Regional Competitiveness Index of Croatia 2010
The Regional Competitiveness Index of Croatia 2010 is a continuation of measurements of competitiveness of Croatian regions and counties that, after analysis of initial positions in 2007, allows for monitoring of competitive improvements and overviews of comparative situations in the country's regions and counties.
Today, Croatia has almost completed its negotiations with the European Union, and in that process it is important to create and quickly implement economic policies that will result in sustainable and competitive improvements on all levels – national, regional and local. The results of this research confirm that there we still lack sufficiently prompt changes, and therefore there is no visible progress recorded in the competitiveness of counties and regions. Differences in county and regional competitiveness that are the results of the quality of their business environment and business sectors are similar to those identified in 2007. Given that all regions and counties need to work together to improve national competitiveness in order to realize the right to a more even level of development and quality of life in all counties and regions, it is clear that this growth should be based on knowledge and innovations in the use of local advantages and resources, support to potential sources of growth and the elimination of obstacles to growth in each county/region. In this context, the message of this publication is clear: the key to Croatia's progress is in our hands, and in our capacity to change faster what is bad and create the new and the better to become more compatible and more competitive in European and global markets.
The value of regional competitiveness research in Croatia lies in the fact that it can be used as a tool to monitor the implementation of the overall strategy for regional development of Croatia, its upgrading and development of complementary policies and instruments focused on building of county and regional competitive capacities with a final positive impact on national competitiveness.
We therefore expect that the key stakeholders responsible for managing regional development will use the results of this research for development of policies and measures that will create the conditions for economic growth in coming years.
We hope that the wealth of information included in this document and the possibility of comparison with the previous publication will help the economic, professional, social and political communities in intensification of development and implementation of reforms at region and county levels.
