Croatia's Ministry of Finance sent an official letter to the Croatian Banking Association to support consistent application of the new rules on free payment accounts for regular income, stressing banks’ obligation to inform citizens clearly, accurately and without discrimination and to provide additional staff training, particularly for older and more vulnerable groups. The government also reported strong early uptake, with 27,507 accounts opened with the free services package by 13 January 2026. The Act on the Comparability of Fees, Switching of Payment Accounts and Access to a Basic Account entered into force on 1 January 2026, allowing citizens from the first working day of 2026 to request activation of an account for regular receipts such as wages, pensions, scholarships and unemployment benefits with a free services package. The package includes opening, maintaining and closing the account, cash deposits and withdrawals at a branch counter or ATM, incoming domestic and cross-border payment transactions in euros, issuance of a debit card, and card payment services at physical points of sale, plus one electronic service (internet or mobile banking) at the bank’s discretion; there were also 9,862 users of a basic account. The Ministry noted it had already issued a clarification on 5 January to address inaccurate and incomplete public information about the scope and use of the free package. The Ministry of Finance said it will continue to monitor implementation with the Croatian National Bank and take measures within its legal powers if it identifies irregularities or non-compliance.

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