Regulations on the institutional framework

DIRECTIVE ON THE OFFICE FOR COOPERATION WITH NGOs 
The Office for Cooperation with NGOs was founded by the Directive on the Office for Cooperation with NGOs in 1998, for the purpose of performing professional tasks within the scope of work of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, referring to the creation of conditions for partnership relations and cross-sector cooperation with non-profit sector, mainly with the associations in the Republic of Croatia.
The Office has a wide scope of possible operations: from the cooperation on creating and suggesting new legal frameworks for the work of non-governmental, non-profit sector in the Republic of Croatia, monitoring the implementation of the adopted draft of the Program of cooperation between the Croatian Government and non-governmental, non-profit sector in Croatia and suggesting the improvement of this Program, to drafting programs, standards and recommendations for financing CSOs’ work from the national budget and other public sources, as well as from pre-accession and structural EU funds.
The Official Gazette, 34/2012
 

DECISION ON FOUNDATION OF THE COUNCIL FOR CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT  
The Council for Civil Society Development is an advisory body to the Government of the Republic of Croatia that acts on improving the cooperation between the Government and the civil society organizations in Croatia in the implementation of the National Strategy for Creating an Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development and the development of philanthropy, social capital and cross sector cooperation in the Republic of Croatia.
The tasks of the Council for Civil Society Development are the following:
  • participation in constant monitoring and analysis of public policies referring to or affecting civil society development in Croatia and cross sector cooperation;
  • participation in giving opinions to the Government on legislation drafts affecting the development of civil society in the Republic of Croatia, as well as the participation in the organization of an apt way to include and engage civil society organizations in discussions about regulations, strategies and programs affecting the development and functioning of civil society, as well as the cooperation with the public and private sector on the national and European level;
  • cooperation in planning priorities of the national programs for public funding of programs and projects of civil society organizations along with the analysis of annual reports of the ministries and offices of the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the CSO projects and programs financed;
  • participation in programming and setting priorities for the use of pre-accession programs and EU funds that are open for the Republic of Croatia, based on an efficient system of consultation with the civil society organizations;
  • implementing tasks which fulfil the basic scope of the existence of the Council and are stated in the main objectives of the National Strategy for Creating an Enabling Environment for the Development of Civil Society.
The Official Gazette, 140/2009
Decision on the amendments to the Decision:
The Official Gazette, 42/2012
  

RULES OF CONDUCT OF THE COUNCIL FOR CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT 
The Council for Civil Society Development, as an advisory body to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, regulates the criteria for the prominence of candidates for members and deputy members of the Council coming from the associations and other civil society organizations, their application and selection procedure, rights and obligations of the Council members, work of the Council (the preparation and convocation of a session, course of a session and a manner of decision-making) and administrative bodies of the Council, as well as other organizational and operational issues of the Council.
September, 2012 
 

LAW ON THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT  
The Foundation has been founded with the basic aim of promoting and developing the civil society in the Republic of Croatia. In order to fulfill its basic aim, the Foundation offers expert and financial support to programs which encourage the sustainability of the non-profit sector, cross-sector cooperation, civil initiatives, philanthropy, voluntary work, and which improve the democratic institutions of society and other programs which fulfill the basic aims of the Foundation.
The Official Gazette, 173/2003 
 

NATIONAL PROGRAM OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA FOR THE ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION/ PROGRAM OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA FOR TRANSPOSING AND IMPLEMENTING ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR 2012 
The National Program of the Republic of Croatia for the EU accession presents the central document of the Croatian Government in the field of European integrations from year to year. The first Croatian National Program for the EU accession was adopted by the Croatian Government for the year of 2003.
The draft of the National Program is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, in cooperation with all the competent state administration bodies, and it is adopted by the Croatian Government, while the Croatian Parliament accepts the Plan of reconciliation of the Croatian legislation with the EU acquis communautaire (Appendix A- NPPEU).
The National Program contains the most important topics on the way to access the European Union: 
  • meeting the political criteria,
  • economic adjustments,
  • capability of assuming the EU membership obligations
  • budget assignments for the implementation of the obligations deriving from the integration process.
Since the beginning of the negotiations on the full membership of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union, the National Program has also reflected all the results of the pre-accession negotiating process, and included all the activities and reform procedures which have been necessary in order to meet the criteria for opening the negotiation chapters in which they are determined, as well as to meet the criteria for the closure of chapters that were open in the previous period.
 

RULES OF CONDUCT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA  
The rules of conduct of the Croatian Government dictate the structure, operations and activities of the Croatian Government, especially the manner of convening and holding its sessions. Since the Government discusses and decides on the issues from its scope of work at these sessions, the Rules present the current level of possible public participation, including civil society organizations, in the decision-making process. What needs to be emphasized is that over the last few years, the representatives of state administration and civil society organizations have jointly participated in the preparation and drafting of several regulations that will enhance the work of CSOs.
The Official Gazette, 154/2011
Amendments and addendums: 
The Official Gazette, 121/2012
 
 
STANDING ORDERS OF THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT
These Standing Orders regulate the following:
  • the constitution of Parliament, the commencement of duties by Members of Parliament, the suspension and termination of the term of office of Members of Parliament;
  • the exercise of the rights and duties of Members of Parliament;
  • the rights and duties of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers of Parliament;
  • the rights and duties and operating procedures of the Presidency of Parliament;
  • the authority, composition and operating procedures of working bodies of Parliament;
  • relations between Parliament and the President of the Republic of Croatia;
  • relations between Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Croatia;
  • activities of Parliament in European affairs;
  • procedures to enact legislation and to debate individual issues within the jurisdiction of Parliament;
  • procedures for the election and appointment to, or dismissal and recall from, Parliament;
  • the procedural rules during sessions of Parliament;
  • the transparency of the work of Parliament;
  • the performance of expert, administrative, technical and other tasks necessary for Parliament and for the management of such tasks;
  • the work of Parliament during a state of war or in conditions of clear and present danger to the independence and unity of the Republic of Croatia and in the event of natural disasters.
The Official Gazette, 71/00, 129/00, 117/01, 6/02, 41/02, 91/03, 58/04, 39/08, 86/08 and 81/12
The correction of the Decision on amendments and addendums to the Rules:
The Official Gazette, 113/2012