Opinion of the Croatian Competition Agency: Local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik regulates the provision of taxi services  
                     

The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) received several reasoned submissions from taxi service providers claiming that the local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik had adopted a decision introducing a new traffic regime and regulating the issuance of licenses for a limited number of taxi vehicles that can operate in the old town. Allegedly, the local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik had leased a number of taxi stands to a limited number of taxi service providers or taxi associations, and thereby supposedly restricted the provision of these services. Related to the matter concerned the CCA requested the explanation and the necessary documentation from the local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik. After reviewing the provided documentation and the rules in effect, in its opinion of 1 August 2024 the CCA made its recommendations concerning the leasing period for the reserved parking slots and any future public tenders related to the minimum number of vehicles required by bidders to bid for reserved parking locations. The local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik should list justifiable objective criteria, specifically the quantitative requirements regarding the minimum number of vehicles. This is to avoid any arbitrary decisions. The CCA emphasized that the requirements for the provision of taxi services should be comparable among different categories of taxi operators. Finally, the CCA noted that any further tendering procedure should ensure that the conditions are not discriminatory for any category of taxi operators. The administration of the Town of Dubrovnik must also ensure that any category of taxi operators has the right to provide taxi services in a way that enhances competition in the taxi service market within the Town of Dubrovnik, in line with the objectives of the traffic regime.

Croatian Competition Agency's Recommendations on Taxi Services Regulation in Dubrovnik

The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) received complaints from taxi service providers alleging that the local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik restricted the provision of taxi services by introducing a new traffic regime and issuing licenses for a limited number of taxi vehicles in the old town.

                        After reviewing documentation, the CCA recommended that the local administration list objective criteria, including minimum vehicle requirements, for leasing parking slots and conducting future tenders. The CCA stressed the importance of ensuring comparable requirements for all taxi operators to prevent arbitrary decisions and discrimination.

                        The CCA emphasized the need for any tendering procedures to promote competition in the taxi service market in Dubrovnik and ensure that all categories of taxi operators have equal opportunities to provide services in line with traffic regime objectives.



Croatian Competition Agency's Recommendations on Taxi Services Regulation in Dubrovnik

The Croatian Competition Agency issued recommendations regarding the regulation of taxi services by the local administration of the Town of Dubrovnik.