On April 22, 2026, the Croatian competition authority, AZTN, attended a roundtable organized by the Economic Committee of the Croatian Parliament. The discussion focused on the agency's competencies, powers, and challenges in proving violations, particularly concerning prohibited agreements among competing businesses.

The chairwoman of AZTN, Dr. Mirta Kapural, and council member Hrvoje Šeremet highlighted the legal competencies of AZTN in accordance with the Competition Protection Act and EU law. They also addressed the gap between the agency's actual competencies and public perception of its role.

Special emphasis was placed on the procedures AZTN conducts, their phases, duration, and the legal powers and tools available to the agency, including data requests, mandatory interviews, unannounced inspections, and the imposition of fines. The complexity of these procedures requires extensive legal and economic analyses and collaboration with the European Commission and other competition authorities.

Participants pointed out the challenges in proving prohibited agreements, especially in public procurement, including the identification of covert forms of collusion among businesses. The importance of leniency programs and the possibility of settlements with businesses already under investigation by AZTN were also emphasized.

AZTN is continuously working to strengthen its capacities, facing key challenges related to securing sufficient human and financial resources, further professional development of staff, and keeping up with modern digital technologies, including the application of artificial intelligence and advanced analytical tools. The promotion of knowledge about the role and significance of competition law and AZTN's regulatory role is also crucial.

The importance of ongoing and institutionalized cooperation between AZTN and other relevant bodies, regulators, the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia, the academic community, as well as collaboration with the European Commission and competition authorities of EU member states, was highlighted. Relevant case law and challenges in proving prohibited agreements were also discussed through practical examples.

This roundtable was deemed a significant contribution to enhancing the understanding of the competition protection system and further bridging the role of AZTN with the legislative and professional public.