In a year marked by measured optimism and structural strain, Croatia’s business landscape stands at a defining intersection. The latest AmCham Croatia Business Climate Survey shows that while 58% of companies reported improved performance in 2025 and 72% plan expansion, momentum is softening. The signals of deceleration, stagnation in key segments and persistent structural constraints, demand our immediate attention.
For the third consecutive year, three challenges dominate the executive agenda: workforce availability, administrative complexity, and inflation. Notably, administrative procedures have climbed to second place. This reflects a shift where competitiveness is defined less by market access and more by the efficiency of the systems supporting it, a sentiment echoed across Europe regarding regulatory burdens.
The contributions in this issue highlight a defining paradox: Croatia is unlocking strategic opportunities while grappling with legacy bottlenecks.
•    Data Infrastructure: Zagreb is emerging as a natural hub for data centers along critical east–west corridors. However, converting this potential into growth depends on regulatory clarity regarding permitting and grid access.
•    Energy Ambition: Our strategic turn toward nuclear energy signals a commitment to decarbonization. Success here relies on the coherence of financial and public engagement frameworks.
•    Digital Transformation: As discussed in these pages, technology alone is not a panacea. Without shifts in organizational culture, digital tools risk accelerating inefficiencies rather than resolving them.
The fundamentals of doing business, tax certainty, workforce stability, and access to capital, remain paramount. Mechanisms like advance pricing agreements and dispute resolution frameworks are becoming strategic tools, not just compliance instruments, reflecting a shift toward more proactive governance. On the labor market side, rising wages and continued hiring intentions signal resilience, but also underline the intensity of competition for talent.
The common thread throughout this issue is the need to move from incremental adjustment to structural transformation. Whether in EU funding or payment systems, efficiency and clarity are no longer advantages, they are prerequisites.
This edition of News & Views captures a broader transition: from growth driven by external support toward growth defined by internal capacity and the ability to execute. While the outlook remains cautiously optimistic, sustaining our trajectory requires addressing long-standing challenges with the same urgency applied to short-term growth. The coming period will test the coherence of our entire ecosystem and the strength of the dialogue between business and policymakers.