Comparative analysis of Maritime and Transport Policies ot the EU and the Republic of Croatia

The aim of the study is the comparison of the maritime and transport policies of the EU and the Republic of Croatia, with reference to the usage of the seaborne and inland water traffic as well as the rail traffic as safer, more cost effective, resource efficient and acceptable branches of traffic. To enable fast, efficient and cost effective movement of goods is the central principle of the EU, aimed at dynamic economy and cohesive society. Owing to the elimination of state borders within the EU member states, the volume of over-the-border long distance trade and travelling has grown both in terms of goods and passengers, thus having caused an uneven usage of different traffic branches. With an increasingly growing environmental awareness, great importance has been attached to the usage of more acceptable traffic branches and to the relief in road and airborne traffic that had experienced significant development in the past decade. Rail, inland water and seaborne traffic branches have been leading as the most acceptable environment friendly and economical traffic branches. The EU traffic and maritime strategies being aimed at improving the rail and inland water traffic, the development of the traffic and maritime strategies of the Republic of Croatia should take the same direction as well. Using a comparative analysis of different traffic branches within the transport systems of the EU and the Republic of Croatia, the study aims at pointing to the advantages attaching to the rail and inland water traffic.