Maritime Agent Property Claims in Croatian and European Law with Particular Reference to Indemnity Claims

Daje se pregled imovinskih prava pomorskih agenata u pravu RH i pravu EU. Rad polazi od teze kako je pomorski agent složen pojam koji se ne može poistovjetiti s pojmom zastupnika. Pomorski agent objedinjuje funkcije nekoliko vrsta nalogoprimaca. Takva pravna priroda pomorskog agenta determinira njegova imovinska prava. Potpuni uvid u imovinska prava pomorskog agenta moguć je analizom podredno primjenjivih propisa građanskog odnosno trgovačkog prava. Autor analizira domaće i europske propise, opće uvjete poslovanja udruženja pomorskih agenata, dokumente, praksu Suda EU te praksu američkih sudova. Rezultat takvog pristupa pokazuje da je lista imovinskih prava pomorskog agenta šira od liste imovinskih prava koje pomorski agent ima prema Pomorskom zakoniku. Rad istražuje je li i u kojoj mjeri Direktiva o samozaposlenim trgovačkim zastupnicima primjenjiva na pomorske agente. Daje se osvrt na institut posebne naknade i njegovu ulogu u pravu (pomorske) agencije. Rezultat razmatranja ukazuje kako Direktiva jest primjenjiva na pomorske agente, uključujući agente-posrednike. Autor zaključuje da je pomorski agent specifični subjekt pomorsko-pravnog prometa, koji objedinjuje zastupničku, posredničku i pomoćnu funkciju. Takav pravni položaj pomorskog agenta implicira kako on uživa imovinska prava uređena pomorskim, građanskim, trgovačkim pravom i ugovornim pravom EU.An overview of maritime agent property rights in Croatian and EU law is given. The paper puts forward the thesis that a maritime agent is a complex notion that cannot be identified with the notion of an ordinary agent. A maritime agent combines functions of several mandataries. Such legal nature determines his property rights. Full insight into a maritime agent’s property rights can be given only by analysing subsidiary applicable rules of civil or commercial law. The author analyses domestic and European regulations, general terms and conditions of maritime agency associations, documents, the case law of the European Court of Justice and the case law of American courts. The result of such approach has shown that the list of maritime agent property rights is broader than the list of property rights they enjoy according to the Maritime Code. The paper further explores whether and to which extent the Directive on self-employed commercial agents applies to maritime agents. References to the institute of indemnity and to its role in (maritime) agency law are given. The result of this research indicates to the fact that the Directive is applicable to maritime agents, including shipbrokers. The author concludes by stating that a maritime agent is a special kind of subject in maritime legal transactions that combines functions of agent, intermediary, and assistant. Such legal position of a maritime agent implies that he enjoys property rights regulated by maritime law, civil law, commercial law, and the EU contract law