At the beginning of the year, a new currency, the euro, is in force in Croatia. But apart from this change on the same day, another change occurred Croatia became part of the Schengen area and border crossings with EU member states were abolished.
But first things first. On 1 January 2023, the Republic of Croatia replaced the kuna with the euro and became the 20th member of the euro area. Now, the focus is still on the dual expression of prices and other monetary values and their recalculation. Prices of goods and services will be expressed in euro and kuna until 31 December 2023. In addition to the stated prices, the exchange rate must be clearly visible. This is a key consumer protection measure.
Dual expression is performed with the application of a fixed exchange rate of conversion and in accordance with the rules for conversion and rounding in accordance with the Act on the Introduction of the Euro as the Official Currency in the Republic of Croatia.
In a clear, legible, visible and easily visible way in euro and kuna using a fixed exchange rate of conversion 1 EURO = 7.53450 KUNA.
Any price increase associated with the euro transition is prohibited. Consumers can report a breach of this prohibition and an unjustified price increase to the competent authorities, which can impose a fine on violators. It’s part of consumer protection.
The second amendment in the Republic of Croatia is related to the border area Most picturesquely, At the beginning of the year Croatia became part of the Schengen area, thus abolishing border controls between 22 EU countries and four outside the EU – Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, for Croatian citizens, but also citizens of countries that are part of the Schengen area, means that on average 3.5 million people will travel from the north to the south of Europe every day without stopping and long-term waiting for border crossings.
Although most of the checkpoints at border crossings with Hungary and Slovenia will be physically removed, some of them are likely to remain and Croatia will not be able to reintroduce border controls if necessary.
However, the only control remains at more than 1,500km of the border with BiH, Serbia-Montenegro, which is now becoming the EU’s external border. Schengen member states travel without border control at land and sea crossings, and checks at airports remain until 26 March 2023, after which passengers are treated the same as those travelling by land and sea.
Although border control procedures are formally abolished, the police, and in particular mobile border police and mobile customs units, have the right to control in depth the territory of a Member State.
Controls at external border crossings with Serbia, BiH and Montenegro will be tighter, but there are already lanes for EU citizens. During the summer months, crowds are possible, and Croatia has undertaken the obligation to expand the existing border crossings. Eu citizens can stay in another Member State for up to three months.
In May 2023, the EU will introduce the ETIAS application, i.e., a system of electronic application, verification and authorization to enter the Schengen area for nationals of countries enjoying the benefits of a visa-free regime.
Third-country nationals who do not need an EU visa will receive a certificate within minutes if it does not require additional verification. At the first border of Schengen, i.e., the EU, in our case at the Croatian border, along with travel documents, the possession of this application or permit will be checked.