Terms of engagement

1. Parties and scope

These terms govern services provided by Contra Consulting, an obrt registered under Croatian law, with its seat in Beli Manastir, Croatia ("Contra"), to the client identified in the scope document ("the Client"). The full registered business name is set out in every scope document.

Services are provided to businesses. These terms are not intended for consumers.

2. What Contra provides — and what it does not

Contra provides business advisory, project coordination and administrative support services, as described in the scope document.

• Contra does not provide legal services within the meaning of the Croatian Legal Profession Act. It does not give legal advice and does not act as a legal representative.
• Contra does not provide bookkeeping, tax filing, audit or certified translation services.
• Where an engagement requires any of the above, Contra identifies and coordinates a suitably licensed independent professional. That professional is engaged separately and is responsible for their own work and advice.

Nothing on this website or in any Contra document should be read as advice on a specific matter. Advice is given only within an agreed engagement.

3. How an engagement is formed

No engagement arises from an enquiry, a first conversation or an exchange of correspondence. An engagement begins only when the Client approves a written scope document in which the objective, the work, the exclusions, the fee and the timeline are set out.

Work outside an approved scope is not performed and not billed. If the scope needs to change, a revised or supplementary scope is agreed in writing before the additional work starts.

4. The Client's obligations

• To provide accurate and complete information, and to correct it promptly if it changes
• To supply documents, approvals and decisions within the timeframes agreed, since delays here move the timeline
• To hold the authority necessary to instruct Contra on the matter
• To meet its own legal, tax and regulatory obligations, which remain the Client's responsibility throughout

5. Fees, expenses and payment

• Fees are agreed in the scope document, as a fixed fee, a monthly retainer or an hourly rate.
• Third-party costs — official and court fees, notarial charges, certified translation, and travel outside Osijek — are passed on at cost against documentation and estimated in advance where possible.
• Invoices are issued in euro and are payable within the period stated on the invoice.
• Late payment carries statutory default interest under Croatian law. Contra may suspend work on overdue accounts after giving written notice.
• Where the Client is established in another EU member state and provides a valid VAT identification number, VAT is accounted for under the reverse charge mechanism.

6. Confidentiality

Contra treats all information about the Client and its plans as confidential, including the existence of the engagement itself, and does not disclose it outside the engagement without the Client's consent, unless disclosure is required by law.

This obligation continues after the engagement ends. Contra does not name clients as references without written permission.

7. Conflicts of interest

Before accepting an engagement, Contra checks whether it can act impartially. If there is a conflict — including any matter connected to the principal's other professional obligations — the engagement is declined, and the Client is told that a conflict exists before any work or billing begins.

If a conflict arises during an engagement, Contra informs the Client without delay and withdraws from the affected part of the work.

8. Liability

• Contra performs its services with professional care. It does not guarantee any particular outcome, decision by an authority, or commercial result.
• Contra is not liable for the advice, acts or omissions of independent professionals engaged on the Client's matter, nor for decisions of authorities, courts or third parties.
• Contra's total liability arising out of an engagement is limited to the fees paid by the Client for that engagement, except where liability cannot be limited under Croatian law, including for intent and gross negligence.
• Contra is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including lost profit, lost opportunity or loss of goodwill.
• Any claim must be raised in writing within twelve months of the Client becoming aware of the circumstances giving rise to it.

9. Personal data

Personal data is processed as described in the privacy policy. Where Contra processes personal data on the Client's behalf, a separate written processing agreement is concluded as required by Article 28 of the GDPR.

10. Duration and termination

A fixed-scope engagement ends when the agreed work is delivered. A retainer engagement continues until terminated by either party on thirty days' written notice.

Either party may terminate immediately for material breach that is not remedied within fifteen days of written notice. On termination, work performed up to that point is invoiced, and the Client receives the documentation and a written summary of the position.

11. Governing law and jurisdiction

These terms and every engagement are governed by Croatian law. The parties will attempt to resolve any dispute by agreement; failing that, the courts of Osijek, Croatia have jurisdiction.

12. Language

These terms are published in Croatian and English. In the event of any discrepancy between the two versions, the Croatian version prevails.