Guidelines and recommendations for more effective vertical coordination in integrated coastal zone management in Croatia

Commissioned by: The Institute of Economics, Zagreb / Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)
Project duration: 2008
Project manager: Marijana Sumpor, PhD


For the implementation of an efficient coastal zone management process, particular inter-institutional problems represent significant public management and development problems. In addition, insufficient vertical coordination is a major hindering factor for Croatia’ s decentralization policy in general. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) as a specific cross-sector approach depends significantly on cooperation and coordination in the implementation of sector policies. The authors presented general guidelines and recommendations for dealing with coordination problems across levels of government and public administration. A specific methodological approach for evaluating coordination problems in coastal zone management was introduced with special emphasis on the institutional and administrative setup of the Republic of Croatia. In this sense, this study represented a useful basis for understanding coordination problems in coastal management that can be transferred to other development related policy areas as well. Its applicability can also be recognized by other countries with similar institutional problems, administrative traditions and political heritage.