Judgment of the Court (Seventh Chamber) of 12 June 2025 – OHB System v Commission
(Case C‑415/23 P)
( Appeal – Public supply contracts – Tendering procedure – Procurement of Galileo transition satellites – Competitive dialogue – Rejection of a tenderer’s bid – Award of the contract concerned to other tenderers )
1.      European Union public contracts – Tendering procedure – Obligation to comply with the principle of equal treatment of tenderers – Need to ensure equal opportunities and comply with the principle of transparency – Scope – Obligations on the contracting authority where there is a conflict of interests – Applicability in the context of recruitment by a tenderer, during competitive dialogue, of a director of a competing tenderer
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046, Art. 160(1))
(see paragraphs 68-73)
2.      European Union public contracts – Tendering procedure – Award of contracts – Exclusion of tenderers for grave professional misconduct – Obligation on the contracting authority to ascertain all the relevant circumstances having led to the submission of the tender – Standard of proof required to establish that the tenders submitted by related tenderers are not autonomous and independent
(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046, Art. 136(1))
(see paragraphs 74-77)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Sets aside the judgment of the General Court of the European Union of 26 April 2023, OHB System v Commission (T‑54/21, EU:T:2023:210);
2.
Refers the case back to the General Court of the European Union;
3.
Reserves the costs.