{"id":1984,"date":"2026-10-14T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omniasolutions.hr\/eu-cohesion-funds-absorption-2021-2027-croatia\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T23:47:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T22:47:59","slug":"eu-cohesion-funds-absorption-2021-2027-croatia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omniasolutions.hr\/en\/eu-cohesion-funds-absorption-2021-2027-croatia\/","title":{"rendered":"EU funds absorption 2021\u20132027: Croatia ranks 17th in the EU, up from last place at the same stage of the previous period"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated on 29 October 2026 with the latest available data.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For 2021\u20132027 Croatia has an allocation of EUR 8.95 billion from EU cohesion policy funds and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. By 15 October 2026 the European Commission had paid EUR 2.63 billion, or 29.4%. That puts Croatia 17th of 27 member states, slightly above the EU average of 28.9%. At the same stage of 2014\u20132020 Croatia was last. Projects worth 90.7% of programme value have been selected, above the EU average of 77.9%, but beneficiaries have so far spent and declared only 26.9%. Expenditure is eligible until 31 December 2029, or until the end of 2030 for programmes that moved at least 10% of their funds to new priorities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This analysis uses European Commission data from the Cohesion Open Data Platform, downloaded on 29 October 2026. It shows how much money has actually been paid, how other member states compare, how many projects have been selected and how much has been spent, what changed with the mid-term review and which deadlines apply. It ends with what this means for businesses planning applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In brief<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Croatia\u2019s EU allocation is EUR 8.95 billion (EUR 8.71 billion without fisheries). With national co-financing, the cohesion programmes are worth EUR 10.14 billion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The European Commission has paid EUR 2.63 billion (29.4%), of which EUR 0.56 billion was pre-financing and EUR 2.07 billion interim payments (23.1%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Croatia ranks 17th of 27 on total payments and 13th on interim payments, the better measure of actual spending. Estonia (57.3%), Finland (48.4%) and Luxembourg (47.4%) lead; Spain (19.9%), Hungary (21.0%) and Italy (22.7%) are slowest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Croatia started late. In mid-2024 it had selected only 4.7% of programme value, against 22.7% in the EU. It overtook the EU average during 2025.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • In the mid-term review Croatia moved EUR 688 million to defence, STEP technologies, water and housing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • For businesses, most of the current programmes are already committed. New calls can be expected mainly under the new priorities and in open-ended calls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n