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Private Law Codification in The Republic of Croatia

An Example of Legal Reform in Post-Socialist Countries in South-East Europe

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Codification in International Perspective

Part of the book series: Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law ((GSCL,volume 1))

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Abstract

Before the Republic of Croatia gained its independence in 1991, Croatia had been one of the members of former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, which developed a socialist legal system. The socialist legal system features collective social ownership, planned economy and so on. Therefore, Croatia has yet started the codification in private law field before the breakup of Yugoslavia. Since an intensive legal reform has started in 1991, Croatia legal system has faced two different changes, which are the creation of a modern legal system based on market economy and harmonization with EU law. This paper also emphasizes the great impact given by Austrian law and discuss about it in different time respectively. In the end, this paper raises several concerns on the future development of Croatia private law as well.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Gavella, N. et al: Stvarno pravo, sv.I, Zagreb, 2007. p. 814; Vedriš-Klarić: Osnove imovinskog prava, Zagreb, 1983, p. 248–284.

  2. 2.

    For non possessory/registered security rights over movables see national reports (Formar Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnina and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro) and comparative analyses (published in english) in Civil Law Forum for South East Europe—Collection of studies and analyses First Rergional Conference Cavtat, Beograd, 2010, Vol. II, p. 11–142, 275–300, http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/gtz2010-en-civil-law-forum-vol-2.pdf.

  3. 3.

    The former SFRY did not have a civil code because there were no basic conditions in terms of the constitutional competence for the adoption of a civil code. At that time, it was not possible to introduce a civil code because of the complicated division of jurisdiction of individual private law segments between the Federation and the socialist republics. The jurisdiction changed with time and the republics progressively assumed jurisdiction for the regulation of individual private law segments (family law, succession law, condominium ownership and housing law, etc.) but not the entire civil law system.

  4. 4.

    Such an approach to re-codification is the result of a segmented organisation of private law from the socialist period (see note 3).

  5. 5.

    At present, only in the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia are there ongoing and long-term projects aimed at the development of civil codes.

  6. 6.

    For example, the impact of EU law on private law reform is not the same in all these countries and this is the result of their different status in the European integration. The Republic of Slovenia became a member of the EU in 2004. The Republic of Croatia become a member on 1 July 2013. Some countries have the status of candidate country, and some of potential candidate. For more details on the statuses of countries from the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the process of European integrations, see http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/index_en.htm.

  7. 7.

    .For more see Perović, J.: Contract Law in Serbia, p. 87–108; Trstenjak, V.: Private Law Reform in Slovenia—European Perspective, p. 123–148; Povlakić, M.: Property Law Reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina, p. 205–236, Nikolić, D.: Property Law Reform in Serbia: Both Autonomous Legal Development and Legal Transplant, p. 237–268, Vasiljevć, M.: The Serbian Law on Commercial Companies, p. 269–294 (all articles published in Private Law in Eastern Europe, ed. Jessel-Holst, Ch, Kulms, R, Trunk, A., Tübingen, 2010); Rijavec, V.: Die Grundzüge des Erbrechts in Slowenien, p. 95–122; Povlakić, M.: Grundzüge des Erbrechts in Bosninen und Herzegovina, p. 141–162; Salma.J.: Die Entwicklung des Erbrechts in Serbien, p. 163–188. (all articles published in Erbrechtsentwicklung in Zentral-und Osteurpa, Hrsg:Welser, Wien, 2009); Povlakić, M.: Die Schuldrechtsreform und der Konsumentenschutz in Bosnien und Herzegowina unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Umsetzung der Klauselrichtlinine, p. 137–166; Salma, J.: Verbraucherrecht in Serbine im Lichte gemeinschaftlicher Vorgaben, p. 167–196 (all articles published in Konsumentenschutz in Zentral-und Osteuropa, Hrsg: Welser, Wien, 2010); see national reports (Formar Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnina and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro): Security Rights in Movables, Security right in Immovables and comparative analyses (published in english), Civil Law Forum for South East Europe—Collection of studies and analyses First Rergional Conference Cavtat, Beograd, 2010, Vol. II, p. 11–142, 275–300, http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/gtz2010-en-civil-law-forum-vol-2.pdf; see national reports (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnina and Herzegovina, Serbia): Flexibilität der Grundpfandrechte in Europa, Red. Stöcker, O. M. Berlin, 2006, Band I, p. 33–86, 157–198, 371–403; Berlin, 2007, Band II, p. 131–190.

  8. 8.

    The Association Agreement between the Republic of Croatia on the one part and the European Communities and their Member States on the other (Official Gazette—International Agreements, 14/01). See the English version at < http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/medunarodni/328068.html >. See the English version of the Accession Treaty at http://www.mvep.hr/custompages/static/hrv/files/111201-Ugovor%20o%20pristupanjuENG.pdf.

  9. 9.

    Beside the ACC, other Austrian regulations also had a major influence on Croatian private law. The land register, civil proceedings, ex parte proceedings, the service of notaries public and a number of other services were also organised around the model of Austrian law.

  10. 10.

    For more see Gavella, N et al: Das ABGB in Kroatien, Österreichs Allegemeines Bürgerliches Gesetzbuches ABGB, Hrsg. Berger, E., Band III, Berlin 2010, p. 163–180.

  11. 11.

    The ACC provisions were applied on the basis of the Act on Invalidity of Regulations Adopted Prior to 6 April 1941 and During the Occupation (1946). In their decisions, the courts referred to this Act and only indirectly to a particular ACC provision.

  12. 12.

    Gavella, N et al: Das ABGB in Kroatien, p. 183–189.

  13. 13.

    For more details, see Josipović, T.: Anpassung des kroatischen Zivilrechts and europäische Standards, Welser (HRSG): Privatrechtsentwicklung in Zentral- und Osteuropa, Wien, 2008, pp. 141–159; Gavella, N., Borić, T.: Sachenrecht in Kroatien, Wien 2010, pp. 19–27; Borić, T.: Eigentum und Privatisierung in Kroatien und Ungarn, Wien, 1996; Borić, T., Petrović, S.: Gesellschaftsrecht und Wirtschaftsprivatrecht in Kroatien, Wien, 2000.

  14. 14.

    Cf. Zakon o preuzimanju Zakona o osnovnim vlasničkopravnim odnosima, OG 53/1991 (The Act on the Adoption of the Act on the Basic Ownership Relations), Zakon o preuzimanju Zakona o obveznim odnosima, OG 73/1991 (The Act on the Adoption of the Obligations Act), Zakon o preuzimanju Zakona o parničnom postupku, OG 53/1991 (The Act on the Adoption of the Civil Procedure Act), Zakon o preuzimanju Zakona o izvršnom postupku, OG 73/1991 (The Act on the Adoption of the Enforcement Act), Zakon o preuzimanju Zakona o rješavanju sukoba zakona s propisima drugih zemalja, OG 53/1991 (The Act on the Adoption of the Law on the Resolution of Conflict of Laws with the Regulations of Other Countries), et al.

  15. 15.

    About court practice see more Josipović, T.: 200 Jahre der ABGB-Anwendung in Kroatien—135 Jahre als Gesetz und 65 Jahre als “Rechtsregeln”, Festschrift 200 Jahre ABGB, Band II, Hrsg. Fischer-Czermak, C., Hopf, G,Kathrein, G.,Schauer, M, Wien 2011 p. 157–174.

  16. 16.

    Official Gazette 91/1996, 91/96, 68/98, 137/99, 22/00, 73/00, 129/00, 114/01, 79/06, 141/06, 146/08, 38/09, 153/09, 143/12

  17. 17.

    Official Gazette 35/05, 41/08. 125/11.

  18. 18.

    Cf., for example, Art 1163/1 of the Obligations Act (2005), Art. 388/2 of the Act on Ownership and Other Real Property Rights (1996).

  19. 19.

    See Arts 479–498 (donation), Arts 509–518 (loan for use), Arts 637–660 (partnership).

  20. 20.

    See more Gavella, N et al: Das ABGB in Kroatien, p. 192–195; Josipović, T.: Das ABGB in Kroatien -historische Geltung und Bedeutung für die kroatische Zivilgesetzgebung von Heute, 200 Jahre Allgemeines Bürgelisches Gesetzbuch (ABGB) und Europäische Vertragsrecht, 23. Europäische Notarentage 2011, Hrsg. Kodek, G.E, Wien, 2012, 65–70; Josipović, T.: Property Law Reform in Croatia Between Legal Transplants and ASutonomous Development, Private Law in Eastern Europe, ed. Jessel-Holst, Ch, Kulms, R, Trunk, A., Tübingen, 2010), p. 191–194.

  21. 21.

    For more on Croatian real property law, see Gavella, N., Borić, T.: Sachenrecht in Kroatien, Wien, 2000, pp. 19–115. In this publication, there is also a German translation of the EDRG (pp. 16–298).

  22. 22.

    See more Gavella, N et al: Das ABGB in Kroatien, p. 189–192

  23. 23.

    See Josipović, T.: Harmonisation of Croatian Real Property Law with EU Law, Private Law Reform in South-East Europe—Liber Amicorum Christa Jessel-Holst, Belgrade, 2010, pp. 280–305.

  24. 24.

    See supra under note 4.

  25. 25.

    Thus, for example, separate laws were passed on the transformation of socially owned enterprises, as well as regulations on the restitution of property and regulations on the transformation of social ownership. For further details on transformation and privatisation, see Borić/Petrović, Gesselschaftsrecht und Wirtschaftsprivatrecht in Kroatien, Wien, 2000. p. 199−214.

  26. 26.

    For more see Josipović, T.: Property Law Reform in Croatia Between Legal Transplants and ASutonomous Development, Private Law in Eastern Europe, ed. Jessel-Holst, Ch, Kulms, R, Trunk, A., Tübingen, 2010), p. 191–180-199.

  27. 27.

    For further details on succession law, see International Encyclopedia of Laws, Family and Succession Law (Suppl. 27– Croatia), The Hague 2005, pp. 40–44, 191–268; JOsipović, T.: Erbrecht in der Republik Kroatien, Erbrechtsentwicklung in Zentral-und Osterupa, Hrsg:Welser, Wien, 2009 p. 189–202.

  28. 28.

    Official Gazette 116/03.

  29. 29.

    For further details, see International Encyclopedia of Laws, Family and Succession Law (Suppl. 27– Croatia), pp. 132–145, 170, 172.

  30. 30.

    For more see Josipović, T.: Verbrauchesschutz in der Republik Kroatien, Konsumentenschutz in Zentral-und Osteuropa, Hrsg: Welser, Wien, 2010 p. 53–80; Josipović, T.: Europäisierung des Schuldrechts in Kroatien, Die Reform des Privatrechts in Mittel-und Osteuropa, Hrsg., Lazar, J. Trnava, 2009, p. 107–131.

  31. 31.

    The principle of the legal unity of real property for buildings built on socially owned plots was abandoned in the socialist era: the building was privately owned by the builder who had the right to use the socially owned plot. The principle of unity of real property was also abandoned in the regulation of freehold division (condominium ownership). The owner of a flat in a socially owned building had only the right to use the land. The owner of a flat in a privately owned building co-owned the land and jointly owned the common parts of the building.

  32. 32.

    The Act on the Transformation of Publicly Owned Enterprises, Official Gazette 19/91, 45/92, 83/92, 16/93, 94/93, 2/94, 9/95.

  33. 33.

    The Act on Compensation for Assets Seized During the Yugoslav Communist Rule (Official Gazette 92/96, 92/99, 80/02, 81/02.

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  1. School of Law, University of Zagreb, Trg marsala Tita 3, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Prof. Tatjana Josipović

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  1. College of Law, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Wen-Yeu Wang

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Josipović, T. (2014). Private Law Codification in The Republic of Croatia. In: Wang, WY. (eds) Codification in International Perspective. Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03455-3_7

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