### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches . ### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding pathways of human disease and toxicity and improving diagnosis and understanding of biomarkers and modes of action ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods that are relevant to understanding human health and disease to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches .


### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches . ### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing and improving access to effective and specific screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; develop cures for neglected diseases ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care including care and treatment provided in multidisciplinary disease - specific expert centres ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches .


### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches . ### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions including psychosocial aspects ; better use of health data ; standardized data analysis techniques ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing health disparities and inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches . the activities shall take full advantage of the opportunities presented for a true interdisciplinary approach , combining knowledge from all six challenges and the other pillars to ensure sustainable solutions within the domain . active involvement from health care provides must be encouraged in order to secure rapid take - up and implementation of results .


### the specific objective is to secure sufficient supplies of safe and high quality food and other bio - based products , by developing productive and resource - efficient primary production systems , fostering related ecosystem services , along side competitive and low carbon supply chains . this will accelerate the transition to a sustainable european bio - economy . ### the specific objective is to secure sufficient supplies of safe and high quality food and other bio - based products , by developing productive and resource - efficient primary production systems which respect biodiversity , fostering related ecosystem services , along side competitive and low carbon supply chains . this will accelerate the transition to a sustainable european bio - economy .


### the specific objective is to secure sufficient supplies of safe and high quality food and other bio - based products , by developing productive and resource - efficient primary production systems , fostering related ecosystem services , along side competitive and low carbon supply chains . this will accelerate the transition to a sustainable european bio - economy . ### the specific objective is to secure sufficient supplies of safe and high quality healthy food and other bio - based products , by developing productive and resource - efficient primary production and food processing systems , fostering related ecosystem services , along side competitive and low carbon supply chains . this will accelerate the transition to a sustainable european bio - economy .


### over the coming decades , europe will be challenged by increased competition for limited and finite natural resources , by the effects of climate change , in particular on primary production systems and by the need to provide a sustainable , safe and secure food supply for the european and an increasing global population . a 70 % increase of the world food supply is estimated to be required to feed the 9 billion global population by 2050 . agriculture accounts for about 10 % of union greenhouse gases emissions , and while declining in europe , global emissions from agriculture are projected to increase up to 20 % by 2030 . furthermore , europe will need to ensure sufficient supplies of raw materials , energy and industrial products , under conditions of decreasing fossil carbon resources , while maintaining its competitiveness . bio - waste represents a huge problem and cost , despite its high potential added value . for example , an estimated 30 % of all food produced in developed countries is discarded . major changes are needed to reduce this amount by 50 % in the union by 2030 . in addition , national borders are irrelevant in the spread of animal and plant pests and diseases , including zoonotic diseases , and food borne pathogens . while effective national prevention measures are needed , action at union level is essential for ultimate control and the effective running of the single market . the challenge is complex , affects a broad range of interconnected sectors and requires a plurality of approaches . ### over the coming decades , europe will be challenged by increased competition for limited and finite natural resources , by the effects of climate change , in particular on primary production systems and by the need to provide a sustainable , safe and secure food supply for the european and an increasing global population . a 70 % increase of the world food supply is estimated to be required to feed the 9 billion global population by 2050 . agriculture accounts for about 10 % of union greenhouse gases emissions , and while declining in europe , global emissions from agriculture are projected to increase up to 20 % by 2030 . furthermore , europe will need to ensure sufficient supplies of raw materials , energy and industrial products , under conditions of decreasing fossil carbon resources , while maintaining its competitiveness . bio - waste represents a huge problem and cost , despite its high potential added value . for example , an estimated 30 % of all food produced in developed countries is discarded . major changes are needed to reduce this amount by 50 % in the union by 2030 . in addition , national borders are irrelevant in the spread of animal and plant pests and diseases , including zoonotic diseases , and food borne pathogens . while effective national land monitoring , territorial care and prevention measures are needed , action at union level is essential for ultimate control and the effective running of the single market . the challenge is complex , affects a broad range of interconnected sectors and requires a plurality of approaches .


### more and more biological resources are needed to satisfy market demand for a secure and healthy food supply , bio - materials , biofuels and bio - based products , ranging from consumer products to bulk chemicals . however the capacities of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems required for their production are limited , while there are competing claims for their utilisation , and often not optimally managed , as shown for example by a severe decline in soil carbon content and fertility . there is under - utilised scope for fostering ecosystem services from farmland , forests , marine and fresh waters by integrating agronomic and environmental goals into sustainable production . ### more and more biological resources are needed to satisfy market demand for a secure and healthy food supply , bio - materials , biofuels and bio - based products , ranging from consumer products to bulk chemicals . however the capacities of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems required for their production are limited , while there are competing claims for their utilisation , and often not optimally managed , as shown for example by a severe decline in soil carbon content and fertility . there is under - utilised scope for fostering ecosystem resilience and services from farmland , forests , marine and fresh waters by integrating agronomic and environmental goals into sustainable production .


### a fully functional european bio - economy – encompassing the sustainable production of renewable resources from land and aquatic environments and their conversion into food , bio - based products and bioenergy as well as the related public goods - will generate high european added value . managed in a sustainable manner , it can reduce the environmental footprint of primary production and the supply chain as a whole . it can increase their competitiveness and provide jobs and business opportunities for rural and coastal development . the food security , sustainable agriculture , and overall bio - economy – related challenges are of a european and global nature . actions at union level are essential to bring together clusters to achieve the necessary breadth and critical mass to complement efforts made by a single or groups of member states . a multi - actor approach will ensure the necessary cross - fertilising interactions between researcher , businesses , farmers / producers , advisors and end - users . the union level is also necessary to ensure coherence in addressing this challenge across sectors and with strong links to relevant union policies . coordination of research and innovation at union level will stimulate and help to accelerate the required changes across the union . ### a fully functional european bio - economy – encompassing the sustainable production of renewable resources from land and aquatic environments and their conversion into food , bio - based products and bioenergy as well as the related public goods - will generate high european added value . managed in a sustainable manner , it can reduce the environmental footprint of primary production and the supply chain as a whole . it can increase their competitiveness and provide jobs and business opportunities for rural and coastal development . the food security , sustainable agriculture , and overall bio - economy – related challenges are of a european and global nature . actions at union level are essential to bring together clusters to achieve the necessary breadth and critical mass to complement efforts made by a single or groups of member states . a transparent multi - actor approach will ensure the necessary cross - fertilising interactions between researcher , businesses , farmers / producers , advisors and end - users . the union level is also necessary to ensure coherence in addressing this challenge across sectors and with strong links to relevant union policies . coordination of research and innovation at union level will stimulate and help to accelerate the required changes across the union .


### research and innovation will interface with a wide spectrum of union policies and related targets , including the common agriculture policy and the european innovation partnership ‘ agricultural productivity and sustainability’ , the common fisheries policy , the integrated maritime policy , the european climate change programme , the water framework directive , the marine strategy framework directive , the forestry action plan , the soil thematic strategy , the union ' s 2020 biodiversity strategy , the strategic energy technology plan , the union ' s innovation and industrial policies , external and development aid policies , plant health strategies , animal health and welfare strategies and regulatory frameworks to protect the environment , health and safety , to promote resource efficiency and climate action , and to reduce waste . a better integration of research and innovation into related union policies will significantly improve their european added value , provide leverage effects , increase societal relevance and help to further develop sustainable land , seas and oceans management and bio - economy markets . ### research and innovation will interface with a wide spectrum of union policies and related targets , including the common agriculture policy and the european innovation partnership ‘ agricultural productivity and sustainability’ , the common fisheries policy , the integrated maritime policy , the european climate change programme , the water framework directive , the marine strategy framework directive , the waste framework directive , the forestry action plan , the soil thematic strategy , the union ' s 2020 biodiversity strategy , the strategic energy technology plan , the union ' s innovation and industrial policies , external and development aid policies , plant health strategies , animal health and welfare strategies and regulatory frameworks to protect the environment , health and safety , to promote resource efficiency and climate action , and to reduce waste . a better integration of research and innovation into related union policies will significantly improve their european added value , provide leverage effects , increase societal relevance and help to further develop sustainable land , seas and oceans management and bio - economy markets .


### the aim is to meet the requirements of citizens for safe , healthy and affordable food , and to make food and feed processing and distribution more sustainable and the food sector more competitive . the activities shall focus on healthy and safe foods for all , informed consumer choices , and competitive food processing methods that use less resources and produce less by - products , waste and green - house gases . ### the aim is to meet the requirements of citizens for safe , healthy and affordable food , and to make food and feed processing and distribution more sustainable and the food sector more competitive . the activities shall focus on healthy and safe foods for all , better food information to consumers , and competitive food processing methods that use less resources and produce less by - products , waste and green - house gases .


### the aim is to meet the requirements of citizens for safe , healthy and affordable food , and to make food and feed processing and distribution more sustainable and the food sector more competitive . the activities shall focus on healthy and safe foods for all , informed consumer choices , and competitive food processing methods that use less resources and produce less by - products , waste and green - house gases . ### the aim is to meet the requirements of citizens for safe , healthy and affordable food , and to make food and feed processing and distribution more sustainable and the food sector more competitive while preserving european biodiversity . the activities shall focus on healthy and safe foods for all , informed consumer choices , and competitive food processing methods that use less resources and produce less by - products , waste and green - house gases .


### the aim is to sustainably exploit aquatic living resources to maximise social and economic benefits / returns from europe ' s oceans and seas . the activities shall focus on an optimal contribution to secure food supplies by developing sustainable and environmentally friendly fisheries and competitive european aquaculture in the context of the global economy and on boosting marine innovation through biotechnology to fuel smart ‘ blue’ growth . ### the aim is to maintain sustainable consumption levels of aquatic living resources , while maximising social and economic benefits / returns from europe ' s oceans and seas . the activities shall focus on an optimal contribution to secure food supplies by developing sustainable and environmentally friendly fisheries and competitive european aquaculture in the context of the global economy and on boosting marine innovation through biotechnology to fuel smart ‘ blue’ growth .


### a single , smart european electricity grid ### a single , smart european electricity grid which enables renewable energy sources to be fully integrated into the energy mix


### the specific objective is to achieve a resource efficient and climate change resilient economy and a sustainable supply of raw materials , in order to meet the needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits of the planet ' s natural resources . activities will contribute to increasing european competitiveness and improving well being , whilst assuring environmental integrity and sustainability , keeping average global warming below 2 °c and enabling ecosystems and society to adapt to climate change . ### the specific objective is to achieve a resource efficient and climate change resilient economy and a sustainable supply of raw materials , in order to meet the needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits of the planet ' s natural resources . activities will contribute to increasing european competitiveness and improving well being , whilst assuring environmental integrity and sustainability , keeping average global warming below 2 °c , enabling ecosystems and society to adapt to climate change and protecting cultural heritage .


### the specific objective is to achieve a resource efficient and climate change resilient economy and a sustainable supply of raw materials , in order to meet the needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits of the planet ' s natural resources . activities will contribute to increasing european competitiveness and improving well being , whilst assuring environmental integrity and sustainability , keeping average global warming below 2 °c and enabling ecosystems and society to adapt to climate change . ### the specific objective is to achieve a resource efficient and climate change resilient economy and a sustainable supply of raw materials and water , in order to meet the needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits of the planet ' s natural resources . activities will contribute to increasing european competitiveness and improving well being , whilst assuring environmental integrity and sustainability , keeping average global warming below 2 °c and enabling ecosystems and society to adapt to climate change .


### the sustainable supply and resource efficient management of raw materials , including their exploration , extraction , processing , re - use , recycling and substitution , is essential for the functioning of modern societies and their economies . european sectors , such as construction , chemicals , automotive , aerospace , machinery and equipment , which provide a total added value of some eur 1 . 3 trillion and employment for approximately 30 million people , heavily depend on access to raw materials . however , the supply of raw materials to the union is coming under increasing pressure . furthermore , the union is highly dependent on imports of strategically important raw materials , which are being affected at an alarming rate by market distortions . moreover , the union still has valuable mineral deposits , whose exploration and extraction is limited by a lack of adequate technologies and hampered by increased global competition . given the importance of raw materials for european competitiveness , the economy and for their application in innovative products , the sustainable supply and resource efficient management of raw materials is a vital priority for the union . ### the sustainable supply and resource efficient management of raw materials , including their exploration , extraction , processing , re - use , recycling and substitution , is essential for the functioning of modern societies and their economies . european sectors , such as construction , chemicals , automotive , aerospace , machinery and equipment , which provide a total added value of some eur 1 . 3 trillion and employment for approximately 30 million people , heavily depend on access to raw materials . however , the supply of raw materials to the union is coming under increasing pressure especially considering poor waste cycle management . furthermore , the union is highly dependent on imports of strategically important raw materials , which are being affected at an alarming rate by market distortions . moreover , the union still has valuable mineral deposits , whose exploration and extraction is limited by a lack of adequate technologies and hampered by increased global competition . given the importance of raw materials for european competitiveness , the economy and for their application in innovative products , the sustainable supply and resource efficient management of raw materials is a vital priority for the union .


### the award of public contracts by or on behalf of member states authorities has to comply with the principles of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , and in particular the free movement of goods , freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services as well as the principles deriving therefrom , such as equal treatment , non - discrimination , mutual recognition , proportionality and transparency . however , for public contracts above a certain value , provisions should be drawn up coordinating national procurement procedures so as to ensure that these principles are given practical effect and public procurement is opened up to competition . ### the award of public contracts by or on behalf of member states authorities has to comply with the principles of the treaties of the european union , and in particular the free movement of goods , freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services as well as the principles deriving therefrom , such as equal treatment , non - discrimination , mutual recognition , proportionality and transparency and with the distribution of competencies as enshrined in article 14 tfeu and the protocol no 26 . the european regulation of public procurement should respect the wide discretion of public authorities in carrying out their public service tasks . however , for public contracts above a certain value , provisions should be drawn up coordinating national procurement procedures so as to ensure that these principles are given practical effect and public procurement is opened up to competition .


### public procurement plays a key role in the europe 2020 strategy as one of the market - based instruments to be used to achieve a smart , sustainable and inclusive growth while ensuring the most efficient use of public funds . for that purpose , the current public procurement rules adopted pursuant to directive 2004 / 17 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water , energy , transport and postal services sectors and directive 2004 / 18 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts , public supply contracts and public service contracts have to be revised and modernised in order to increase the efficiency of public spending , facilitating in particular the participation of small and medium - sized enterprises in public procurement and to enable procurers to make better use of public procurement in support of common societal goals . there is also a need to clarify basic notions and concepts to ensure better legal certainty and to incorporate certain aspects of related well - established case - law of the court of justice of the european union . ### public procurement plays a key role in the europe 2020 strategy as one of the market - based instruments to be used to achieve a smart , sustainable and inclusive growth while ensuring the most efficient use of public funds . for that purpose , the current public procurement rules adopted pursuant to directive 2004 / 17 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water , energy , transport and postal services sectors and directive 2004 / 18 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts , public supply contracts and public service contracts have to be revised and modernised in order to enable procurer to make better use of public procurement in support of sustainable development , innovation , social inclusion and other common societal goals , thereby increasing the efficiency of public spending , ensuring best value for money , facilitating in particular the participation of small and medium - sized enterprises in public procurement and to enable procurers to make better use of public procurement in support of common societal goals . there is also a need to simplify the directives and to clarify basic notions and concepts to ensure better legal certainty and to incorporate certain aspects of related well - established case - law of the court of justice of the european union . this directive provides legislation on how to buy . contracting authorities may set demands that are stricter or go further than current eu - legislation in order to reach the common objectives .


### public procurement plays a key role in the europe 2020 strategy as one of the market - based instruments to be used to achieve a smart , sustainable and inclusive growth while ensuring the most efficient use of public funds . for that purpose , the current public procurement rules adopted pursuant to directive 2004 / 17 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water , energy , transport and postal services sectors and directive 2004 / 18 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts , public supply contracts and public service contracts have to be revised and modernised in order to increase the efficiency of public spending , facilitating in particular the participation of small and medium - sized enterprises in public procurement and to enable procurers to make better use of public procurement in support of common societal goals . there is also a need to clarify basic notions and concepts to ensure better legal certainty and to incorporate certain aspects of related well - established case - law of the court of justice of the european union . ### public procurement plays a key role in the europe 2020 strategy as one of the market - based instruments to be used to achieve a smart , sustainable and inclusive growth while ensuring the most efficient use of public funds . for that purpose , the current public procurement rules adopted pursuant to directive 2004 / 17 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water , energy , transport and postal services sectors and directive 2004 / 18 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 31 march 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts , public supply contracts and public service contracts have to be revised and modernised in order to enable procurers to make better use of public procurement in support of sustainable development compliance with social and labour rights and other common societal goals and in order thereby to increase the efficiency of public spending , guaranteeing the best possible results in terms of cost effectiveness and facilitating in particular the participation of small and medium - sized enterprises in public procurement and to enable procurers to make better use of public procurement in support of common societal goals . there is also a need to simplify union rules on public procurement , in particular as regards the method used to achieve the sustainability objectives which should be part and parcel of public procurement policy and clarify basic notions and concepts to ensure better legal certainty and to incorporate certain aspects of related well - established case - law of the court of justice of the european union .


### under article 11 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the union policies and activities , in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development . this directive clarifies how the contracting authorities may contribute to the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development , whilst ensuring that they can obtain the best value for money for their contracts . ### under articles 9 , 10 and 11 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , environmental protection requirements and social considerations must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the union policies and activities , in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development . this directive clarifies how the contracting authorities may contribute to the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development and how they can use their discretionary power to select technical specifications and award criteria with the aim of achieving sustainable public procurement , whilst ensuring the link to the subject matter of the contract and obtaining the best value for money for their contracts .


### other categories of services continue by their very nature to have a limited cross - border dimension , namely what are known as services to the person , such as certain social , health and educational services . these services are provided within a particular context that varies widely amongst member states , due to different cultural traditions . a specific regime should therefore be established for public contracts for these services , with a higher threshold of eur 500 000 . services to the person with values below this threshold will typically not be of interest to providers from other member states , unless there are concrete indications to the contrary , such as union financing for trans - border projects . contracts for services to the person above this threshold should be subject to union - wide transparency . given the importance of the cultural context and the sensitivity of these services , member states should be given wide discretion to organise the choice of the service providers in the way they consider most appropriate . the rules of this directive take account of that imperative , imposing only observance of basic principles of transparency and equal treatment and making sure that contracting authorities are able to apply specific quality criteria for the choice of service providers , such as the criteria set out in the voluntary european quality framework for social services of the european union ' s social protection committee . member states and / or public authorities remain free to provide these services themselves or to organise social services in a way that does not entail the conclusion of public contracts , for example through the mere financing of such services or by granting licences or authorisations to all economic operators meeting the conditions established beforehand by the contracting authority , without any limits or quotas , provided such a system ensures sufficient advertising and complies with the principles of transparency and non - discrimination . ### other categories of services continue by their very nature to have a limited cross - border dimension , namely what are known as services to the person , such as certain social , health and educational services . these services are provided within a particular context that varies widely amongst member states , due to different cultural traditions . by their very nature they are in general difficult to reconcile with internal market rules applying to public procurement . therefore , public authorities should prefer other ways of providing these services and must ensure high quality for the social services provided if they decide nevertheless to apply public procurement procedures . for a better protection of the quality of these services in public contracts , a specific regime should be established , with a higher threshold of eur 500 000 . services to the person with values below this threshold will typically not be of interest to providers from other member states , unless there are concrete indications to the contrary , such as union financing for trans - border projects . contracts for services to the person above this threshold should be subject to union - wide transparency . given the importance of the cultural context and the sensitivity of these services , member states should be given wide discretion to organise the choice of the service providers in the way they consider most appropriate . the essential role and wide discretion of national , regional and local authorities in providing , commissioning and organizing services of general interest is also in line with protocol 26 on services of general interest , article 14 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union and article 36 of the charter of fundamental rights . the rules of this directive take account of that imperative , imposing only observance of basic principles of transparency and equal treatment and making sure that contracting authorities apply specific quality criteria for the choice of service providers , such as the criteria set out in the voluntary european quality framework for social services of the european union ' s social protection committee , ensuring a high level of quality , safety and affordability , equal treatment and the promotion of universal access and of user rights . this means that principles such as quality , continuity , accessibility , availability and comprehensiveness of services , as well as democratic control and accountability are particularly important . member states and / or public authorities remain free to provide these services themselves , including vertical ' in - house ' provision or horizontal inter - municipal cooperation , or to organise social services in any other way that does not entail the conclusion of public contracts , for example through the mere financing of such services or by granting licences or authorisations to all economic operators meeting the conditions established beforehand by the contracting authority , without any limits or quotas , provided such a system ensures sufficient advertising and complies with the principles of transparency and non - discrimination . according to case law of the court , in particular the judgement in case c - 70 / 95 , contracting authorities may be allowed to reserve contracts to non - profit organisation , if such a restriction is provided for by national law and compatible with european law , if it is necessary and proportionate to attain certain societal goals of the national welfare system .


### public contracts should not be awarded to economic operators that have participated in a criminal organisation or have been found guilty of corruption , fraud to the detriment of the union ' s financial interests or money laundering . non - payment of taxes or social security contributions should also be sanctioned by mandatory exclusion at the level of the union . furthermore , contracting authorities should be given the possibility to exclude candidates or tenderers for violations of environmental or social obligations , including rules on accessibility for disabled persons or other forms of grave professional misconduct , such as violations of competition rules or of intellectual property rights . ### public contracts should not be awarded to economic operators that have participated in a criminal organisation or have been found guilty of corruption , fraud to the detriment of the union ' s financial interests or money laundering . non - payment of taxes or social security contributions should also be sanctioned by mandatory exclusion at the level of the union . furthermore , contracting authorities should be given the possibility to exclude candidates or tenderers for violations of environmental , labour or social obligations , including rules on working conditions , collective agreements and accessibility for disabled persons or other forms of grave professional misconduct , such as violations of competition rules or of intellectual property rights .


### contracts should be awarded on the basis of objective criteria that ensure compliance with the principles of transparency , non - discrimination and equal treatment . these criteria should guarantee that tenders are assessed in conditions of effective competition , also where contracting authorities require high - quality works , supplies and services that are optimally suited to their needs , for instance where the chosen award criteria include factors linked to the production process . as a result , contracting authorities should be allowed to adopt as award criteria either ‘ the most economically advantageous tender’ or ‘ the lowest cost’ , taking into account that in the latter case they are free to set adequate quality standards by using technical specifications or contract performance conditions . ### contracts should be awarded on the basis of objective criteria that ensure compliance with the principles of transparency , non - discrimination and equal treatment . these criteria should guarantee that tenders are assessed in conditions of effective competition , also where contracting authorities require high - quality works , supplies and services that are optimally suited to their needs , for instance where the chosen award criteria include factors linked to the production process and other life cycle characteristics . accordingly , contracting authorities should adopt award criteria in order to assess the contracting authority ' s sustainability concerns . contracting authorities are also free to set adequate sustainability and quality standards by using technical specifications or contract performance conditions .


### where contracting authorities choose to award a contract to the most economically advantageous tender , they must determine the award criteria on the basis of which they will assess tenders in order to identify which one offers the best value for money . the determination of these criteria depends on the subject - matter of the contract since they must allow the level of performance offered by each tender to be assessed in the light of the subject - matter of the contract , as defined in the technical specifications , and the value for money of each tender to be measured . furthermore , the chosen award criteria should not confer an unrestricted freedom of choice on the contracting authority and they should ensure the possibility of effective competition and be accompanied by requirements that allow the information provided by the tenderers to be effectively verified . ### contracting authorities must determine the award criteria on the basis of which they will assess tenders in order to identify which one offers the best value for money , taking into account sustainability concerns . the determination of these criteria depends on the subject - matter of the contract since they must allow the level of performance offered by each tender to be assessed in the light of the subject - matter of the contract , as defined in the technical specifications , and the value for money of each tender to be measured . furthermore , the chosen award criteria should not confer an unrestricted freedom of choice on the contracting authority and they should ensure the possibility of effective competition and be accompanied by requirements that allow the information provided by the tenderers to be effectively verified .


### furthermore , in technical specifications and in award criteria , contracting authorities should be allowed to refer to a specific production process , a specific mode of provision of services , or a specific process for any other stage of the life cycle of a product or service , provided that they are linked to the subject - matter of the public contract . in order to better integrate social considerations in public procurement , procurers may also be allowed to include , in the award criterion of the most economically advantageous tender , characteristics related to the working conditions of the persons directly participating in the process of production or provision in question . those characteristics may only concern the protection of health of the staff involved in the production process or the favouring of social integration of disadvantaged persons or members of vulnerable groups amongst the persons assigned to performing the contract , including accessibility for persons with disabilities . any award criteria which include those characteristics should in any event remain limited to characteristics that have immediate consequences on staff members in their working environment . they should be applied in accordance with directive 96 / 71 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 16 december 1996 concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services and in a way that does not discriminate directly or indirectly against economic operators from other member states or from third countries parties to the agreement or to free trade agreements to which the union is party . for service contracts and for contracts involving the design of works , contracting authorities should also be allowed to use as an award criterion the organisation , qualification and experience of the staff assigned to performing the contract in question , as this may affect the quality of contract performance and , as a result , the economic value of the tender . ### furthermore , in technical specifications and in award criteria , contracting authorities should be allowed to refer to life cycle characteristics , such as a specific production process , including for example social and environmental aspects , a specific mode of provision of services , functional or performance requirements aimed at minimizing or maximising environmental or social impacts , or a specific process for any other stage of the life cycle of a product or service , provided that they are linked to the subject - matter of the public contract . the link to the subject matter rule should be interpreted broadly . accordingly , in order to better integrate social considerations in public procurement , procurers may also be allowed to include , in the technical specifications and award criteria , characteristics related to the working conditions of the persons directly participating in the process of production or provision in question . those characteristics may for example concern the protection of health of the staff involved in the production process , gender balance , access to on - site vocational training , users ' involvement and consultation , affordability , human rights , ethical trade or the favouring of social integration of disadvantaged persons or members of vulnerable groups amongst the persons assigned to performing the contract , including accessibility for persons with disabilities . any award criteria which include those characteristics should in any event remain limited to characteristics that have immediate consequences on staff members in their working environment . they should be applied in a way that does not discriminate directly or indirectly against economic operators from other member states or from third countries parties to the agreement or to free trade agreements to which the union is party . for service contracts and for contracts involving the design of works , contracting authorities should also be allowed to use as an technical specifications or award criteria the organisation , qualification and experience of the staff assigned to performing the contract in question , as this may affect the quality and sustainability of contract performance and , as a result , the economic value of the tender . contracting authorities may also integrate into technical specifications or award criteria social considerations relating to external social costs directly linked to the life - cycle , such as the impacts of production on the surrounding environment and adjacent communities . contracting authorities should lay down in the technical specifications obligations relating to social and employment conditions , health and safety at workplace , social security and working conditions as set out by eu and national laws , regulations or administrative provisions , arbitration award , collective agreement and contracts , and international labour law provisions listed in annex xi , that apply in the place where the work , service or supply is performed ; these obligations shall also apply in cross - border situations , where workers from one member state provide services in another member state .


### ‘ life cycle’ means all consecutive and / or interlinked stages , including production , transport , use and maintenance , throughout the existence of a product or a works or the provision of a service , from raw material acquisition or generation of resources to disposal , clearance and finalisation ; ### ‘ life cycle’ means all consecutive and / or interlinked stages , including production and location of production , transport , use and maintenance , throughout the existence of a product or a works or the provision of a service , from raw material acquisition or generation of resources to disposal , clearance and finalisation ;


### the requirements for the label only concern characteristics which are linked to the subject - matter of the contract and are appropriate to define characteristics of the works , supplies or services that are the subject - matter of the contract ; ### the requirements for the label only concern characteristics which are linked to the subject - matter of the contract or the production of the subject - matter of the contract and are appropriate to define characteristics of the works , supplies or services that are the subject - matter of the contract ;


### the labels are established in an open and transparent procedure in which all stakeholders , including government bodies , consumers , manufacturers , distributors and environmental organisations , may participate , ### the labels are established in an open and transparent procedure in which all stakeholders , including government bodies , consumers , manufacturers , trade unions , distributors and environmental and social organisations , may participate ,


### the criteria of the label are set by a third party which is independent from the economic operator applying for the label . ### the attribution and verification of the label are undertaken by a third party which is independent from the economic operator applying for the label .


### contracting authorities requiring a specific label shall accept all equivalent labels that fulfil the requirements of the label indicated by the contracting authorities . for products that do not bear the label , contracting authorities shall also accept a technical dossier of the manufacturer or other appropriate means of proof . ### contracting authorities requiring a specific label shall accept all equivalent labels that fulfil the requirements of the label indicated by the contracting authorities . for products that do not bear the label , contracting authorities may also accept a technical dossier of the manufacturer or other appropriate means of proof of equivalence . however in order not to discriminate those tenderers who invest time and money for certificates , the burden for providing equivalence with a specific label should be placed on the tenderer claiming equivalence .


### contracting authorities may decide not to award a contract to the tenderer submitting the best tender where they have established that the tender does not comply , at least in an equivalent manner , with obligations established by union legislation in the field of social and labour law or environmental law or of the international social and environmental law provisions listed in annex xi . ### contracting authorities may decide not to award a contract to the tenderer submitting the best tender where they have established that the tender does not comply with obligations established by union or national legislation in the field of social and labour law or environmental law or collective agreements which apply in the place where the work , service or supply is performed or by the international social and environmental law provisions listed in annex xi and provided they are linked to the subject matter of the contract .


### any candidate or tenderer that is in one of the situations referred to in paragraphs 1 , 2 and 3 may provide the contracting authority with evidence demonstrating its reliability despite the existence of the relevant ground for exclusion . ### if a candidate or tenderer that is in one of the situations referred to in paragraph1 , 2 and 3 provides the contracting authority with evidence demonstrating its reliability or , as appropriate , the reliance of its subcontractors , despite the existence of the relevant ground for exclusion the contracting authority may reconsider the exclusion of the tender .


### any candidate or tenderer that is in one of the situations referred to in paragraphs 1 , 2 and 3 may provide the contracting authority with evidence demonstrating its reliability despite the existence of the relevant ground for exclusion . ### any candidate , tenderer or subcontractor that is in one of the situations referred to in paragraphs 1 , 2 and 3 may provide the contracting authority with evidence demonstrating its reliability despite the existence of the relevant ground for exclusion .


### the most economically advantageous tender referred to in point of paragraph 1 from the point of view of the contracting authority shall be identified on the basis of criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question . those criteria shall include , in addition to the price or costs referred to in point of paragraph 1 , other criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question , such as : ### the most economically , socially and environmentally advantageous tender referred to in point of paragraph 1 from the point of view of the contracting authority shall be identified on the basis of criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question . those criteria shall include , in addition to the price or costs referred to in point of paragraph 1 , other criteria linked to the subject - matter or the production of the subject - matter of the public contract in question , such as :


### for service contracts and contracts involving the design of works , the organisation , qualification and experience of the staff assigned to performing the contract in question may be taken into consideration , with the consequence that , following the award of the contract , such staff may only be replaced with the consent of the contracting authority , which must verify that replacements ensure equivalent organisation and quality ; ### for service contracts and contracts involving the design of works , the organisation , qualification and experience of the staff assigned to performing the contract in question as well as the qualification and professional conduct of any subcontractor may be taken into consideration , with the consequence that , following the award of the contract , such staff may only be replaced with the consent of the contracting authority , which must verify that replacements ensure equivalent organisation , qualification and experience ;


### for service contracts and contracts involving the design of works , the organisation , qualification and experience of the staff assigned to performing the contract in question may be taken into consideration , with the consequence that , following the award of the contract , such staff may only be replaced with the consent of the contracting authority , which must verify that replacements ensure equivalent organisation and quality ; ### for service contracts and contracts involving the design of works , the organisation , qualification and experience of the staff assigned to performing the contract in question as well as the capacities , abilities and professional conduct of any subcontractor may be taken into consideration , with the consequence that , following the award of the contract , such staff may only be replaced and further subcontracting will only be permitted with the consent of the contracting authority , which must verify that replacements or further subcontracting ensure equivalent organisation and quality ;


### in the case referred to in point of paragraph 1 the contracting authority shall specify , in the contract notice , in the invitation to confirm interest , in the procurement documents or , in the case of a competitive dialogue , in the descriptive document , the relative weighting which it gives to each of the criteria chosen to determine the most economically advantageous tender . ### in the case referred to in point of paragraph 1 the contracting authority shall specify , in the contract notice , in the invitation to confirm interest , in the procurement documents or , in the case of a competitive dialogue , in the descriptive document , the relative weighting which it gives to each of the criteria chosen to determine the most economically , socially and environmentally advantageous tender .


### costs may be assessed , on the choice of the contracting authority , on the basis of the price only or using a cost - effectiveness approach , such as a life - cycle costing approach , under the conditions set out in article 67 . ### costs shall be assessed using a cost - effectiveness approach , such as a life - cycle costing approach , under the conditions set out in article 67 .


### the most economically advantageous tender referred to in point of paragraph 1 from the point of view of the contracting authority shall be identified on the basis of criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question . those criteria shall include , in addition to the price or costs referred to in point of paragraph 1 , other criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question , such as : ### the most economically advantageous and sustainable tender shall be identified on the basis of criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question . those criteria shall include , in addition to the price or costs , other criteria linked to the subject - matter of the public contract in question , such as :


### award criteria shall not confer an unrestricted freedom of choice on the contracting authority . they shall ensure the possibility of effective competition and shall be accompanied by requirements that allow the information provided by the tenderers to be effectively verified . contracting authorities shall verify effectively , on the basis of the information and proof provided by the tenderers , whether the tenders meet the award criteria . ### award criteria shall be linked to the subject matter , they shall ensure the possibility of effective and fair competition and shall be accompanied by requirements that allow the information provided by the tenderers to be effectively verified . contracting authorities shall verify effectively , on the basis of the information and proof provided by the tenderers , whether the tenders meet the award criteria .


### in the case referred to in point of paragraph 1 the contracting authority shall specify , in the contract notice , in the invitation to confirm interest , in the procurement documents or , in the case of a competitive dialogue , in the descriptive document , the relative weighting which it gives to each of the criteria chosen to determine the most economically advantageous tender . ### the contracting authority shall specify , in the contract notice , in the invitation to confirm interest , in the procurement documents or , in the case of a competitive dialogue , in the descriptive document , the relative weighting which it gives to each of the criteria chosen to determine the most economically advantageous and sustainable tender .


### external environmental costs directly linked to the life cycle , provided their monetary value can be determined and verified , which may include the cost of emissions of greenhouse gases and of other pollutant emissions and other climate change mitigation costs . ### external costs such as social and / or environmental costs , directly linked to the life cycle , provided their monetary value can be determined and verified , which may include the cost of emissions of greenhouse gases and of other pollutant emissions and other climate change mitigation costs .


### contracting authorities shall allow economic operators , including economic operators from third countries , to apply a different methodology for establishing the life - cycle costs of their offer , provided that they prove that this methodology complies with the requirements set out in points a , b and c and is equivalent to the methodology indicated by the contracting authority . ### contracting authorities shall allow economic operators , including economic operators from third countries , to apply a different methodology for establishing the life - cycle costs of their offer , provided that they prove that this methodology complies with the requirements set out in points a , b and c and is equivalent to the methodology indicated by the contracting authority . however in order not to discriminate those tenderers who invest time and money to comply with the methodology indicated by the contracting authority , contracting authorities may ask for a third party certified document as proof for the fulfilment of the equivalence .


### whenever a common methodology for the calculation of life - cycle costs is adopted as part of a legislative act of the union , including by delegated acts pursuant to sector specific legislation , it shall be applied where life - cycle costing is included in the award criteria referred to in article 66 . ### any common methodology for the calculation of life - cycle costs adopted as part of a legislative act of the union , pursuant to sector specific legislation , or as part of a european technical specification shall be deemed to meet the criteria as set out in paragraph 2 . and may be included in the award criteria referred to in article 66 .


### the explanations referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 may in particular relate to : ### the explanations referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall in particular relate to :


### in the procurement documents , the contracting authority may ask or may be required by a member state to ask the tenderer to indicate in its tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractors . ### in the procurement documents , the contracting authority shall ask or shall be required by a member state to ask the tenderer to indicate in its tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractors and to give information on their subcontractors including their names , contact details and legal representatives . any change in the subcontracting chain and any new subcontractor shall be indicated without delay to the contracting authority , including their names , contact details and legal representatives .


### member states shall ensure that contracting authorities may take into account the need to ensure quality , continuity , accessibility , availability and comprehensiveness of the services , the specific needs of different categories of users , the involvement and empowerment of users and innovation . member states may also provide that the choice of the service provider shall not be made solely on the basis of the price for the provision of the service . ### member states shall ensure that contracting authorities take into account the need to ensure high quality , continuity , accessibility , affordability , availability and comprehensiveness of the services , the specific needs of different categories of users , including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups , the involvement and empowerment of users and innovation . member states shall provide that the choice of the service provider shall not be made solely on the basis of the price for the provision of the service , but take into account quality and sustainability criteria for social services as set out above .


### the name of the successful tenderer and the reasons why its tender was selected and , where known , the share of the contract or framework agreement which the successful tenderer intends to subcontract to third parties ; ### the name of the successful tenderer and the reasons why its tender was selected and , where known , the share of the contract or framework agreement which the successful tenderer intends to subcontract to third parties and information on their subcontractors including their names , contact details and legal representatives ;


### member states shall ensure that interested economic operators have easy access to appropriate information on the obligations relating to taxes , environmental protection , and to social and labour law obligations , which are in force in the member state , in the region or locality where the works are to be carried out or the services are to be provided and which will be applicable to the works carried out on site or to the services provided during the performance of the contract . ### member states shall ensure that interested economic operators have easy access to appropriate information on the obligations relating to taxes , environmental protection , and to social and labour law obligations , which apply in the place where the works are to be carried out or the services are to be provided . member states shall ensure that contracting authorities state where the information can be found in the contract documents .


### under article 11 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the union policies and activities , in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development . this directive clarifies how the contracting authorities may contribute to the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development , whilst ensuring that they can obtain the best value for money for their contracts . ### under articles 9 , 10 and 11 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , environmental protection requirements and the concepts of the socially - sustainable production process must be integrated into the definition and implementation of the union policies and activities , in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development and ensuring , throughout the supply chain , compliance with rules on public health and safety , social standards and national and union labour laws . this directive clarifies how the contracting authorities contribute to the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development , and in regard to technical specifications and award criteria use the powers of discretion at their disposal to select the ones that are the most likely to achieve socially sustainable public procurement whilst ensuring contracts still obtain best value for money for their purpose .


### council decision 94 / 800 / ec of 22 december 1994 concerning the conclusion on behalf of the european community , as regards matters within its competence , of the agreements reached in the uruguay round multilateral negotiations approved in particular the world trade organisation agreement on government procurement , hereinafter referred to as the ‘ agreement’ . the aim of the agreement is to establish a multilateral framework of balanced rights and obligations relating to public contracts with a view to achieving the liberalisation and expansion of world trade . for contracts covered by the agreement , as well as by other relevant international agreements by which the union is bound , contracting authorities fulfil the obligations under these agreements by applying this directive to economic operators of third countries that are signatories to the agreements . ### council decision 94 / 800 / ec of 22 december 1994 concerning the conclusion on behalf of the european community , as regards matters within its competence , of the agreements reached in the uruguay round multilateral negotiations , approved in particular the world trade organisation agreement on government procurement , hereinafter referred to as the ' agreement ' . within this multilateral framework of balanced rights and obligations relating to public contracts , the member states should make every effort to ensure that eu enterprises and those of third countries receive equal treatment in the single market , in order to facilitate the integration of small and medium - sized enterprises and stimulate employment and innovation in the union . for contracts covered by the agreement , as well as by other relevant international agreements by which the union is bound , contracting authorities fulfil the obligations under these agreements by applying this directive to economic operators of third countries that are signatories to the agreements .


### ‘ life cycle’ means all consecutive and / or interlinked stages , including production , transport , use and maintenance , throughout the existence of a product or a works or the provision of a service , from raw material acquisition or generation of resources to disposal , clearance and finalisation . ### ‘ life cycle’ means all consecutive and / or interlinked stages , including production and the place of production , transport , use and maintenance , throughout the existence of a product or a works or the provision of a service , from raw material acquisition or generation of resources to disposal , clearance and finalisation .


### contracting authorities may decide not to award a contract to the tenderer submitting the best tender where they have established that the tender does not comply , at least in an equivalent manner , with obligations established by union legislation in the field of social and labour law or environmental law or of the international social and environmental law provisions listed in annex xi . ### contracting authorities shall not award a contract to the tenderer submitting the best tender where it is shown that the tender does not comply with obligations in the field of social and labour law or environmental law established by union or national legislation or collective agreements which apply in the place where the work , service or supply is performed , or by the international social and environmental law provisions listed in annex xi .


### where it is aware of any violation of obligations established by union legislation in the field of social and labour law or environmental law or of the international social and environmental law provisions listed in annex xi . compliance with union legislation or with international provisions also includes compliance in an equivalent manner . ### where it is aware of any violation of obligations established by union legislation in the field of social and labour law or environmental law established by union or national legislation and by collective agreements applicable to the place of work or service or of the international social and environmental law provisions listed in annex xi . compliance with union legislation or with international provisions also includes compliance in an equivalent manner .


### in the procurement documents , the contracting authority may ask or may be required by a member state to ask the tenderer to indicate in its tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractors . ### in the procurement documents , the tenderer is required to indicate to the contracting authority in its tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractors .


### financial contributions or grants from the general budget of the european union may not exceed 90% of the annual reimbursable expenditure of a european political party and 95% of the annual eligible costs indicated in the budget of a european political foundation . european political parties may use any unused part of the eu contribution awarded to cover reimbursable expenditure within the following two financial years after its award . amounts unused following those two financial years shall be recovered in accordance with the financial regulation . ### financial contributions or grants from the general budget of the european union may not exceed 95% of the annual reimbursable expenditure of a european political party and 95% of the annual eligible costs indicated in the budget of a european political foundation . european political parties and their affiliated european political foundations may carry over any unused part of the eu contribution or grant awarded in order to finance the forthcoming european elections . amounts unused by the year following those elections shall be recovered by the end of the following financial year and in accordance with the financial regulation .


### european political parties and european political foundations may accept donations from natural or legal persons of up to a value of eur 25 000 per year and per donor , without prejudice to paragraph 5 . ### european political parties and european political foundations may accept donations from natural or legal persons without prejudice to paragraph 5 .


### donations from the budgets of political groups in the european parliament , ### donations from the budgets of political groups in the european parliament , although contributions to the organisation of joint events shall not be considered as donations ,


### any natural or legal person donating to a european political party or european political foundation within or across borders shall benefit from the same tax treatment that is applicable to donations made to a political party or political foundation that has its seat in the member state where the donor is resident for tax purposes . ### any natural or legal person donating to a european political party or european political foundation within or across borders shall benefit from a tax - free treatment in the member state where the donor is resident for tax purposes .


### it is therefore appropriate to replace directive 96 / 82 / ec to ensure that that existing levels of protection are maintained and further improved , by making the provisions more effective and efficient , and where possible reducing unnecessary administrative burdens by streamlining or simplification without compromising safety . at the same time , the new provisions should be clear , coherent and easy to understand to help improve implementation and enforceability . ### it is therefore appropriate to replace directive 96 / 82 / ec to ensure that that existing levels of protection are maintained and further improved , by making the provisions more effective and efficient , and where possible reducing unnecessary administrative burdens by streamlining or simplification , provided that safety and environmental and public health protection are not compromised . at the same time , the new provisions should be clear , coherent and easy to understand to help improve implementation and enforceability .


### in order to provide greater protection for residential areas , areas of substantial public use and the environment , including areas of particular natural interest or sensitivity , it is necessary for land - use or other relevant policies applied in the member states to take account of the need , in the long term , to keep a suitable distance between such areas and establishments presenting such hazards and , where existing establishments are concerned , to take account of additional technical measures so that the risk to persons is not increased . sufficient information about the risks and technical advice on these risks should be taken into account when decisions are taken . where possible , to reduce administrative burdens , procedures should be integrated with those under other union legislation . ### in order to provide greater protection for residential areas , areas of substantial public use and the environment , including areas of particular natural interest or sensitivity , it is necessary for land - use or other relevant policies applied in the member states to take account of the need , in the long term , to keep a suitable distance between such areas and establishments presenting such hazards and , where existing establishments are concerned , to take account of additional technical measures so that the risk to persons or the environment is not increased . sufficient information about the risks and technical advice on these risks should be taken into account when decisions are taken . where possible , to reduce administrative burdens , procedures should be integrated with those under other union legislation .


### ‘ presence of dangerous substances’ means the actual or anticipated presence of dangerous substances in the establishment , or the presence of dangerous substances which it is believed may be generated during loss of control of an industrial chemical process , in quantities equal to or in excess of the thresholds set out in parts 1 and 2 of annex i . ### ‘ presence of dangerous substances’ means the actual or anticipated presence of dangerous substances in the establishment , or the presence of dangerous substances which it is believed may be generated during loss of control of an industrial chemical process , or during another severe incident within a storage facility or installation in quantities equal to or in excess of the thresholds set out in parts 1 and 2 of annex i .


### the mapp shall be sent to the competent authority within the following time - limits : ### the document defining the mapp shall be sent to the competent authority within the following time - limits :


### the operator shall periodically review and where necessary update the mapp , at least every five years . the updated mapp shall be sent to the competent authority without delay . ### the operator shall periodically review and where necessary update the mapp , at least every five years . the document defining the updated mapp shall be sent to the competent authority without delay .


### the operator shall periodically review and where necessary update the mapp , at least every five years . the updated mapp shall be sent to the competent authority without delay . ### the operator shall periodically review and where necessary update the mapp , at least every five years . the updated mapp shall be sent to the competent authority and made publicly available pursuant to article 13 , without delay .


### demonstrating that internal emergency plans have been drawn up and supplying information to enable the external emergency plan to be drawn up ; ### demonstrating that internal emergency plans have been drawn up in close consultation with workers , and supplying information to enable the external emergency plan to be drawn up ;


### member states shall ensure that , members of the public concerned are able to seek a review in accordance with article 6 of directive 2003 / 4 / ec of the acts or omissions of a competent authority in relation to any request for information pursuant to article 13 or article 21 of this directive . member states shall ensure that , in accordance with the relevant national legal system , members of the public concerned have access to a review procedure before a court of law or another independent and impartial body established by law to challenge the substantive or procedural legality of decisions , acts or omissions relating to cases subject to article 14 where : ### member states shall ensure that , members of the public concerned are able to seek a review in accordance with article 6 of directive 2003 / 4 / ec of the acts or omissions of a competent authority in relation to any request for information pursuant to this directive . member states shall ensure that , in accordance with the relevant national legal system , members of the public concerned have access to a review procedure before a court of law or another independent and impartial body established by law to challenge the substantive or procedural legality of decisions , acts or omissions relating to cases subject to the provisions of this directive where :


### without prejudice to article 4 , in order to adapt annexes i to vii to technical progress , the commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 24 . ### without prejudice to article 4 , in order to adapt part 3 of annexes i and annexes ii to vi to technical and scientific progress , the commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 24 and article 17 , paragraph 2 .


### having regard to the treaty on the functioning of the european union , and in particular article 53 , article 62 and article 114 thereof , ### having regard to the treaty on the functioning of the european union , and in particular article 14 , article 53 , article 62 and article 114 thereof , and protocol 26 thereto ,


### concessions are contracts for pecuniary interest concluded between one or more economic operators and one or more contracting authorities or entities and having as their object the acquisition of works or services where the consideration consists , normally , in the right to exploit the works or services that are the subject of the contract . the execution of these works or services are subject to specific binding obligations defined by the contracting authority or entity which are legally enforceable . by contrast , certain state acts such as authorisations or licences whereby the state or a public authority establishes the conditions for the exercise of an economic activity , should not qualify as concessions . the same applies to certain agreements having as their object the right of an economic operator to exploit certain public domains or resources , such as land lease contracts whereby the state or contracting authority or entity establishes only general conditions for their use without acquiring specific works or services . ### concessions may be contracts for pecuniary interest concluded between one or more economic operators and one or more contracting authorities or entities and having as their object the acquisition of works or services where the consideration consists , normally , in the right to exploit the works or services that are the subject of the contract . the execution of these works or services are subject to specific binding obligations defined by the contracting authority or entity which are legally enforceable . concessions may also concern the delegation of the management of services , particularly services of general economic interest , for a fixed period of time , for a specific activity and in a defined area . these are not therefore public ‘ purchases’ , ‘ acquisitions’ or ‘ public contracts’ . by contrast , certain state acts such as authorisations or licences whereby the state or a public authority establishes the conditions for the exercise of an economic activity , should not qualify as concessions . the same applies to certain agreements having as their object the right of an economic operator to exploit certain public domains or resources , such as land lease contracts whereby the state or contracting authority or entity establishes only general conditions for their use without acquiring specific works or services .


### the notion of special or exclusive rights is central to the definition of the scope of this directive , since entities which are neither contracting entities pursuant to article 4 nor public undertakings are subject to its provisions only to the extent that they exercise one of the activities covered on the basis of such rights . it is therefore appropriate to clarify that rights which have been granted by means of a procedure based on objective criteria , notably pursuant to union legislation , and for which adequate publicity has been ensured do not constitute special or exclusive rights for the purposes of this directive . this legislation should include directive 98 / 30 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 22 june 1998 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas directive 96 / 92 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 19 december 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity , directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 15 december 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of community postal services and the improvement of quality of service , directive 94 / 22 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 20 may 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection , exploration and production of hydrocarbons and regulation no 1370 / 2007of the european parliament and of the council of 23 october 2007 on public passenger transport services by rail and by road and repealing council regulations nos 1191 / 69 and 1107 / 70 . the increasingly diverse forms of public action made it necessary to define more clearly the notion of procurement itself . the union rules on concessions refer to the acquisition of works or services for a consideration consisting in exploitation of those works or services . the notion of acquisition should be understood broadly in the sense of obtaining the benefits of the works or services in question not requiring in all cases a transfer of ownership to contracting authorities or contracting entities . furthermore , the mere financing of an activity , which is frequently linked to the obligation to reimburse the amounts received where they are not used for the purposes intended , does not usually fall under this directive . ### the notion of special or exclusive rights is central to the definition of the scope of this directive , since entities which are neither contracting entities pursuant to article 4 nor public undertakings are subject to its provisions only to the extent that they exercise one of the activities covered on the basis of such rights . it is therefore appropriate to clarify that rights which have been granted by means of a procedure based on objective criteria , notably pursuant to union legislation , and for which adequate publicity has been ensured do not constitute special or exclusive rights for the purposes of this directive . this legislation should include directive 98 / 30 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 22 june 1998 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas , directive 96 / 92 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 19 december 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity , directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 15 december 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of community postal services and the improvement of quality of service , directive 94 / 22 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 20 may 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection , exploration and production of hydrocarbons and regulation no 1370 / 2007of the european parliament and of the council of 23 october 2007 on public passenger transport services by rail and by road and repealing council regulations nos 1191 / 69 and 1107 / 70 . the increasingly diverse forms of public action made it necessary to define more clearly the notion of procurement itself . the union rules on concessions refer to the acquisition of works or services or the delegation of management for a fixed period of time , for a specific activity and in a defined area , for a consideration consisting in the exploitation of those works and services at the concessionaire ' s risk .


### this directive does not apply to the concession award carried out by international organisations on their own behalf and for their own account . there is , however , a need to clarify to which extent it is appropriate to apply this directive to concession award governed by specific international rules . ### this directive does not apply to the concession award carried out by international organisations on their own behalf and for their own account . there is , however , a need to investigate to which extent it is appropriate to apply this directive to concession awards governed by specific international rules to allow greater legal certainty for economic operators . given that the internal market and international markets are increasingly closely interlinked , public procurement policy should be used as a means of promoting eu principles such as transparency , an uncompromising stance on corruption , the reciprocity rule and progress on social and human rights .


### in the light of the results of the evaluation conducted by the commission on the reform of public procurement rules it is appropriate to exclude from the full application of this directive only those services which have a limited cross - border dimension , namely the so - called services to the person such as certain social , health and educational services . these services are provided within a particular context that varies widely amongst member states , due to different cultural traditions . a specific regime should therefore be established for concession for these services which takes into account the fact that they are newly regulated . an obligation to publish a prior information notice and a concession award notice of any concession with a value equal to or greater than thresholds established in this directive is an adequate way to provide information on business opportunities to potential tenderers as well as on the number and type of contracts awarded to all interested parties . furthermore , member states should put in place appropriate measures with reference to the award of concession contracts for these services aimed at ensuring compliance with the principles of transparency and equal treatment of economic operators while allowing contracting authorities and contracting entities to take into account the specificities of the services in question . member states should ensure that contracting authorities and contracting entities may take into account the need to ensure quality , continuity , accessibility , availability and comprehensiveness of the services , the specific needs of different categories of users , the involvement and empowerment of users and innovation . ### a specific regime is established for concession for these services which takes into account the fact that they are newly regulated . an obligation to publish a prior information notice and a concession award notice of any concession with a value equal to or greater than thresholds established in this directive is an adequate way to provide information on business opportunities to potential tenderers as well as on the number and type of contracts awarded to all interested parties . furthermore , member states should put in place appropriate measures with reference to the award of concession contracts for these services aimed at ensuring compliance with the principles of transparency and equal treatment of economic operators while allowing contracting authorities and contracting entities to take into account the specificities of the services in question . member states should ensure that contracting authorities and contracting entities may take into account the need to ensure quality , continuity , accessibility , availability and comprehensiveness of the services , the specific needs of different categories of users , the involvement and empowerment of users and innovation .


### ' services concession ' means a contract for pecuniary interest concluded in writing between one or more economic operators and one or more contracting authorities or contracting entities and having as their object the provision of services other than those referred to in points 2 and 4 where the consideration for the services to be provided consists either solely in the right to exploit the services that are subject of the contract or in that right together with payment . ### ' services concession ' means a contract for pecuniary interest concluded in writing between one or more economic operators and one or more contracting authorities or contracting entities and having as their object the provision of services other than those referred to in points 2 and 4 where the consideration for the services to be provided consists either solely in the right to exploit the services that are subject of the contract or in that right together with payment , except in the case of simple approvals , in particular approvals on the use of a public good or a public domain .


### ' services concession ' means a contract for pecuniary interest concluded in writing between one or more economic operators and one or more contracting authorities or contracting entities and having as their object the provision of services other than those referred to in points 2 and 4 where the consideration for the services to be provided consists either solely in the right to exploit the services that are subject of the contract or in that right together with payment . ### a ' services concession ' means a contract for pecuniary interest concluded in writing by means of which one or more contracting authorities or contracting entities award the performance of services for which they are responsible to one or more economic operators , where the consideration for that award , constituting the mandating act , consists either solely in the right to perform the service that is the subject of the contract or in that right together with payment . the right to exploit the works or services shall imply the transfer to the concessionaire of the substantial economic risk in exploiting these works or services , defined as the risk of exposure to the vagaries of the market . the concessionaire shall be deemed to assume the substantial operating risk where , under normal conditions of exploitation , it is not guaranteed to recoup the investments made or the costs incurred in operating the works or the services which are the subject of the concession .


### this directive shall apply to the following concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 5 000 000 : ### this directive shall apply to the following concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 10&#160 ; 000&#160 ; 000 :


### services concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 2 500 000 but lower than eur 5 000 000 other than social services and other specific services shall be subject to the obligation to publish a concession award notice in accordance with articles 27 and 28 . ### services concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 5 000 000 but lower than eur 10 000 000 other than social services and other specific services shall be subject to the obligation to publish a concession award notice in accordance with articles 27 and 28 .


### this directive shall not apply to services concessions awarded by a contracting authority or by a contracting entity to an economic operator which is a contracting entity or an association of thereof , on the basis of an exclusive right that economic operator enjoys pursuant to applicable and published national law , regulation or administrative provision , and which has been granted in accordance with the treaty and union sectoral legislation concerning the management of networks infrastructure related to the activities set out in annex iii . ### this directive shall not apply to services concessions concerning the management of network infrastructure related to the activities set out in annex iii or to services concessions for an activity set out in annex iii which , when this directive enters into force , are the subject of a nationally regulated tariff for vulnerable groups of customers laid down in law or regulation where such concessions are awarded to an economic operator on the basis of an exclusive right that the latter enjoys pursuant to applicable and published national law , regulation or administrative provision , and which has been granted in accordance with the treaty and union sectoral legislation . by way of derogation from the first subparagraph , where sectoral legislation referred to in the first subparagraph does not provide for sector - specific transparency obligations , the requirements of article 27 and shall apply .


### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person ### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person , with the exception of legally enforced forms of private participation .


### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person ### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person , with the exception of forms of non - profit private participations inherent to the controlling awarding authority or to the controlled legal person present in some social enterprises responsible for the execution of a public service task created specifically to fulfil the general interest requirements , which are not industrial and commercial by nature and are governed by the laws in force in member states .


### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person . ### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person , except where this is a mandatory statutory requirement in the relevant member states .


### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person . ### there is no private participation in the controlled legal person , with the exception of the forms of private non - profit - making participation specific to the controlling contracting authority or to the controlled legal person that are to be found in certain social enterprises entrusted with carrying out a public service task that have been specifically established to meet public interest requirements other than those of an industrial or commercial nature and are governed by the applicable laws in the member states .