On the 2nd and 3rd December 2024, researchers from the Institute of Public Finance participated in the sixth International Conference on the Economics of Decoupling (ICED), co-organized by the Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The conference brought together scholars and practitioners from various disciplines who presented their research on economic growth and natural resources, energy markets, environmental economics, regulatory economics, waste management, water economics, the circular economy, the green economy, the digital economy, and related fields.

Emil Vargović, Sara Čulo, and Bojan Morić Milovanović presented their research on the regulation of the sharing economy, with particular emphasis on the diverse legal and social aspects influencing this global phenomenon. Their study examines business models of digital platforms such as Uber and Airbnb, exploring their socio-economic advantages and disadvantages, as well as the legal frameworks needed for their development. A special focus was placed on comparing regulatory approaches in EU countries, including Croatia, and on how to ensure fairness and sustainability in these business models.

Luka Draganić, Jasmina Mašović, and Zoran Bubaš presented their research on public-private partnerships (PPPs) in Croatia, analyzing existing PPP projects and their contractual models. Their research evaluates key factors such as financing, risk allocation, and long-term planning in PPP contracts. By comparing Croatian PPPs with best practices within the EU and globally, this research provides insights into the sustainability challenges of these projects in Croatia. It contributes to developing more efficient and sustainable PPP contractual models to enhance Croatia’s public infrastructures.