Communication
The aim of the protection of market competition is primarily to create benefits for consumers and equal conditions for all entrepreneurs on the market, who, acting in accordance with the existing rules and competing on the market with the quality, price and innovation of their products and services, contribute to the overall development of the economy.
The Town of Šibenik’s “Silver Benefits Card” Pilot Programme complies with competition rules
Following a request from the City of Šibenik, the Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) found in its opinion that the “Silver Benefits Card” Pilot Programme, aimed at improving access to goods and services for persons aged 65 and over, is based on voluntary participation, is open to all undertakings under equal and transparent conditions, and does not contain exclusive or discriminatory elements. The CCA therefore concluded that the Programme does not restrict competition and is not contrary to competition rules.
In its assessment of the compatibility of the “Silver Benefits Card” Pilot Programme of the Town of Šibenik with the Competition Act, the CCA found that the Programme, which aims to improve access to goods and services for persons aged 65 and over, is based on voluntary participation by undertakings. The CCA found that the City of Šibenik does not derive any financial benefit from the Programme, nor does it grant financial resources to participating undertakings.
The CCA established that the Call for Expressions of Interest was public and open to all undertakings under equal and transparent conditions, without discrimination. The Call does not contain exclusivity clauses, and participating undertakings remain free to enter or withdraw from the Programme at any time.
On this basis, the CCA concluded that the Pilot Programme and the related Call for Expressions of Interest do not restrict competition, as they do not involve preferential treatment, exclusion of competitors or other elements capable of distorting competition and are therefore not contrary to competition rules. The CCA also recalled that public authorities, when designing measures within their remit, must ensure compliance with competition principles, in particular transparency and equal market access.
The opinion was adopted exclusively from the perspective of competition law.