HAKOM becomes the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries

ZAGREB, 19 June 2014 – The Act on Amendments to the Electronic Communications Act and the new Act on the Regulation of the Rail Services Market entered into force today creating a single national regulatory authority for the regulation of electronic communications, postal services and rail services markets – the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries. The national network regulator was created by merging the Rail Market Regulatory Agency (ARTZU) with the Croatian Post and Electronic Communications (HAKOM), and kept is abbreviated name HAKOM to preserve its recognisability.
 
In addition to rationalization, it is expected that the merger will have an envisaged synergic effect similar to the one that occurred as a result of liberalization of the postal services market. Although networks are different in the technical and technological sense, activities of electronic communications, postal and rail services are complementary in terms of legal and economic aspects of achieving sustainable competition. All of the above-mentioned services are based on networks built by a state-owned incumbent and many years of experience and knowledge in the liberalisation of the electronic communications and postal services market will assist in the liberalization of the rail services market, as a third economic sector under HAKOM’s regulatory scope and competence.

 

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.