Challenges and potentials of the single transport services market in a time of crisis: EU and Croatia

  • EU membership has opened up new possibilities for Croatia, but also brought new challenges for the transport and insurance industries. Is the Croatian transport industry, considering the ongoing 8-year-long economic crisis, ready for fierce competition in the single transport services market? The EU itself is also facing many challenges, such as the implementation of common economic policy, the future of the Eurozone, the energy crisis and the creation of new energy policy and infrastructure, etc. However, another critical challenge issue relevant for connections both between EU member states and those with other countries is to find appropriate solutions in transport integration and traffic optimisation in economic, environmental and energy terms. The EU is not alone in this – globalisation and new pressures on competition are coming from outside, in particular from the USA and the Far East. Considering the said regional, European and global perspective, what is the position and what are the prospects of the Republic of Croatia in the area of transport? Can Croatia develop a new transport strategy which will capitalize on its extremely attractive position in the region, in the single market and beyond? What are the main challenges faced at this moment by different segments of the Croatian transport industry and how can they be overcome?

    These are some of the main issues that will be discussed by distinguished experts participating in this panel.