Hakom - Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency

The independent electronic communications, postal and rail services regulator, the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM), gathered representatives of operators, postal services providers, rail carriers, public authorities, academic community, industry and the media at a conference on the situation and development of the market it regulates.
  

ZAGREB, 21 January 2015 – The second HAKOM’s “Market Day” was held in Zagreb. It is a conference on regulation of electronic communications, postal and rail services markets. HAKOM, as the competent regulator for these markets, presented last year’s market indicators, and announced future direction of development and regulation. Representatives of HAKOM, the independent national regulator competent for the above-mentioned markets, reviewed the situation on the market, presented the main indicators from the previous year and announced the direction of development and regulation of the market.
 
It was highlighted at the conference that the regulator will focus on the maintenance and further improvement of a stimulating regulatory framework for investments into modernisation of access networks and introduction of new services, while at the same time protecting sustainable competition. HAKOM will continue with socially responsible market regulation and it will cooperate with other stakeholders on the development of the electronic communications, postal services and rail services market. It will primarily focus on increasing the number of broadband connections, the setting up of the regulatory framework for an easier and faster introduction of new technologies and multimedia services and raising the level of consumer protection, especially of children and other vulnerable groups. Activities on the postal services market will focus on the improvement of the quality of services. “By further consolidating the electronic communications, postal services and rail markets and through proactive international cooperation, we will ensure, together with other institutions of the Republic of Croatia, a stabile regulatory framework that is fully aligned with the EU legislation”, stressed the President of the Council of HAKOM, Dražen Lučić, in his presentation.
 
It is expected that an increasing number of new services, including the package shipping service, will appear on the fully liberalized postal services market, while the rail services market is expected to experience the increase in the transport of cargo and in the number of cargo carriers, together with improved quality of service.
 
A part of the conference was dedicated to the EU regulatory frameworks and upcoming changes. On that occasion, Deputy President of the Council, Domagoj Jurjević, stressed: “HAKOM will continue its active participation in the procedure aimed at amending the European Union regulatory framework at the international level and, in cooperation with stakeholders on the market of the Republic of Croatia, it will continue to represent interests of the Croatian market as part of the single EU market.”
 
HAKOM’s very successful Programme for the Development of the Internet and Broadband Access in the Areas of Special State Concern, Hilly and Mountainous areas and on Islands was also mentioned at the conference and some of the socially useful applications “Personal Therapist” or applications for fire fighters, which were financed from the Programme and developed by Croatian companies, were presented to the public for the first time. As a reminder, HAKOM’s aid programme covers the development of new infrastructure for broadband access (aid), development of socially useful applications and services and providing the necessary hardware. All target users, such as schools and healthcare institutions were connected to the new infrastructure for “high-speed” internet, and the development of socially useful applications and procurement of hardware is in progress, as well as the remaining two stages of the programme, the total value of which amounts to around a hundred million HRK.
 

ABOUT HAKOM: HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary competencies in market regulation.