Establishing of a company is defined by the Companies Act
which is constantly being harmonized with the EU standards. The Companies Act
envisages the possibility of founding of the following types of companies:
Besides the harmonization of the legislation with the EU
standards, in Croatia the process of the introduction of the information
technology into the judiciary to increase its efficiency and simplify the
process of founding of a company. Thus, the service HITRO.HR has been launched for a
swift communication of entrepreneurs and citizens with the state
administration, with which the administrative procedure of opening of a company
has been reduced. You can find all on one location:
- forms for the founding of a Public Limited Company,
- payment slip with set amounts to be paid upon the founding of a company,
- step by step procedure of founding of a company, and
- list of locations where you can open a company.
Limited Liability Company
The Limited Liability Company is a company in which one or more
legal or physical persons invest an equity with which they share the
predetermined original stock. The equities do not have to be equal. One of the
founders cannot, upon founding the company, take over more equities but he can
gain them later. The business shares cannot be expressed in securities. The
original stock of the Limited Liability Company must be expressed in the
national currency of the Republic of Croatia – Kuna (HRK). The lowest amount if the
original stock cannot be lower than HRK 20,000 (approx. EUR 2,700), provided that
at least HRK 10,000 (approx. EUR 1,350) must be paid before the company is
registered.
Workflow and Guidebook for establishing a Limited Liability Company is available for download.
Joint Stock Company
The Joint Stock Company is a capital company in which the
members (shareholders) take part with shares in the original stock divided
into shares. The Joint Stock Company can be founded by one person only, i.e.
the company can have only one shareholder. This type of company is a legal
person receiving that status with the registration into the register of
companies. The company is liable with all of its property. The shareholders are
not liable for the company. The value of the original stock and of the shares
must be denominated in the national currency of the Republic of Croatia. The
lowest amount of the original stock is HRK 200,000 (approx. EUR 27,000). The
company can issue denominated shares or non-denominated. The denominated value
of the share cannot be lower than HRK 10 (approx. EUR 1.35). The denominated
values of shares must be amounts multiples of HRK 10.
Public Limited Company
The Public Limited Company is a company in which two or more
persons join for the performance of the activity under a joint company, and each
member of the company is liable to the company’s creditors unlimitedly and with
solidarity with all the property. The same legal provisions applicable to
partnerships are applicable to the public limited companies.
Limited partnership
company
The Limited Partnership Company is a company into which two or
more persons join to perform the activity under the same company, of which at
least one is liable for the company unlimitedly and with solidarity with all of
his property (general partner), and at least one is liable for the company up to
the set amount invested into the company (limited partner).
Trade Association
The Trade Association is a legal person founded by two or more
physical or legal persons to facilitate and promote the economic activities of
their businesses, but in a way that the established legal person does not gain
profit. The Trade Associations are considered commercial companies founded to
serve their founders by carrying out certain tasks with greater efficiency
(marketing, selling, research, etc.). It is expected that some Trade Associations
could be used as professional associations of lawyers, engineers, physicians,
etc. The Trade Association is founded with the conclusion of a founding contract
in the form of a public notary document.