In May 2018, the European Commission published a proposal for a new multi-year financial framework for the budget period 2021-2027. A significant part of the funds of the mentioned budget period refers precisely to the funds that will be implemented in accordance with the Regulation on Establishing Common Provisions on the European Fund for Regional Development, The European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the financial rules for them and for the Asylum and Migration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Border and Visa Management (further in the text: Common Provisions Regulation).

In January 2020, after the mandate of the new leadership of the European Commission began and the European Green Deal was placed high on the priority list of the “new” Commission, the Common Provisions Regulation was amended, all in accordance with the introduction of a new source of funding called the Just Transition Fund. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic consequences, and in order to strengthen the Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2021-2027, a new amendment to the Common Provisions Regulation took place in May 2020.

In order to start the process of creating program documents for the new financial period 2021 - 2027, the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted at its session on 5th of November 2020 the Decision on Operational Programs related to Cohesion Policy for the financial period of the European Union 2021-2027 in the Republic of Croatia and bodies in charge of their preparation.