The ETF strategic response  in Croatia is guided by the key human capital development policy issues and strategies and by the donor assistance framework. We will continue the strategy of assisting the country in determining policy priorities, mobilising sector engagement, policy dialogue for consensus building, providing feedback and creating the necessary knowledge on the issues of education and training policy, as well as employment and social inclusion.

In line with overall priorities, the ETF support includes: policy advice, collection and analysis of information, promotion of sharing good practice with other countries in the Western Balkan region and with the EU Member States through peer learning activities, and enhancement of donor co-ordination to ensure synergy and complementary actions. With due regard to the Croatian context, the ETF will disseminate knowledge of and facilitate references to the EU policies in education and training, employment and social inclusion. Whenever appropriate, the ETF will aim at mainstreaming gender equality in its cooperation activities with Croatia.

ETF interventions in Croatia are framed by the restricted time horizon that remains until Croatia’s accession to the EU and the late start of preparations for planning and implementing the now IPA and then European Structural Funds. In line with the overall conditions for IPA implementation policy for candidate countries: to leave countries to develop their own institutional and programming structures, the major objective for ETF support until accession will be to provide complementary support to the implementation of the new VET law, as requested. Familiarisation and cooperation of key stakeholders in human capital development with Cedefop will continue before the accession transfer of ETF country intelligence.

After an extensive consultation process the Vocational Education and Training Act was adopted in February 2009 which newly defines vocational qualifications, VET curriculum with an emphasis on enterprise based practice, VET quality assurance, tasks of the Agency for VET, the multi-stakeholder VET Council, and Sector Councils. The Act significantly reinforces social partnership in VET and provides a legal base for developing the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF). It sets the time frame for developing new qualifications by 2012 and VET curricula by 2013.
The challenge now will be to put the new Act in practice and to get the ambitious CROQF development underway, gaining support by a critical mass of the many stakeholders, including employers. The starting IPA support through a number of parallel projects can be of great help in the process, if implemented effectively in a well coordinated manner.