Act on the Croatian Red Cross was adopted by the Croatian Parliament on 12 October 2001 and was made public in the Official Gazette "Narodne novine" NN 92/01.

According to the Article 1 of the Act, the Croatian Red Cross “enjoys the special protection and care of the Republic of Croatia”. The Act defines the core aims, public duties, and tasks of the Croatian Red Cross.

The Croatian Red Cross:
- Alleviates human suffering, especially suffering caused by large-scale natural, ecological and other disasters that result in mass afflictions, epidemics, and armed conflicts;
- Contributes to: the promotion and protection of health, sickness prevention, improvement of civil health and ecological culture;
- Encourages and advances solidarity, mutual aid and social welfare of citizens.

The Croatian Red Cross shall implement these aims in full observance of rights and freedoms of all individuals, regardless of their race, skin color, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, education or social status. The Act defines, among other things, the emblem and flag of the Croatian Red Cross (Article 6), rights and duties of the Tracing Service (Article 8), public duties and other tasks and responsibilities (Articles 9,10, and 11), fund-raising (Articles 12,13, and 14), prerogatives (Article 20), and property (Article 26).