic procedure for the recognition of professional qualifications used for the following five professions: nurses for general care, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mountain guides and real estate agents. The EPC is not a physical card, but the information on the holder of the professional qualification is exchanged via Internal Market Information System (IMI) by the competent public administration bodies.

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EU certificate

The EU certificate is issued to Croatian legal and natural persons for the unhindered free provision of services in the internal market in EU/EEA and in Switzerland. When a person goes to work for the first time in another Member State, the competent authorities of the host state may request Croatia to provide an EU certificate. It confirms that the person is established in Croatia, that he or she performed certain business activities and that, at the moment of issuing the certificate, he or she does not have (even temporary) ban on practising the profession.

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If you obtained your professional qualification in Croatia, and you want to work in another European country, you may contact ENIC-NARIC network. Also, EUGO network of Points of Single Contacts provides information on requirements for business activities in EU/EEA.

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Competent authority and regulations

Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy

Ulica grada Vukovara 78, 10 000 Zagreb

kabinet@mrosp.hr

Agency for Science and Higher Education

National ENIC/NARIC office

Donje Svetice 38/5, 10000 Zagreb

+ 385 1 6274 888

enic@azvo.hr

Act on Regulated Professions and Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications (NN 123/15)

Ordinance on issuance of the EU Certificate (NN 123/15)

Ordinance on issuance of the European Professional Card (NN 123/15 and 90/19)

 

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Last updated on 6 December 2021