Article 1 
For the purposes of this Directive: 1.public authorities shall mean the State, regional or local authorities, bodies governed by public law, or associations formed by one or more of such authorities or bodies governed by public law. A body is considered to be governed by public law where it: ENGMS 10-19theo4-6Thomas -is established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not being of a commercial or industrial nature, and -has legal personality, and -is financed for the most part by the State, or regional or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law, or is subject to management supervision by those bodies, or has an administrative, managerial or supervisory board more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law; 2.public undertaking shall mean any undertaking over which the public authorities may exercise directly or indirectly a dominant influence by virtue of their ownership of it, their financial participation therein, or the rules which govern it. A dominant influence on the part of the public authorities shall be presumed when these authorities, directly or indirectly, in relation to an undertaking: -hold the major of the undertaking's subscribed capital, or -control the majority of the votes attaching to shares issued by the undertaking, or -can appoint more than half of the members of the undertaking's administrative, managerial or supervisory body; 3.supply and works contracts shall mean contracts for pecuniary interest concluded in writing between one of the contracting entities referred to in Article 2 and a supplier or contractor and which have as their object: (a)in the case of supply contracts, the purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase, with or without options to buy, of products or of software services. These contracts may in addition cover siting and installation operations. Software services shall be covered by this definition where they are procured by a contracting entity exercising and activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d) and are for use in the operation of a public telecommunications network or are intended to be used in a public telecommunications service as such; (b)in the case of works contracts, either the execution, or both the execution and design or the realization, by whatever means, of building or civil engineering activities referred to in Annex XI. These contracts may, in addition, cover supplies and services necessary for their execution. Contracts which include the provision of services other than those referred to in (a) and (b) shall be regarded as supply contracts if the total value of supplies, including siting and installation operations necessary for the execution of the contract and of software services within the meaning of subparagraph (a), is greater than the value of the other services covered by the contract; 4.framework agreement shall mean an agreement between one of the contracting entities defined in Article 2 and one or more suppliers or contractors, the purpose of which is to establish the terms, in particular with regard to the prices and, where appropriate, the quantity envisaged, governing the contracts to be awarded during a given period; 5.tenderer shall mean a supplier or contractor who submits a tender and candidate shall mean a person who has sought an invitation to take part in a restricted or negotiated procedure; 6.open, restricted and negotiated procedures shall mean the award procedures applied by contracting entities whereby: (a)in the case of open procedures, all interested suppliers or contractors may submit tenders; (b)in the case of the restricted procedures, only candidates invited by the contracting entity may submit tenders; (c)in the case of negotiated procedures, the contracting entity consults suppliers or contractors of its choice and negotiates the terms of the contract with one or more of them; 7.technical specifications shall mean the technical requirements contained in particular in the tender documents, defining the characteristics of a set of works, material, product or supply, and enabling a piece of work, a material, a product or a supply to be objectively described in a manner such that it fulfils the use for which it is intended by the contracting entity. These technical prescriptions may include quality, performance, safety or dimensions, as well as requirements applicable to the material, product, or supply as regards quality assurance, terminology, symbols, testing and test methods, packaging, marking or labelling. In the case of works contracts, they may also include rules for the design and costing, the test, inspection and acceptance conditions for works and methods or techniques of construction and all other technical conditions which the contracting entity is in a position to prescribe under general or specific regulations, in relation to the finished works and to the materials or parts which they involve; 8.standard shall mean a technical specification approved by a recognized standardizing body for repeated and continuous application, compliance with which is in principle not compulsory; 9.European standard shall mean a standard approved by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) or by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) as a European Standard (EN) or Harmonization Document (HD), according to the common rules of those organizations, or by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) according to its own rules as a European Telecommunications Standard (ETS); 10.common technical specification shall mean a technical specification drawn up in accordance with a procedure recognized by the Member States which a view to uniform application in all Member States and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities; 11.European technical approval shall mean a favourable technical assessment of the fitness for use of a product for a particular purpose, based on fulfilment of the essential requirements for building works, by means of the inherent characteristics of the product and the defined conditions of application and use, as provided for in Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products(12). European technical approval shall be issued by an approval body designated for this purpose by the Member State; 12.European specification shall mean a common technical specification, a European technical approval or a national standard implementing a European standard; 13.public telecommunications network shall mean the public telecommunications infrastructure which enables to be conveyed between defined network termination points by wire, by microwave, by optical means or by other electromagnetic means. Network termination point shall mean all physical connections and their technical access specifications which form part of the public telecommunications network and are necessary for access to, and efficient communication through, that public network; 14.public telecommunications services shall mean telecommunications services the provision of which the Member States have specifically assigned notably to one or more telecommunications entities. Telecommunications services shall mean services the provision of which consists wholly or partly in the transmission and routing of signals on the public telecommunications network by means of telecommunications processes, with the exception of radio-broadcasting and television. Article 2 1. This Directive shall apply to contracting entities which: (a)are public authorities or public undertakings and exercise one of the activities referred to in paragraph 2; (b)or, when they are not public authorities or public undertakings, have as one of their activities any of those referred to in paragraph 2 or any combination thereof and operate on the basis of special or exclusive rights granted by a competent authority of a Member State. 2. Relevant activities for the purposes of this Directive shall be: (a)the provision or operation of fixed networks intended to provide a service to the public in connection with the production, transport or distribution of: (i)drinking water, or (ii)electricity, or (iii)gas or heat, or the supply of drinking water, electricity, gas or heat to such networks; (b)the exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of: (i)exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, or (ii)the provision of airport, maritime or inland port or other terminal facilities to carriers by air, sea or inland waterway; (c)the operation of networks providing a service to the public in the field of transport by railway, automated systems, tramway, trolley bus, bus or cable. As regards transport services, a network shall be considered to exist where the service is provided under operating conditions laid down by a competent authority of a Member State, such as conditions on the routes to be served, the capacity to be made available or the frequency of the service; (d)the provision or operation of public tele- communications networks or the provision of one or more public telecommunications services. 3. For the purpose of applying paragraph 1 (b), special or exclusive rights shall mean rights deriving from authorizations granted by a competent authority of the Member State concerned, by law, regulation or administrative action, having as their result the reservation for one or more entities of the exploitation of an activity defined in paragraph 2. A contracting entity shall be considered to enjoy special or exclusive rights in particular where: (a)for the purpose of constructing the networks or facilities referred to in paragraph 2, it may take advantage of a procedure for the expropriation or use of property or may place network equipment on, under or over the public highway; (b)in the case of paragraph 2 (a), the entity supplies with drinking water, electricity, gas or heat a network which is itself operated by an entity enjoying special or exclusive rights granted by a competent authority of the Member State concerned. 4. The provision of bus transport services to the public shall not be considered to be a relevant activity within the meaning of paragraph 2 (c) where other entities are free to provide those services, either in general or in a particular geographical area, under the same conditions as the contracting entities. 5. The supply of drinking water, electricity, gas or heat to networks which provide a service to the public by a contracting entity other than public authority shall not be considered as a relevant activity within the meaning of paragraph 2 (a) where: (a)in the case of drinking water or electricity: -the production of drinking water or electricity by the entity concerned takes place because its consumption is necessary for carrying out an activity other than that referred to in paragraph 2, and -supply to the public network depends only on the entity's own consumption and has not exceeded 30 % of the entity's total production of drinking water or energy, having regard to the average for the preceding three years, including the current year; (b)in the case of gas or heat: -the production of gas or heat by the entity concerned is the unavoidable consequence of carrying on an activity other than that referred to in paragraph 2, and -supply to the public network is aimed only at the economic exploitation of such production and amounts to not more than 20 % of the entity's turnover having regard to the average for the preceding three years, including the current year. 6. The contracting entities listed in Annexes I to X shall fulfil the criteria set out above. In order to ensure that the lists are as exhaustive as possible, Member States shall notify the Commission of amendments to their lists. The Commission shall revise Annexes I to X in accordance with the procedure in Article 32. Article 3 1. Member States may request the Commission to provide that exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for, or extracting, oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels shall not be considered to be an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (b) (i) and that entities shall not be considered as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2 (3) (b) by virtue of carrying on one or more of these activities, provided that all the following conditions are satisfied with respect to the relevant national provisions concerning such activities: (a)at the time when authorization to exploit such a geographical area is requested, other entities shall be free to seek authorization for that purpose under the same conditions as the contracting entities; (b)the technical and financial capacity of entities to engage in particular activities shall be established prior to any evaluation of the merits of competing applications for authorization; (c)authorization to engage in those activities shall be granted on the basis of objective criteria concerning the way in which it is intended to carry out the exploitation for extraction, which shall be established and published prior to the requests and applied in a non-discriminatory manner; (d)all conditions and requirements concerning the carrying out or termination of the activity, including provisions on operating obligations, royalties, and participation in the capital or revenue of the entities, shall be established and made available prior to the requests for authorization being made and then applied in a non-discriminatory manner; every change concerning these conditions and requirements shall be applied to all the entities concerned, or else amendments must be made in a non-discriminatory manner; however, operating obligations need not be established until immediately before the authorization is granted; and (e)contracting entities shall not be required by any law, regulation, administrative requirement, agreement or understanding to provide information on a contracting entity's intended or actual sources of procurement, except at the request of national authorities and exclusively with a view to the objectives mentioned in Article 36 of the Treaty. ENGMS 20-31theo7-9Thomas 2. Member States which apply the provisions of paragraph 1 shall ensure, through the conditions of the authorization or other appropriate measures, that any entity: (a)observes the principles of non-discrimination and competitive procurement in respect of the award of supplies and works contracts, in particular as regards the information that the entity makes available to undertakings concerning its procurement intentions; (b)communicates to the Commission, under conditions to be defined by the latter in accordance with Article 32, information relating to the award of contracts. 3. As regards individual concessions or authorizations granted before the date on which Member States apply this Directive in accordance with Article 37, paragraphs 1 (a), (b) and (c) shall not apply, provided that at that date other entities are free to seek authorization for the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, on a non-discriminatory basis and in the light of objective criteria. Paragraph 1 (d) shall not apply as regards conditions or requirements established, applied or amended before the date referred to above. 4. A Member State which wishes to apply paragraph 1 shall inform the Commission accordingly. In doing so, it shall inform the Commission of any law, regulation or administrative provision, agreement or understanding relating to compliance with the conditions referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2. The Commission shall take a decision in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32 (4) to (7). It shall publish its decision, giving its reasons, in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall forward to the Council each year a report on the implementation of this Article and review its application in the framework of the report provided for in Article 36. Article 4 1. When awarding supply or works contracts, the contracting entities shall apply procedures which are adapted to the provisions of this Directive. 2. Contracting entities shall ensure that there is no discrimination between different suppliers or contractors. 3. In the context of provision of technical specifications to interested suppliers and contractors, of qualification and selection of suppliers or contractors and of award of contracts, contracting entities may impose requirements with a view to protecting the confidential nature of information which they make available. 4. The provisions of this Directive shall not limit the right of suppliers or contractors to require a contracting entity, in conformity with national law, to respect the confidential nature of information which they make available. Article 5 1. Contracting entities may regard a framework agreement as a contract within the meaning of Article 1 (3) and award it in accordance with this Directive. 2. Where contracting entities have awarded a framework agreement in accordance with this Directive, they may avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i) when awarding contracts based on that agreement. 3. Where a framework agreement has not been awarded in accordance with this Directive, contracting entities may not avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i). 4. Contracting entities may not misuse framework agreements in order to hinder, limit or distort competition. Article 6 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which the contracting entities award for purposes other than the pursuit of their activities as described in Article 2 (2) or for the pursuit of such activities in a non-member country, in conditions not involving the physical use of a network or geographical area within the Community. 2. However, this Directive shall apply to contracts awarded on behalf of the entities which exercise an activity referred to in Article 2 (2) (a) (i) and which: (a)are connected with hydraulic engineering projects, irrigation or land drainage, provided that the volume of water intended for the supply of drinking water represents more than 20 % of the total volume of water made available by these projects or irrigation or drainage installations; or (b)are connected with the disposal or treatment of sewage. 3. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any activities they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 7 1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 2 
1. This Directive shall apply to contracting entities which: (a)are public authorities or public undertakings and exercise one of the activities referred to in paragraph 2; (b)or, when they are not public authorities or public undertakings, have as one of their activities any of those referred to in paragraph 2 or any combination thereof and operate on the basis of special or exclusive rights granted by a competent authority of a Member State. 2. Relevant activities for the purposes of this Directive shall be: (a)the provision or operation of fixed networks intended to provide a service to the public in connection with the production, transport or distribution of: (i)drinking water, or (ii)electricity, or (iii)gas or heat, or the supply of drinking water, electricity, gas or heat to such networks; (b)the exploitation of a geographical area for the purpose of: (i)exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, or (ii)the provision of airport, maritime or inland port or other terminal facilities to carriers by air, sea or inland waterway; (c)the operation of networks providing a service to the public in the field of transport by railway, automated systems, tramway, trolley bus, bus or cable. As regards transport services, a network shall be considered to exist where the service is provided under operating conditions laid down by a competent authority of a Member State, such as conditions on the routes to be served, the capacity to be made available or the frequency of the service; (d)the provision or operation of public tele- communications networks or the provision of one or more public telecommunications services. 3. For the purpose of applying paragraph 1 (b), special or exclusive rights shall mean rights deriving from authorizations granted by a competent authority of the Member State concerned, by law, regulation or administrative action, having as their result the reservation for one or more entities of the exploitation of an activity defined in paragraph 2. A contracting entity shall be considered to enjoy special or exclusive rights in particular where: (a)for the purpose of constructing the networks or facilities referred to in paragraph 2, it may take advantage of a procedure for the expropriation or use of property or may place network equipment on, under or over the public highway; (b)in the case of paragraph 2 (a), the entity supplies with drinking water, electricity, gas or heat a network which is itself operated by an entity enjoying special or exclusive rights granted by a competent authority of the Member State concerned. 4. The provision of bus transport services to the public shall not be considered to be a relevant activity within the meaning of paragraph 2 (c) where other entities are free to provide those services, either in general or in a particular geographical area, under the same conditions as the contracting entities. 5. The supply of drinking water, electricity, gas or heat to networks which provide a service to the public by a contracting entity other than public authority shall not be considered as a relevant activity within the meaning of paragraph 2 (a) where: (a)in the case of drinking water or electricity: -the production of drinking water or electricity by the entity concerned takes place because its consumption is necessary for carrying out an activity other than that referred to in paragraph 2, and -supply to the public network depends only on the entity's own consumption and has not exceeded 30 % of the entity's total production of drinking water or energy, having regard to the average for the preceding three years, including the current year; (b)in the case of gas or heat: -the production of gas or heat by the entity concerned is the unavoidable consequence of carrying on an activity other than that referred to in paragraph 2, and -supply to the public network is aimed only at the economic exploitation of such production and amounts to not more than 20 % of the entity's turnover having regard to the average for the preceding three years, including the current year. 6. The contracting entities listed in Annexes I to X shall fulfil the criteria set out above. In order to ensure that the lists are as exhaustive as possible, Member States shall notify the Commission of amendments to their lists. The Commission shall revise Annexes I to X in accordance with the procedure in Article 32. Article 3 1. Member States may request the Commission to provide that exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for, or extracting, oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels shall not be considered to be an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (b) (i) and that entities shall not be considered as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2 (3) (b) by virtue of carrying on one or more of these activities, provided that all the following conditions are satisfied with respect to the relevant national provisions concerning such activities: (a)at the time when authorization to exploit such a geographical area is requested, other entities shall be free to seek authorization for that purpose under the same conditions as the contracting entities; (b)the technical and financial capacity of entities to engage in particular activities shall be established prior to any evaluation of the merits of competing applications for authorization; (c)authorization to engage in those activities shall be granted on the basis of objective criteria concerning the way in which it is intended to carry out the exploitation for extraction, which shall be established and published prior to the requests and applied in a non-discriminatory manner; (d)all conditions and requirements concerning the carrying out or termination of the activity, including provisions on operating obligations, royalties, and participation in the capital or revenue of the entities, shall be established and made available prior to the requests for authorization being made and then applied in a non-discriminatory manner; every change concerning these conditions and requirements shall be applied to all the entities concerned, or else amendments must be made in a non-discriminatory manner; however, operating obligations need not be established until immediately before the authorization is granted; and (e)contracting entities shall not be required by any law, regulation, administrative requirement, agreement or understanding to provide information on a contracting entity's intended or actual sources of procurement, except at the request of national authorities and exclusively with a view to the objectives mentioned in Article 36 of the Treaty. ENGMS 20-31theo7-9Thomas 2. Member States which apply the provisions of paragraph 1 shall ensure, through the conditions of the authorization or other appropriate measures, that any entity: (a)observes the principles of non-discrimination and competitive procurement in respect of the award of supplies and works contracts, in particular as regards the information that the entity makes available to undertakings concerning its procurement intentions; (b)communicates to the Commission, under conditions to be defined by the latter in accordance with Article 32, information relating to the award of contracts. 3. As regards individual concessions or authorizations granted before the date on which Member States apply this Directive in accordance with Article 37, paragraphs 1 (a), (b) and (c) shall not apply, provided that at that date other entities are free to seek authorization for the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, on a non-discriminatory basis and in the light of objective criteria. Paragraph 1 (d) shall not apply as regards conditions or requirements established, applied or amended before the date referred to above. 4. A Member State which wishes to apply paragraph 1 shall inform the Commission accordingly. In doing so, it shall inform the Commission of any law, regulation or administrative provision, agreement or understanding relating to compliance with the conditions referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2. The Commission shall take a decision in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32 (4) to (7). It shall publish its decision, giving its reasons, in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall forward to the Council each year a report on the implementation of this Article and review its application in the framework of the report provided for in Article 36. Article 4 1. When awarding supply or works contracts, the contracting entities shall apply procedures which are adapted to the provisions of this Directive. 2. Contracting entities shall ensure that there is no discrimination between different suppliers or contractors. 3. In the context of provision of technical specifications to interested suppliers and contractors, of qualification and selection of suppliers or contractors and of award of contracts, contracting entities may impose requirements with a view to protecting the confidential nature of information which they make available. 4. The provisions of this Directive shall not limit the right of suppliers or contractors to require a contracting entity, in conformity with national law, to respect the confidential nature of information which they make available. Article 5 1. Contracting entities may regard a framework agreement as a contract within the meaning of Article 1 (3) and award it in accordance with this Directive. 2. Where contracting entities have awarded a framework agreement in accordance with this Directive, they may avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i) when awarding contracts based on that agreement. 3. Where a framework agreement has not been awarded in accordance with this Directive, contracting entities may not avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i). 4. Contracting entities may not misuse framework agreements in order to hinder, limit or distort competition. Article 6 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which the contracting entities award for purposes other than the pursuit of their activities as described in Article 2 (2) or for the pursuit of such activities in a non-member country, in conditions not involving the physical use of a network or geographical area within the Community. 2. However, this Directive shall apply to contracts awarded on behalf of the entities which exercise an activity referred to in Article 2 (2) (a) (i) and which: (a)are connected with hydraulic engineering projects, irrigation or land drainage, provided that the volume of water intended for the supply of drinking water represents more than 20 % of the total volume of water made available by these projects or irrigation or drainage installations; or (b)are connected with the disposal or treatment of sewage. 3. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any activities they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 7 1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 3 
1. Member States may request the Commission to provide that exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for, or extracting, oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels shall not be considered to be an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (b) (i) and that entities shall not be considered as operating under special or exclusive rights within the meaning of Article 2 (3) (b) by virtue of carrying on one or more of these activities, provided that all the following conditions are satisfied with respect to the relevant national provisions concerning such activities: (a)at the time when authorization to exploit such a geographical area is requested, other entities shall be free to seek authorization for that purpose under the same conditions as the contracting entities; (b)the technical and financial capacity of entities to engage in particular activities shall be established prior to any evaluation of the merits of competing applications for authorization; (c)authorization to engage in those activities shall be granted on the basis of objective criteria concerning the way in which it is intended to carry out the exploitation for extraction, which shall be established and published prior to the requests and applied in a non-discriminatory manner; (d)all conditions and requirements concerning the carrying out or termination of the activity, including provisions on operating obligations, royalties, and participation in the capital or revenue of the entities, shall be established and made available prior to the requests for authorization being made and then applied in a non-discriminatory manner; every change concerning these conditions and requirements shall be applied to all the entities concerned, or else amendments must be made in a non-discriminatory manner; however, operating obligations need not be established until immediately before the authorization is granted; and (e)contracting entities shall not be required by any law, regulation, administrative requirement, agreement or understanding to provide information on a contracting entity's intended or actual sources of procurement, except at the request of national authorities and exclusively with a view to the objectives mentioned in Article 36 of the Treaty. ENGMS 20-31theo7-9Thomas 2. Member States which apply the provisions of paragraph 1 shall ensure, through the conditions of the authorization or other appropriate measures, that any entity: (a)observes the principles of non-discrimination and competitive procurement in respect of the award of supplies and works contracts, in particular as regards the information that the entity makes available to undertakings concerning its procurement intentions; (b)communicates to the Commission, under conditions to be defined by the latter in accordance with Article 32, information relating to the award of contracts. 3. As regards individual concessions or authorizations granted before the date on which Member States apply this Directive in accordance with Article 37, paragraphs 1 (a), (b) and (c) shall not apply, provided that at that date other entities are free to seek authorization for the exploitation of geographical areas for the purpose of exploring for or extracting oil, gas, coal or other solid fuels, on a non-discriminatory basis and in the light of objective criteria. Paragraph 1 (d) shall not apply as regards conditions or requirements established, applied or amended before the date referred to above. 4. A Member State which wishes to apply paragraph 1 shall inform the Commission accordingly. In doing so, it shall inform the Commission of any law, regulation or administrative provision, agreement or understanding relating to compliance with the conditions referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2. The Commission shall take a decision in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32 (4) to (7). It shall publish its decision, giving its reasons, in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall forward to the Council each year a report on the implementation of this Article and review its application in the framework of the report provided for in Article 36. Article 4 1. When awarding supply or works contracts, the contracting entities shall apply procedures which are adapted to the provisions of this Directive. 2. Contracting entities shall ensure that there is no discrimination between different suppliers or contractors. 3. In the context of provision of technical specifications to interested suppliers and contractors, of qualification and selection of suppliers or contractors and of award of contracts, contracting entities may impose requirements with a view to protecting the confidential nature of information which they make available. 4. The provisions of this Directive shall not limit the right of suppliers or contractors to require a contracting entity, in conformity with national law, to respect the confidential nature of information which they make available. Article 5 1. Contracting entities may regard a framework agreement as a contract within the meaning of Article 1 (3) and award it in accordance with this Directive. 2. Where contracting entities have awarded a framework agreement in accordance with this Directive, they may avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i) when awarding contracts based on that agreement. 3. Where a framework agreement has not been awarded in accordance with this Directive, contracting entities may not avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i). 4. Contracting entities may not misuse framework agreements in order to hinder, limit or distort competition. Article 6 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which the contracting entities award for purposes other than the pursuit of their activities as described in Article 2 (2) or for the pursuit of such activities in a non-member country, in conditions not involving the physical use of a network or geographical area within the Community. 2. However, this Directive shall apply to contracts awarded on behalf of the entities which exercise an activity referred to in Article 2 (2) (a) (i) and which: (a)are connected with hydraulic engineering projects, irrigation or land drainage, provided that the volume of water intended for the supply of drinking water represents more than 20 % of the total volume of water made available by these projects or irrigation or drainage installations; or (b)are connected with the disposal or treatment of sewage. 3. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any activities they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 7 1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 4 
1. When awarding supply or works contracts, the contracting entities shall apply procedures which are adapted to the provisions of this Directive. 2. Contracting entities shall ensure that there is no discrimination between different suppliers or contractors. 3. In the context of provision of technical specifications to interested suppliers and contractors, of qualification and selection of suppliers or contractors and of award of contracts, contracting entities may impose requirements with a view to protecting the confidential nature of information which they make available. 4. The provisions of this Directive shall not limit the right of suppliers or contractors to require a contracting entity, in conformity with national law, to respect the confidential nature of information which they make available. Article 5 1. Contracting entities may regard a framework agreement as a contract within the meaning of Article 1 (3) and award it in accordance with this Directive. 2. Where contracting entities have awarded a framework agreement in accordance with this Directive, they may avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i) when awarding contracts based on that agreement. 3. Where a framework agreement has not been awarded in accordance with this Directive, contracting entities may not avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i). 4. Contracting entities may not misuse framework agreements in order to hinder, limit or distort competition. Article 6 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which the contracting entities award for purposes other than the pursuit of their activities as described in Article 2 (2) or for the pursuit of such activities in a non-member country, in conditions not involving the physical use of a network or geographical area within the Community. 2. However, this Directive shall apply to contracts awarded on behalf of the entities which exercise an activity referred to in Article 2 (2) (a) (i) and which: (a)are connected with hydraulic engineering projects, irrigation or land drainage, provided that the volume of water intended for the supply of drinking water represents more than 20 % of the total volume of water made available by these projects or irrigation or drainage installations; or (b)are connected with the disposal or treatment of sewage. 3. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any activities they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 7 1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 5 
1. Contracting entities may regard a framework agreement as a contract within the meaning of Article 1 (3) and award it in accordance with this Directive. 2. Where contracting entities have awarded a framework agreement in accordance with this Directive, they may avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i) when awarding contracts based on that agreement. 3. Where a framework agreement has not been awarded in accordance with this Directive, contracting entities may not avail themselves of Article 15 (2) (i). 4. Contracting entities may not misuse framework agreements in order to hinder, limit or distort competition. Article 6 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which the contracting entities award for purposes other than the pursuit of their activities as described in Article 2 (2) or for the pursuit of such activities in a non-member country, in conditions not involving the physical use of a network or geographical area within the Community. 2. However, this Directive shall apply to contracts awarded on behalf of the entities which exercise an activity referred to in Article 2 (2) (a) (i) and which: (a)are connected with hydraulic engineering projects, irrigation or land drainage, provided that the volume of water intended for the supply of drinking water represents more than 20 % of the total volume of water made available by these projects or irrigation or drainage installations; or (b)are connected with the disposal or treatment of sewage. 3. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any activities they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 7 1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 6 
1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which the contracting entities award for purposes other than the pursuit of their activities as described in Article 2 (2) or for the pursuit of such activities in a non-member country, in conditions not involving the physical use of a network or geographical area within the Community. 2. However, this Directive shall apply to contracts awarded on behalf of the entities which exercise an activity referred to in Article 2 (2) (a) (i) and which: (a)are connected with hydraulic engineering projects, irrigation or land drainage, provided that the volume of water intended for the supply of drinking water represents more than 20 % of the total volume of water made available by these projects or irrigation or drainage installations; or (b)are connected with the disposal or treatment of sewage. 3. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any activities they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 7 1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 7 
1. The provisions of this Directive shall not apply to contracts awarded for purposes of re-sale or hire to third parties, provided that the contracting entity enjoys no special or exclusive right to sell or hire the subject of such contracts and other entities are free to sell or hire it under the same conditions as the contracting entity. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of all the categories of products they regard as excluded under paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish lists of the categories of activities which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 8 1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 8 
1. This Directive shall not apply to contracts which contracting entities exercising an activity described in Article 2 (2) (d) award for purchases intended exclusively to enable them to provide one or more telecommunications services where other entities are free to offer the same services in the same geographical area and under substantially the same conditions. 2. The contracting entities shall notify the Commission at its request of any services they regard as covered by the exclusion referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission may periodically publish the list of services which it considers to be covered by this exclusion, for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In so doing, the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information. Article 9 1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 9 
1. This Directive shall not apply to: (a)contracts which the contracting entities listed in Annex I award for the purchase of water; (b)contracts which the contracting entities specified in Annexes II, III, IV and V award for the supply of energy or of fuels for the production of energy. 2. The Council shall re-examine the provisions of paragraph 1 when it has before it a report from the Commission together with appropriate proposals. Article 10 This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 10 
This Directive shall not apply to contracts when they are declared to be secret by the Member State, when their execution must be accompanied by special security measures in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned or when the protection of the basic security interests of that State so requires. Article 11 This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 11 
This Directive shall not apply to contracts governed by different procedural rules and awarded: 1.pursuant to an international agreement concluded in conformity with the Treaty beween a Member State and one or more third countries and covering supplies or works intended for the joint implementation or exploitation of a project by the signatory States; every agreement shall be communicated to the Commission, which may consult the Advisory Committee for Public Contracts set up by Council Decision 71/306/EEC(13), as last amended by Decision 77/63/EEC(14), or, in the case of agreements governing contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d), the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement referred to in Article 31; 2.to undertakings in a Member State or a third country in pursuance of an international agreement relating to the stationing of troops; 3.pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organization. Article 12 1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 12 
1. This Directive shall apply to contracts whose estimated value, net of VAT, is not less than: (a)ECU 400 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (a), (b) and (c); (b)ECU 600 000 in the case of supply contracts awarded by entities exercising an activity defined in Article 2 (2) (d); (c)ECU 5 million in the case of works contracts. 2. In the case of supply contracts for lease, rental or hire-purchase, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be: (a)in the case of fixed-term-contracts, where their term is 12 months or less, the estimated total value for the contract's duration, or, where their term exceeds 12 months, the contract's total value including the estimated residual value; (b)in the case of contracts for an indefinite period or in cases where there is doubt as to the duration of the contracts, the anticipated total instalments to be paid in the first four years. 3. Where a proposed supply contract expressly specifies option clauses, the basis for calculating the contract value shall be the highest possible total purchase, lease, rental or hire-purchase permissible, inclusive of the option clauses. 4. In the case of a procurement of supplies over a given period by means of a series of contracts to be awarded to one or more suppliers or of contracts which are to be renewed, the contract value shall be calculated on the basis of: (a)the total value of contracts which had similar characteristics awarded over the previous fiscal year or 12 months, adjusted where possible for anticipated changes in quantity or value over the subsequent 12 months; (b)or the aggregate value of contracts to be awarded during the 12 months following the first award or during the whole term of the contract, where this is longer than 12 months. 5. The basis for calculating the value of a framework agreement shall be the estimated maximum value of all the contracts envisaged for the period in question. 6. The basis for calculating the value of a works contract for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be the total value of the work. Work shall mean the building and engineering activities taken as a whole that are intended to fulfil an economic function by themselves. In particular, where a supply or work is the subject of several lots, the value of each lot shall be taken into account when assessing the value referred to in paragraph 1. Where the aggregate value of the lots equals or exceeds the value laid down in paragraph 1, that paragraph shall apply to all the lots. However, in the case of works contracts, contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 1 in respect of lots whose estimated value net of VAT is less then ECU 1 million, provided that the aggregate value of those lots does not exceed 20 % of the overall value of the lots. 7. For the purposes of paragraph 1, contracting entities shall include in the estimated value of a works contract the value of any supplies or services necessary for the execution of the contract which they make available to the contractor. 8. The value of supplies which are not necessary for the execution of a particular works contract may not be added to that of the contract with the result of avoiding application of this Directive to the procurement of those supplies. 9. Contracting entities may not circumvent this Directive by splitting contracts or using special methods of calculating the value of contracts.
Article 13 
1. Contracting entities shall include the technical specifications in the general documents or the contract documents relating to each contract. 2. The technical specifications shall be defined by reference to European specifications where these exist. 3. In the absence of European specifications, the technical specifications should as far as possible be defined by reference to other standards having currency within the Community. 4. Contracting entities shall define such further requirements as are necessary to complement European specifications or other standards. In doing so, they shall prefer specifications that indicate performance requirements rather than design or description characteristics unless the contracting entity has objective reasons for considering that such specifications are inadequate for the purposes of the contract. 5. Technical specifications which mention goods of a specific make or source or of a particular process, and which have the effect of favouring or eliminating certain undertakings, shall not be used unless such specifications are indispensable for the subject of the contract. In particular, the indication of trade marks, patents, types, or specific origin or production shall be prohibited; however, such an indication accompanied by the words or equivalent shall be authorized where the subject of the contract cannot otherwise be described by specifications ENGMS 32-46theo10-13Thomas which are sufficiently precise and fully intelligible to all concerned. 6. Contracting entities may derogate from paragraph 2 if: (a)it is technically impossible to establish satisfactorily that a product conforms to the European specifications; (b)the application of paragraph 2 would prejudice the application of Council Directive 86/361/EEC of 24 July 1986 on the initial stage of the mutual recognition of type approval for telecommunications terminal equipment(15), or of Council Decision 87/95/EEC of 22 December 1986 on standardization in the field of information technology and telecommunications(16); (c)in the context of adapting existing practice to take account of European specifications, use of these specifications would oblige the contracting entity to acquire supplies incompatible with equipment already in use or would entail disproportionate cost or disproportionate technical difficulty. Contracting entities which have recourse to this derogation shall do so only as part of a clearly defined and recorded strategy with a view to a change-over to European specifications; (d)the relevant European specification is inappropriate for the particular application or does not take account of technical developments which have come about since its adoption. Contracting entities which have recourse to this derogation shall inform the appropriate standardizing organization, or any other body empowered to review the European specification, of the reasons why they consider the European specification to be inappropriate and shall request its revision; (e)the project is of a genuinely innovative nature for which use of European specifications would not be appropriate. 7. Notices published pursuant to Article 16 (1) (a) shall indicate any recourse to the derogations referred to in paragraph 6. 8. This Article shall be without prejudice to compulsory technical rules insofar as these are compatible with Community law. Article 14 1. Contracting entities shall make available on demand to suppliers or contractors interested in obtaining a contract the technical specifications regularly referred to in their supply or works contracts or the technical specifications which they intend to apply to contracts covered by periodic information notices within the meaning of Article 17. 2. Where such technical specifications are based on documents available to interested suppliers or contractors, a reference to those documents shall be sufficient.
Article 14 
1. Contracting entities shall make available on demand to suppliers or contractors interested in obtaining a contract the technical specifications regularly referred to in their supply or works contracts or the technical specifications which they intend to apply to contracts covered by periodic information notices within the meaning of Article 17. 2. Where such technical specifications are based on documents available to interested suppliers or contractors, a reference to those documents shall be sufficient.
Article 15 
1. Contracting entities may choose any of the procedures described in Article 1 (6), provided, subject to paragraph 2, a call for competition has been made in accordance with Article 16. 2. Contracting entities may use a procedure without prior call for competition in the following cases: (a)in the absence of tenders or suitable tenders in response to a procedure with a prior call for competition, provided that the original contract conditions have not been substantially changed; (b)where a contract is purely for the purpose of research, experiment, study or development and not for the purpose of ensuring profit or of recovering research and development costs; (c)when, for technical or artistic reasons, or for reasons connected with protection of exclusive rights, the contract may be executed only by a particular supplier or contractor; (d)insofar as is strictly necessary when, for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting entities, the time limits laid down for open and restricted procedures cannot be adhered to; (e)in the case of supply contracts for additional deliveries by the original supplier which are intended either as a partial replacement of normal supplies or installations or as the extension of existing supplies or installations, where a change of supplier would oblige the contracting entity to acquire material having different technical characteristics which would result in incompatibility or disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance; (f)for additional works not included in the project initially awarded or in the contract first concluded but which have, through unforeseen circumstances, become necessary for the execution of the contract, on condition that the award is made to the contractor executing the original contract: -when such additional works cannot be technically or economically separated from the main contract without great inconvenience to the contracting entities, -or when such additional works, although separable from the execution of the original contract, are strictly necessary to its later stages; (g)in the case of works contracts, for new works consisting of the repetition of similar works entrusted to the contractor to which the same contracting entities awarded an earlier contract, provided that such works conform to a basic project for which a first contract was awarded after a call for competition. As soon as the first project is put up for tender, notice must be given that this procedure might be adopted and the total estimated cost of subsequent works shall be taken into consideration by the contracting entities when they apply the provisions of Article 12; (h)for supplies quoted and purchased on a commodity market; (i)for contracts to be awarded on the basis of a framework agreement, provided that the condition referred to in Article 5 (2) is fulfilled; (j)for bargain purchases, where it is possible to procure supplies taking advantage of a particularly advantageous opportunity available for a very short space of time at a price considerably lower than normal market prices; (k)for purchases of goods under particularly advantageous conditions either from a supplier definitively winding up his business activities or from the receivers or liquidators of a bankruptcy, an arrangement with creditors or a similar procedure under national laws or regulations. Article 16 1. A call for competition may be made: (a)by means of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XII A, B or C; or (b)by means of a periodic indicative notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XIV; or (c)by means of a notice on the existence of a qualification system drawn up in accordance with Annex XIII. 2. When a call for competition is made by means of a periodic indicative notice: (a)the notice must refer specifically to the supplies or works which will be the subject of the contract to be awarded; (b)the notice must indicate that the contract will be awarded by restricted or negotiated procedure without further publication of a notice of a call for competition and invite interested undertakings to express their interest in writing; (c)contracting entities shall subsequently invite all candidates to confirm their interest on the basis of detailed information on the contract concerned before beginning the selection of tenderers or participants in negotiations. 3. When a call for competition is made by means of a notice on the existence of a qualification system, tenderers in a restricted procedure or participants in a negotiated procedure shall be selected from the qualified candidates in accordance with such a system. 4. The notices referred to in this Article shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 17 1. Contracting entities shall make known, at least once a year, by means of a periodic indicative notice: (a)in the case of supply contracts, the total of the contracts for each product area of which the estimated value, taking into account the provisions of Article 12, is equal to or greater than ECU 750 000, and which they intend to award over the following 12 months; (b)in the case of works contracts, the essential characteristics of the works contracts which the contracting entities intend to award, the estimated value of which is not less than the threshold laid down in Article 12 (1). 2. The notice shall be drawn up in accordance with Annex XIV and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 3. Where the notice is used as a means of calling for competition in accordance with Article 16 (1) (b), it must have been published not more than 12 months prior to the date on which the invitation referred to in Article 16 (2) (c) is sent. Moreover, the contracting entity shall meet the deadlines laid down in Article 20 (2). 4. Contracting entities may, in particular, publish periodic indicative notices relating to major projects without repeating information previously included in a periodic indicative notice, provided it is clearly stated that such notices are additional notices. Article 18 1. Contracting entities which have awarded a contract shall communicate to the Commission, within two months of the award of the contract and under conditions to be laid down by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32, the results of the awarding procedure by means of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XV. 2. Information provided under Section I of Annex XV shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In this connection the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information in connection with points 6 and 9 of Annex XV. 3. Information provided under Section II of Annex XV must not be published except, in aggregated form, for statistical purposes. Article 19 1. The contracting entities must be able to supply proof of the date of dispatch of the notices referred to in Articles 15 to 18. 2. The notices shall be published in full in their original language in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the TED data bank. A summary of the important elements of each notice shall be published in the other official languages of the Community, the original text alone being authentic. 3. The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities shall publish the notices not later than 12 days after their dispatch. In exceptional cases it shall endeavour to publish the notice referred to in Article 16 (1) (a) within five days in response to a request by the contracting entity and provided the notice has been sent to the Office by electronic mail, telex or telefax. Each edition of the Official Journal of the European Communities which contains one ore more notices shall reproduce the model notice or notices on which the published notice or notices are based. 4. The cost of publication of the notices in the Official Journal of the European Communities shall be borne by the Communities. 5. Contracts in respect of which a notice is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities pursuant to Article 16 (1) shall not be published in any other way before that notice has been dispatched to the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Such publication shall not contain information other than that published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 20 1. In open procedures the time limit for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed by contracting entities at not less than 52 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. This time limit may be shortened to 36 days where contracting entities have published a notice in accordance with Article 17 (1). 2. In restricted procedures and in negotiated procedures with a prior call for competition, the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the time limit for receipt of requests to participate, in response to a notice published in accordance with Article 16 (1) (a) or in response to an invitation from a contracting entity in accordance with Article 16 (2) (c), shall, as a general rule, be at least five weeks from the date of dispatch of the notice and shall in any case not be less than the time limit for publication laid down in Article 19 (3) plus 10 days; (b)the time limit for receipt of tenders may be fixed by mutual agreement between the contracting entity and the selected candidates, provided that all tenderers are given equal time to prepare and submit tenders; (c)where it is not possible to reach agreement on the time limit for the receipt of tenders, the contracting entity shall fix a time limit which shall, as a general rule, be at least three weeks and shall in any case not be less than 10 days from the date of the invitation to tender; the time allowed shall be sufficiently long to take account in particular of the factors mentioned in Article 22 (3). Article 21 In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 16 
1. A call for competition may be made: (a)by means of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XII A, B or C; or (b)by means of a periodic indicative notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XIV; or (c)by means of a notice on the existence of a qualification system drawn up in accordance with Annex XIII. 2. When a call for competition is made by means of a periodic indicative notice: (a)the notice must refer specifically to the supplies or works which will be the subject of the contract to be awarded; (b)the notice must indicate that the contract will be awarded by restricted or negotiated procedure without further publication of a notice of a call for competition and invite interested undertakings to express their interest in writing; (c)contracting entities shall subsequently invite all candidates to confirm their interest on the basis of detailed information on the contract concerned before beginning the selection of tenderers or participants in negotiations. 3. When a call for competition is made by means of a notice on the existence of a qualification system, tenderers in a restricted procedure or participants in a negotiated procedure shall be selected from the qualified candidates in accordance with such a system. 4. The notices referred to in this Article shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 17 1. Contracting entities shall make known, at least once a year, by means of a periodic indicative notice: (a)in the case of supply contracts, the total of the contracts for each product area of which the estimated value, taking into account the provisions of Article 12, is equal to or greater than ECU 750 000, and which they intend to award over the following 12 months; (b)in the case of works contracts, the essential characteristics of the works contracts which the contracting entities intend to award, the estimated value of which is not less than the threshold laid down in Article 12 (1). 2. The notice shall be drawn up in accordance with Annex XIV and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 3. Where the notice is used as a means of calling for competition in accordance with Article 16 (1) (b), it must have been published not more than 12 months prior to the date on which the invitation referred to in Article 16 (2) (c) is sent. Moreover, the contracting entity shall meet the deadlines laid down in Article 20 (2). 4. Contracting entities may, in particular, publish periodic indicative notices relating to major projects without repeating information previously included in a periodic indicative notice, provided it is clearly stated that such notices are additional notices. Article 18 1. Contracting entities which have awarded a contract shall communicate to the Commission, within two months of the award of the contract and under conditions to be laid down by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32, the results of the awarding procedure by means of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XV. 2. Information provided under Section I of Annex XV shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In this connection the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information in connection with points 6 and 9 of Annex XV. 3. Information provided under Section II of Annex XV must not be published except, in aggregated form, for statistical purposes. Article 19 1. The contracting entities must be able to supply proof of the date of dispatch of the notices referred to in Articles 15 to 18. 2. The notices shall be published in full in their original language in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the TED data bank. A summary of the important elements of each notice shall be published in the other official languages of the Community, the original text alone being authentic. 3. The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities shall publish the notices not later than 12 days after their dispatch. In exceptional cases it shall endeavour to publish the notice referred to in Article 16 (1) (a) within five days in response to a request by the contracting entity and provided the notice has been sent to the Office by electronic mail, telex or telefax. Each edition of the Official Journal of the European Communities which contains one ore more notices shall reproduce the model notice or notices on which the published notice or notices are based. 4. The cost of publication of the notices in the Official Journal of the European Communities shall be borne by the Communities. 5. Contracts in respect of which a notice is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities pursuant to Article 16 (1) shall not be published in any other way before that notice has been dispatched to the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Such publication shall not contain information other than that published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 20 1. In open procedures the time limit for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed by contracting entities at not less than 52 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. This time limit may be shortened to 36 days where contracting entities have published a notice in accordance with Article 17 (1). 2. In restricted procedures and in negotiated procedures with a prior call for competition, the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the time limit for receipt of requests to participate, in response to a notice published in accordance with Article 16 (1) (a) or in response to an invitation from a contracting entity in accordance with Article 16 (2) (c), shall, as a general rule, be at least five weeks from the date of dispatch of the notice and shall in any case not be less than the time limit for publication laid down in Article 19 (3) plus 10 days; (b)the time limit for receipt of tenders may be fixed by mutual agreement between the contracting entity and the selected candidates, provided that all tenderers are given equal time to prepare and submit tenders; (c)where it is not possible to reach agreement on the time limit for the receipt of tenders, the contracting entity shall fix a time limit which shall, as a general rule, be at least three weeks and shall in any case not be less than 10 days from the date of the invitation to tender; the time allowed shall be sufficiently long to take account in particular of the factors mentioned in Article 22 (3). Article 21 In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 17 
1. Contracting entities shall make known, at least once a year, by means of a periodic indicative notice: (a)in the case of supply contracts, the total of the contracts for each product area of which the estimated value, taking into account the provisions of Article 12, is equal to or greater than ECU 750 000, and which they intend to award over the following 12 months; (b)in the case of works contracts, the essential characteristics of the works contracts which the contracting entities intend to award, the estimated value of which is not less than the threshold laid down in Article 12 (1). 2. The notice shall be drawn up in accordance with Annex XIV and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 3. Where the notice is used as a means of calling for competition in accordance with Article 16 (1) (b), it must have been published not more than 12 months prior to the date on which the invitation referred to in Article 16 (2) (c) is sent. Moreover, the contracting entity shall meet the deadlines laid down in Article 20 (2). 4. Contracting entities may, in particular, publish periodic indicative notices relating to major projects without repeating information previously included in a periodic indicative notice, provided it is clearly stated that such notices are additional notices. Article 18 1. Contracting entities which have awarded a contract shall communicate to the Commission, within two months of the award of the contract and under conditions to be laid down by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32, the results of the awarding procedure by means of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XV. 2. Information provided under Section I of Annex XV shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In this connection the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information in connection with points 6 and 9 of Annex XV. 3. Information provided under Section II of Annex XV must not be published except, in aggregated form, for statistical purposes. Article 19 1. The contracting entities must be able to supply proof of the date of dispatch of the notices referred to in Articles 15 to 18. 2. The notices shall be published in full in their original language in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the TED data bank. A summary of the important elements of each notice shall be published in the other official languages of the Community, the original text alone being authentic. 3. The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities shall publish the notices not later than 12 days after their dispatch. In exceptional cases it shall endeavour to publish the notice referred to in Article 16 (1) (a) within five days in response to a request by the contracting entity and provided the notice has been sent to the Office by electronic mail, telex or telefax. Each edition of the Official Journal of the European Communities which contains one ore more notices shall reproduce the model notice or notices on which the published notice or notices are based. 4. The cost of publication of the notices in the Official Journal of the European Communities shall be borne by the Communities. 5. Contracts in respect of which a notice is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities pursuant to Article 16 (1) shall not be published in any other way before that notice has been dispatched to the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Such publication shall not contain information other than that published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 20 1. In open procedures the time limit for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed by contracting entities at not less than 52 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. This time limit may be shortened to 36 days where contracting entities have published a notice in accordance with Article 17 (1). 2. In restricted procedures and in negotiated procedures with a prior call for competition, the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the time limit for receipt of requests to participate, in response to a notice published in accordance with Article 16 (1) (a) or in response to an invitation from a contracting entity in accordance with Article 16 (2) (c), shall, as a general rule, be at least five weeks from the date of dispatch of the notice and shall in any case not be less than the time limit for publication laid down in Article 19 (3) plus 10 days; (b)the time limit for receipt of tenders may be fixed by mutual agreement between the contracting entity and the selected candidates, provided that all tenderers are given equal time to prepare and submit tenders; (c)where it is not possible to reach agreement on the time limit for the receipt of tenders, the contracting entity shall fix a time limit which shall, as a general rule, be at least three weeks and shall in any case not be less than 10 days from the date of the invitation to tender; the time allowed shall be sufficiently long to take account in particular of the factors mentioned in Article 22 (3). Article 21 In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 18 
1. Contracting entities which have awarded a contract shall communicate to the Commission, within two months of the award of the contract and under conditions to be laid down by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 32, the results of the awarding procedure by means of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XV. 2. Information provided under Section I of Annex XV shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In this connection the Commission shall respect any sensitive commercial aspects the contracting entities may point out when forwarding this information in connection with points 6 and 9 of Annex XV. 3. Information provided under Section II of Annex XV must not be published except, in aggregated form, for statistical purposes. Article 19 1. The contracting entities must be able to supply proof of the date of dispatch of the notices referred to in Articles 15 to 18. 2. The notices shall be published in full in their original language in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the TED data bank. A summary of the important elements of each notice shall be published in the other official languages of the Community, the original text alone being authentic. 3. The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities shall publish the notices not later than 12 days after their dispatch. In exceptional cases it shall endeavour to publish the notice referred to in Article 16 (1) (a) within five days in response to a request by the contracting entity and provided the notice has been sent to the Office by electronic mail, telex or telefax. Each edition of the Official Journal of the European Communities which contains one ore more notices shall reproduce the model notice or notices on which the published notice or notices are based. 4. The cost of publication of the notices in the Official Journal of the European Communities shall be borne by the Communities. 5. Contracts in respect of which a notice is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities pursuant to Article 16 (1) shall not be published in any other way before that notice has been dispatched to the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Such publication shall not contain information other than that published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 20 1. In open procedures the time limit for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed by contracting entities at not less than 52 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. This time limit may be shortened to 36 days where contracting entities have published a notice in accordance with Article 17 (1). 2. In restricted procedures and in negotiated procedures with a prior call for competition, the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the time limit for receipt of requests to participate, in response to a notice published in accordance with Article 16 (1) (a) or in response to an invitation from a contracting entity in accordance with Article 16 (2) (c), shall, as a general rule, be at least five weeks from the date of dispatch of the notice and shall in any case not be less than the time limit for publication laid down in Article 19 (3) plus 10 days; (b)the time limit for receipt of tenders may be fixed by mutual agreement between the contracting entity and the selected candidates, provided that all tenderers are given equal time to prepare and submit tenders; (c)where it is not possible to reach agreement on the time limit for the receipt of tenders, the contracting entity shall fix a time limit which shall, as a general rule, be at least three weeks and shall in any case not be less than 10 days from the date of the invitation to tender; the time allowed shall be sufficiently long to take account in particular of the factors mentioned in Article 22 (3). Article 21 In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 19 
1. The contracting entities must be able to supply proof of the date of dispatch of the notices referred to in Articles 15 to 18. 2. The notices shall be published in full in their original language in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the TED data bank. A summary of the important elements of each notice shall be published in the other official languages of the Community, the original text alone being authentic. 3. The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities shall publish the notices not later than 12 days after their dispatch. In exceptional cases it shall endeavour to publish the notice referred to in Article 16 (1) (a) within five days in response to a request by the contracting entity and provided the notice has been sent to the Office by electronic mail, telex or telefax. Each edition of the Official Journal of the European Communities which contains one ore more notices shall reproduce the model notice or notices on which the published notice or notices are based. 4. The cost of publication of the notices in the Official Journal of the European Communities shall be borne by the Communities. 5. Contracts in respect of which a notice is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities pursuant to Article 16 (1) shall not be published in any other way before that notice has been dispatched to the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Such publication shall not contain information other than that published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 20 1. In open procedures the time limit for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed by contracting entities at not less than 52 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. This time limit may be shortened to 36 days where contracting entities have published a notice in accordance with Article 17 (1). 2. In restricted procedures and in negotiated procedures with a prior call for competition, the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the time limit for receipt of requests to participate, in response to a notice published in accordance with Article 16 (1) (a) or in response to an invitation from a contracting entity in accordance with Article 16 (2) (c), shall, as a general rule, be at least five weeks from the date of dispatch of the notice and shall in any case not be less than the time limit for publication laid down in Article 19 (3) plus 10 days; (b)the time limit for receipt of tenders may be fixed by mutual agreement between the contracting entity and the selected candidates, provided that all tenderers are given equal time to prepare and submit tenders; (c)where it is not possible to reach agreement on the time limit for the receipt of tenders, the contracting entity shall fix a time limit which shall, as a general rule, be at least three weeks and shall in any case not be less than 10 days from the date of the invitation to tender; the time allowed shall be sufficiently long to take account in particular of the factors mentioned in Article 22 (3). Article 21 In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 20 
1. In open procedures the time limit for the receipt of tenders shall be fixed by contracting entities at not less than 52 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. This time limit may be shortened to 36 days where contracting entities have published a notice in accordance with Article 17 (1). 2. In restricted procedures and in negotiated procedures with a prior call for competition, the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the time limit for receipt of requests to participate, in response to a notice published in accordance with Article 16 (1) (a) or in response to an invitation from a contracting entity in accordance with Article 16 (2) (c), shall, as a general rule, be at least five weeks from the date of dispatch of the notice and shall in any case not be less than the time limit for publication laid down in Article 19 (3) plus 10 days; (b)the time limit for receipt of tenders may be fixed by mutual agreement between the contracting entity and the selected candidates, provided that all tenderers are given equal time to prepare and submit tenders; (c)where it is not possible to reach agreement on the time limit for the receipt of tenders, the contracting entity shall fix a time limit which shall, as a general rule, be at least three weeks and shall in any case not be less than 10 days from the date of the invitation to tender; the time allowed shall be sufficiently long to take account in particular of the factors mentioned in Article 22 (3). Article 21 In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 21 
In the contract documents, the contracting entity may ask the tenderer to indicate in his tender any share of the contract he may intend to subcontract to third parties. This indication shall be without prejudice to the question of the principal contractor's responsibility. Article 22 1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 22 
1. Provided they have been requested in good time, the contract documents and supporting documents must be sent to the suppliers or contractors by the contracting entities as a general rule within six days of receipt of the application. 2. Provided it has been requested in good time, additional information relating to the contract documents shall be supplied by the contracting entities not later than six days before the final date fixed for receipt of tenders. 3. Where tenders require the examination of voluminous documentation such as lengthy technical specifications, a visit to the site or an on-the-spot inspection of the documents supporting the contract documents, this shall be taken into account in fixing the appropriate time limits. 4. Contracting entities shall invite the selected candidates simultaneously and in writing. The letter of invitation shall be accompanied by the contract documents and supporting documents. It shall include at least the following information: (a)the address from which any additional documents can be requested, the final date for such requests and the amount and methods of payment of any sum to be paid for such documents; (b)the final date for receipt of tenders, the address to which they must be sent and the language or languages in which they must be drawn up; (c)a reference to any tender notice published; (d)an indication of any document to be annexed; (e)the criteria for the award of the contract if these are not given in the notice; (f)any other special condition for participation in the contract. 5. Requests for participation in contracts and invitations to tender must be made by the most rapid means of communication possible. When requests to participate are made by telegram, telex, telefax, telephone or any electronic means, they must be confirmed by letter dispatched before the expiry of the time limit referred to in Article 20 (1) or of the time limit set by contracting entities pursuant to Article 20 (2). Article 23 1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 23 
1. The contracting entity may state in the contract documents, or be obliged by a Member State so to do, the authority or authorities from which a tenderer may obtain the appropriate information on the obligations relating to the employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the Member State, region or locality in which the works are to be executed and which shall be applicable to the works carried out on site during the performance of the contract. 2. A contracting entity which supplies the information referred to in paragraph 1 shall request the tenderers or those participating in the contract procedure to indicate that they have taken account, when drawing up their tender, of the obligations relating to employment protection provisions and the working conditions which are in force in the place where the work is to be carried out. This shall be without prejudice to the application of the provisions of Article 27 (5) concerning the examination of abnormally low tenders.
Article 24 
1. Contracting entities which so wish may establish and operate a system of qualification of suppliers or contractors. 2. The system, which may involve different qualification stages, shall operate on the basis of objective rules and criteria to be established by the contracting entity. The contracting entity shall use European standards as a reference where they are appropriate. The rules and criteria may be updated as required. 3. The rules and criteria for qualification shall be made available on request to interested suppliers or contractors. The updating of these criteria and rules shall be communicated to the interested suppliers and contractors. Where a contracting entity considers that the qualification or certification system of certain third entities or bodies meet its requirements, it shall communicate to interested suppliers and contractors the names of such third entities or bodies. 4. Contracting entities shall inform applicants of their decision as to qualification within a reasonable period. If the decision will take longer than six months from the presentation of an application, the contracting entity shall inform the applicant, within two months of the application, of the reasons justifying a longer period and of the date by which its application will be accepted or refused. 5. In reaching their decision as to qualification or when the criteria and rules are being updated, contracting entities may not: -impose conditions of an administrative, technical or financial nature on some suppliers or contractors that are not imposed on others, -require tests or proof that duplicate objective evidence already available. ENGMS 47-61theo14-17Thomas 6. Applicants whose qualification is refused shall be informed of this decision and the reasons for refusal. The reasons must be based on the criteria for qualification referred to in paragraph 2. 7. A written record of qualified suppliers or contractors shall be kept, and it may be divided into categories according to the type of contract for which the qualification is valid. 8. Contracting entities may bring the qualification of a supplier or contractor to an end only for reasons based on the criteria referred to in paragraph 2. The intention to bring qualification to an end must be notified in writing to the supplier or contractor beforehand, together with the reason or reasons justifying the proposed action. 9. The qualification system shall be the subject of a notice drawn up in accordance with Annex XIII and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, indicating the purpose of the qualification system and the availability of the rules concerning its operation. Where the system is of a duration greater than three years, the notice shall be published annually. Where the system is of a shorter duration, an initial notice shall suffice. Article 25 1. Contracting entities which select candidates to tender in restricted procedures or to participate in negotiated procedures shall do so according to objective criteria and rules which they lay down and which they shall make available to interested suppliers or contractors. 2. The criteria used may include the criteria for exclusion specified in Article 23 of Directive 71/305/EEC and in Article 20 of Directive 77/62/EEC. 3. The criteria may be based on the objective need of the contracting entity to reduce the number of candidates to a level which is justified by the need to balance the particular characteristics of the contract award procedure and the resources required to complete it. The number of candidates selected must, however, take account of the need to ensure adequate competition. Article 26 Groupings of suppliers or contractors shall be permitted to tender or negotiate. The conversion of such groupings into a specific legal form shall not be required in order to submit a tender or to negotiate, but the grouping selected may be required so to convert itself once it has been awarded the contract where such conversion is necessary for the proper performance of the contract. Article 27 1. The criteria on which the contracting entities shall base the award of contracts shall be: (a)the most economically advantageous tender, involving various criteria depending on the contract in question, such as: delivery or completion date, running costs, cost-effectiveness, quality, aesthetic and functional characteristics, technical merit, after-sales service and technical assistance, commitments with regard to spare parts, security of supplies and price; or (b)the lowest price only. 2. In the case referred to in paragraph 1 (a), contracting entities shall state in the contract documents or in the tender notice all the criteria they intend to apply to the award, where possible in descending order of importance. 3. Where the criterion for the award of the contract is that of the most economically advantageous tender, contracting entities may take account of variants which are submitted by a tenderer and meet the minimum specifications required by the contracting entities. Contracting entities shall state in the contract documents the minimum specifications to be respected by the variants and any specific requirements for their presentation. Where variants are not permitted, they shall so indicate in the contract documents. 4. Contracting entities may not reject the presentation of a variant on the sole ground that it was drawn up on the basis of technical specifications defined with reference to European specifications or to national technical specifications recognized as complying with the essential requirements within the meaning of Directive 89/106/EEC. 5. If, for a given contract, tenders appear abnormally low in relation to the services, the contracting entity shall, before it may reject those tenders, request in writing details of the constituent elements of the tender which it considers relevant and shall verify those constituent elements taking account of the explanations received. It may set a reasonable period within which to reply. The contracting entity may take into consideration explanations which are justified on objective grounds relating to the economy of the construction or production method, or the technical solutions chosen, or the exceptionally favourable conditions available to the tenderer for the execution of the contract, or the originality of the product or the work proposed by the tenderer. Contracting entities may reject tenders which are abnormally low owing to the receipt of State aid only if they have consulted the tenderer and if the tenderer has not been able to show that the aid in question has been notified to the Commission pursuant to Article 93 (3) of the Treaty or has received the Commission's approval. Contracting entities which reject a tender under these circumstances shall inform the Commission thereof. Article 28 1. Article 27 (1) shall not apply where a Member State bases the award of contracts on other criteria within the framework of rules in force at the time of adoption of this Directive whose aim is to give preference to certain tenderers provided the rules invoked are compatible with the Treaty. 2. Without prejudice to paragraph 1, this Directive shall not prevent, until 31 December 1992, the application of national provisions in force on the award of supply or works contracts which have as their objective the reduction of regional disparities and the promotion of job creation in disadvantaged regions or those suffering from industrial decline, provided that the provisions concerned are compatible with the Treaty and with the Community's international obligations. Article 29 1. This Article shall apply to tenders comprising products originating in third countries with which the Community has not concluded, multilaterally or bilaterally, an agreement ensuring comparable and effective access for Community undertakings to the markets of those third countries. It shall be without prejudice to the obligations of the Community or its Member States in respect of third countries. 2. Any tender made for the award of a supply contract may be rejected where the proportion of the products originating in third countries, as determined in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 802/68 of 27 June 1968 on the common definition of the concept of the origin of goods(17), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3860/87(18), exceeds 50 % of the total value of the products constituting the tender. For the purposes of this Article, software used in the equipment of telecommunication networks shall be considered as products. 3. Subject to paragraph 4, where two or more tenders are equivalent in the light of the award criteria defined in Article 27, preference shall be given to the tenders which may not be rejected pursuant to paragraph 2. The prices of tenders shall be considered equivalent for the purposes of this Article, if the price difference does not exceed 3 %. 4. However, a tender shall not be preferred to another pursuant to paragraph 3 where its acceptance would oblige the contracting entity to acquire material having technical characteristics different from those of existing material, resulting in incompatibility or technical difficulties in operation and maintenance or disproportionate costs. 5. For the purposes, in this Article, of determining the proportion referred to in paragraph 2 of products originating in third countries, those third countries to which the benefit of the provisions of this Directive has been extended by a Council Decision in accordance with paragraph 1 shall not be taken into account. 6. The Commission shall submit an annual report to the Council (for the first time in the second half of 1991) on progress made in multilateral or bilateral negotiations regarding access for Community undertakings to the markets of third countries in the fields covered by this Directive, on any result which such negotiations may have achieved, and on the implementation in practice of all the agreements which have been concluded. The Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, may amend the provisions of this Article in the light of such developments.
Article 25 
1. Contracting entities which select candidates to tender in restricted procedures or to participate in negotiated procedures shall do so according to objective criteria and rules which they lay down and which they shall make available to interested suppliers or contractors. 2. The criteria used may include the criteria for exclusion specified in Article 23 of Directive 71/305/EEC and in Article 20 of Directive 77/62/EEC. 3. The criteria may be based on the objective need of the contracting entity to reduce the number of candidates to a level which is justified by the need to balance the particular characteristics of the contract award procedure and the resources required to complete it. The number of candidates selected must, however, take account of the need to ensure adequate competition. Article 26 Groupings of suppliers or contractors shall be permitted to tender or negotiate. The conversion of such groupings into a specific legal form shall not be required in order to submit a tender or to negotiate, but the grouping selected may be required so to convert itself once it has been awarded the contract where such conversion is necessary for the proper performance of the contract. Article 27 1. The criteria on which the contracting entities shall base the award of contracts shall be: (a)the most economically advantageous tender, involving various criteria depending on the contract in question, such as: delivery or completion date, running costs, cost-effectiveness, quality, aesthetic and functional characteristics, technical merit, after-sales service and technical assistance, commitments with regard to spare parts, security of supplies and price; or (b)the lowest price only. 2. In the case referred to in paragraph 1 (a), contracting entities shall state in the contract documents or in the tender notice all the criteria they intend to apply to the award, where possible in descending order of importance. 3. Where the criterion for the award of the contract is that of the most economically advantageous tender, contracting entities may take account of variants which are submitted by a tenderer and meet the minimum specifications required by the contracting entities. Contracting entities shall state in the contract documents the minimum specifications to be respected by the variants and any specific requirements for their presentation. Where variants are not permitted, they shall so indicate in the contract documents. 4. Contracting entities may not reject the presentation of a variant on the sole ground that it was drawn up on the basis of technical specifications defined with reference to European specifications or to national technical specifications recognized as complying with the essential requirements within the meaning of Directive 89/106/EEC. 5. If, for a given contract, tenders appear abnormally low in relation to the services, the contracting entity shall, before it may reject those tenders, request in writing details of the constituent elements of the tender which it considers relevant and shall verify those constituent elements taking account of the explanations received. It may set a reasonable period within which to reply. The contracting entity may take into consideration explanations which are justified on objective grounds relating to the economy of the construction or production method, or the technical solutions chosen, or the exceptionally favourable conditions available to the tenderer for the execution of the contract, or the originality of the product or the work proposed by the tenderer. Contracting entities may reject tenders which are abnormally low owing to the receipt of State aid only if they have consulted the tenderer and if the tenderer has not been able to show that the aid in question has been notified to the Commission pursuant to Article 93 (3) of the Treaty or has received the Commission's approval. Contracting entities which reject a tender under these circumstances shall inform the Commission thereof. Article 28 1. Article 27 (1) shall not apply where a Member State bases the award of contracts on other criteria within the framework of rules in force at the time of adoption of this Directive whose aim is to give preference to certain tenderers provided the rules invoked are compatible with the Treaty. 2. Without prejudice to paragraph 1, this Directive shall not prevent, until 31 December 1992, the application of national provisions in force on the award of supply or works contracts which have as their objective the reduction of regional disparities and the promotion of job creation in disadvantaged regions or those suffering from industrial decline, provided that the provisions concerned are compatible with the Treaty and with the Community's international obligations. Article 29 1. This Article shall apply to tenders comprising products originating in third countries with which the Community has not concluded, multilaterally or bilaterally, an agreement ensuring comparable and effective access for Community undertakings to the markets of those third countries. It shall be without prejudice to the obligations of the Community or its Member States in respect of third countries. 2. Any tender made for the award of a supply contract may be rejected where the proportion of the products originating in third countries, as determined in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 802/68 of 27 June 1968 on the common definition of the concept of the origin of goods(17), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3860/87(18), exceeds 50 % of the total value of the products constituting the tender. For the purposes of this Article, software used in the equipment of telecommunication networks shall be considered as products. 3. Subject to paragraph 4, where two or more tenders are equivalent in the light of the award criteria defined in Article 27, preference shall be given to the tenders which may not be rejected pursuant to paragraph 2. The prices of tenders shall be considered equivalent for the purposes of this Article, if the price difference does not exceed 3 %. 4. However, a tender shall not be preferred to another pursuant to paragraph 3 where its acceptance would oblige the contracting entity to acquire material having technical characteristics different from those of existing material, resulting in incompatibility or technical difficulties in operation and maintenance or disproportionate costs. 5. For the purposes, in this Article, of determining the proportion referred to in paragraph 2 of products originating in third countries, those third countries to which the benefit of the provisions of this Directive has been extended by a Council Decision in accordance with paragraph 1 shall not be taken into account. 6. The Commission shall submit an annual report to the Council (for the first time in the second half of 1991) on progress made in multilateral or bilateral negotiations regarding access for Community undertakings to the markets of third countries in the fields covered by this Directive, on any result which such negotiations may have achieved, and on the implementation in practice of all the agreements which have been concluded. The Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, may amend the provisions of this Article in the light of such developments.