Under the action plan, Croatia will work to improve its general control framework and data management, ensuring that catch data are comprehensively validated and cross-checked.  It will also modernise and update its fisheries website and set up an electronic system to exchange catch information with other Member States.

In May 2015, the Commission had asked the Croatian administration to look into irregularities affecting the compliance with certain rules of the EU's common fisheries policy. The inquiry was carried out by the Croatian authorities with the participation of Commission officials, and was shared with the Commission in September 2015. The action plan developed with the Croatian authorities aims to address the shortcomings identified, in line with the procedure set out in Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 on fisheries control.

Action plans are an effective way to enforce the Common Fisheries Policy in a spirit of cooperation and dialogue. With their clear timeframes, benchmarks and reporting deadlines, they allow the Commission to follow up on the implementation and the progress made, and have been shown to obtain good results.