In its position paper “Proposal for EU Funding of Broadband Infrastructure”, AmCham highlights the importance of continuing public co-financing for the deployment of Very High Capacity Networks (VHCN) beyond 2027, with a particular focus on rural, island and other areas where there is insufficient commercial interest in investment. Despite progress in the development of digital infrastructure, Croatia's rural coverage continues to lag behind the EU average, making it necessary to ensure continuity of investment and enable as many households as possible to access gigabit connectivity.

AmCham proposes five key areas for action:

Continuation of EU funding after 2027 – Include the deployment of VHCN networks in rural, island and other commercially unviable areas among Croatia's priorities for EU funding in the 2028–2034 programming period and ensure sufficient funding to connect the remaining households.

Project impact-based criteria – Base project selection on feasibility, sustainability, the required level of public support and the number of households gaining access to VHCN networks, without giving preferential treatment to any particular business model.

Implementation rules adapted to actual conditions on the ground – Enable proportionate and clearly documented solutions for objective exceptions identified during construction, such as non-existent, permanently unoccupied or technically unserviceable addresses.

Use of existing local infrastructure – Involve local self-government units more systematically in project preparation and encourage coordination of works and the use of existing infrastructure to reduce deployment costs and increase the number of households covered.

Efficient use of professional resources – Allow eligible and justified internal professional labor costs related to project implementation, subject to clear rules on cost recording, monitoring and verification.