Mechanisms of vertical integration are described in the Environmental Protection Act (OG 80/13, 153/13, 78/15, 12/18, 118/18). The Act sets out responsibility for sustainable development on different political levels, including national government, counties, cities, and other relevant stakeholders. This responsibility is regulated through sustainable development and environmental protection documents, of which National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia (NSSD) is the highest level document that other such documents (Environmental Protection Plan, Environmental Protection Programme and Environmental Status Report) as well as all other development documents in Croatia have to be in accordance with.

It  is  also  planned  that  representatives  of  other  sustainable  development  stakeholders  will  participate  in  the  work  of  the  National  Council  for  Sustainable  Development  in  an  advisory  role,  namely  representatives  of  regional  self-government  units,  the  economic  sector,  interested  scientific  and  professional  public  and  civil  society  representatives.

EU linkages

The NSDS follows the principles of the Mediterranean Strategy on Sustainable Development (2005) and the renewed EU Strategy for Sustainable Development (2001).