ZEK
Electronic Communications Act (Zakon o elektroničkim komunikacijama), Official Gazette 76/2022
Key Facts
Effective Date
January 1, 2022
Enacted
January 1, 2022
Enforcing Authority
AZOP (Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency); HAKOM for telecom aspects
Consent Model
Opt-in
Applies To
Any entity storing or accessing information on terminal equipment of users in Croatia
Overview
Croatia's Electronic Communications Act (ZEK) implements the ePrivacy Directive with specific cookie provisions requiring prior informed consent. AZOP has emerged as one of the more active enforcers among newer EU member states, imposing fines specifically for cookie banner violations.
What This Means for Your Website
- Prior informed consent is required before placing non-essential cookies on Croatian visitors
- Cookie banner purposes must be clearly described in understandable language
- Each processing purpose must be clearly distinguished from others
- No data processing may begin before the visitor provides proper consent
- AZOP has fined companies EUR 15,000-20,000 for cookie banner violations in 2024
Key Requirements
AZOP enforces cookie requirements while HAKOM handles telecom aspects. Penalties under ZEK can reach EUR 132,720, with GDPR fines also applicable. AZOP has specifically targeted cookie violations including unclear purpose descriptions and premature data processing before consent. Cookie banners must present purposes in a way that allows visitors to make informed decisions about each category.
How ConsentStack Handles This
ConsentStack presents Croatian visitors with a consent banner featuring clearly labeled, individually selectable purpose categories. All tracking is blocked until explicit consent is given, preventing the premature processing that AZOP has penalized.
Penalties
Up to EUR 132,720 under ZEK. GDPR penalties also apply (up to EUR 20 million / 4% global turnover)
Maximum Fine
€132,720 per violation
Key Requirements
- Prior informed consent before placing non-essential cookies
- Cookie banners must clearly indicate purposes in an understandable manner
- Purposes must be clearly distinguished from each other
- Data processing must not begin before proper consent is obtained
- Consent must meet GDPR standards
Notable Provisions
- AZOP actively fines for cookie violations (EUR 15,000-20,000 in 2024 cases)
- Cookie banners must clearly distinguish different processing purposes
- Two enforcement authorities (AZOP for data protection, HAKOM for telecom)
Other ePrivacy Directive Related Regulations
FDPAFrance
France has the most actively enforced cookie regime in Europe. CNIL issued 259 corrective decisions in 2025, with cookie-specific fines totaling EUR 486.8 million including EUR 325M against Google. A Refuse all button or Continue without accepting must appear on the first layer.TDDDGGermany
Germany implements the ePrivacy Directive through Section 25 of TDDDG (renamed from TTDSG in May 2024). A Consent Management Ordinance (EinwV) became effective April 2025, establishing a voluntary framework for recognized consent management services. Cookie banners must not obscure website content.SI 336/2011Ireland
Ireland implements the ePrivacy Directive through SI 336/2011. The DPC is the lead supervisory authority for major tech companies headquartered in Ireland including Meta, Google, Apple, and Microsoft. Uniquely, cookie consent is limited to 6 months and must then be refreshed.Dutch Telecom ActNetherlands
The Netherlands implements the ePrivacy Directive through Article 11.7a of the Telecommunications Act. The AP launched a major enforcement sweep in April 2025, warning 50 organizations for misleading cookie banners or placing tracking cookies without consent. Cookie walls are not permitted.LSSISpain
Spain implements the ePrivacy Directive through Article 22 of the LSSI. Cookie violations are classified as slight offenses with EUR 30,000 fines per URL, but multiple URLs multiply penalties. AEPD allows consent-exempt analytics under privacy-friendly configurations, similar to CNIL.Italian Privacy CodeItaly
Italy implements the ePrivacy Directive through Article 122 of the Privacy Code with detailed Garante cookie guidelines effective January 2022. Only technically necessary cookies may load by default. Scrolling is not valid consent, and closing a banner with "X" closes it without granting consent.Danish Cookie OrderDenmark
Denmark implements the ePrivacy Directive through the Cookie Order (Cookiebekendtgørelsen), administered by the Danish Business Authority. Cookie consent is a declared 2026 enforcement priority for Datatilsynet, which will examine whether Danish websites give users a genuine choice.Polish Telecommunications LawPoland
Poland implements the ePrivacy Directive through Articles 173-174 of the Telecommunications Law. While Article 173(2) technically permits consent via browser settings, PUODO recommends active consent. Since 2019, Article 174 requires cookie consent to meet full GDPR standards.Belgian E-Communications ActBelgium
Belgium enforces strict cookie consent with one of the EU's most active DPAs. Cookie walls are prohibited, and a Reject all button must appear on the first layer with equal prominence to Accept all. Dark patterns in cookie banners are actively enforced against.Norwegian E-Com ActNorway
Norway's January 2025 amendment to Ekomloven marked a major shift from tolerating passive consent to strict opt-in. Pre-ticked boxes and browser settings are now explicitly invalid. Accept and reject options must have equal prominence. Datatilsynet sanctioned 6 websites for tracking pixel violations.Portuguese ePrivacy LawPortugal
Portugal implements the ePrivacy Directive through Law 41/2004, with a distinctive tiered penalty structure distinguishing between large companies, SMEs, and natural persons. The CNPD issued 90 fines totaling EUR 559,950 in 2023, demonstrating active enforcement.LEKSweden
Sweden implements the ePrivacy Directive through Chapter 9 Section 28 of LEK. In April 2025, IMY issued a landmark reprimand against Aller Media for dark patterns in cookie banners. Less than 25% of Swedish users accept cookies, reflecting strong privacy awareness.Other Europe Regulations
GDPREuropean Union + EEA
The GDPR sets the global standard for data protection, requiring explicit opt-in consent before processing personal data of EU/EEA residents. For websites, non-essential cookies must be blocked until visitors actively consent. Pre-ticked boxes and implied consent are invalid.PECRUnited Kingdom
PECR is the UK's cookie-specific law, requiring consent before storing or accessing cookies. The DUAA 2025 significantly increased penalties from GBP 500,000 to GBP 17.5 million and introduced analytics exceptions on an opt-out basis. Only strictly necessary cookies are exempt.ePrivacy DirectiveEuropean Union + EEA
Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive is the primary EU legal basis requiring cookie consent. It mandates prior informed consent before storing or accessing any information on a user's device, with narrow exceptions only for transmission necessity and explicitly requested services.FDPAFrance
France has the most actively enforced cookie regime in Europe. CNIL issued 259 corrective decisions in 2025, with cookie-specific fines totaling EUR 486.8 million including EUR 325M against Google. A Refuse all button or Continue without accepting must appear on the first layer.UK GDPRUnited Kingdom
The UK GDPR is the retained EU GDPR post-Brexit, with consent standards identical to the EU version. The UK adequacy decision was renewed December 2025, valid until December 2031. Combined with PECR, it forms the legal framework for cookie consent in the UK.TDDDGGermany
Germany implements the ePrivacy Directive through Section 25 of TDDDG (renamed from TTDSG in May 2024). A Consent Management Ordinance (EinwV) became effective April 2025, establishing a voluntary framework for recognized consent management services. Cookie banners must not obscure website content.Frequently Asked Questions
Does Croatia actively enforce cookie consent?
Yes. AZOP imposed fines of EUR 15,000 and EUR 20,000 on companies for cookie banner violations in 2024, targeting unclear purposes and premature data processing.
What are the cookie penalties in Croatia?
Fines under ZEK can reach EUR 132,720. GDPR penalties of up to EUR 20 million or 4% of global turnover also apply.
What are Croatia's cookie banner requirements?
Cookie banners must clearly describe each processing purpose in understandable language, with purposes clearly distinguished from each other. ConsentStack handles this automatically.
Stay compliant with ZEK
ConsentStack helps you implement Opt-in consent for Croatia automatically.