Croatia protects vulnerable from power disconnection
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Croatia’s Parliament voted to amend the Electricity Market Law, prohibiting the disconnection of electricity to vulnerable customers and those experiencing energy poverty.
Eighty-one lawmakers supported the changes, with two opposed and forty-one abstaining. The government stated the law strengthens customer protection by offering more contract options and better support for those at risk. Electricity suppliers must now establish risk management systems to limit the possibility of customers failing to meet their obligations.
They will also be required to warn customers about unusually high energy consumption, offer flexible payment plans, and provide guidance on debt management and available financial assistance. While disconnection remains possible for non-vulnerable customers, it can also be applied by the transmission system operator if customers don’t pay network usage fees. The amendments also require electricity suppliers to offer a variety of contracts, including those with fixed terms and prices, and to provide clear pre-contractual information.
The government gains the power to temporarily set prices for small and medium-sized businesses during energy crises. Parliament also passed a law establishing a digital product passport, recording data about a product’s composition, durability, and recyclability throughout its lifecycle, and a law improving accessibility of products and services for people with disabilities.
