The European Commission's 2026 Rule of Law Report on Croatia, published on 22 July 2026, concludes that the new Supreme Court President was appointed on 15 May 2026 after two prior unsuccessful attempts, and that some progress was made on justice efficiency and anti-corruption, while serious concerns remain on judicial independence and case length. The report notes that 27% of the general public and 28% of companies perceive judicial independence as 'fairly or very good' in 2026, indicating persistently low trust. The State Judicial Council received 52 requests to initiate criminal proceedings against judges and started 11 disciplinary proceedings, concluding with 2 dismissals.
The report highlights several legislative reforms. The Law on Courts was amended in January 2026 to reform the 'registrations judges' system, removing their power to suspend delivery of adopted judgments. The power to prescribe training for judges was transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the President of the Supreme Court. Amendments to the Law on Misdemeanours were submitted to Parliament on 29 June 2026 to introduce e-Communication in misdemeanour cases and mandatory audio recording from July 2027. The Government also submitted amendments on 29 June 2026 to simplify entry into the professions of judges and deputy state attorneys.
On justice efficiency, the total backlog decreased by nearly 3% compared to year-end 2024, including a 2% decrease in litigious civil and commercial cases. However, case length remains a serious concern. The Commission issued four specific recommendations: continue improving justice efficiency, develop a track record of effective corruption investigations and prosecutions, step up digitalisation for systematic verification of asset declarations, and broaden safeguards to protect journalists.
The report is part of the broader 2026 Rule of Law Report covering all EU member states, which accompanies the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. The findings will feed into the Council's annual rule of law dialogue among member states.