New threshold amounts for European public procurement contracts as of 1 January 2016

A few days ago the European Commission announced the new threshold amounts to the Member States for the publication of public procurement contracts in the Official Journal of the Europe Union. These contracts are also subject to stricter competition rules and apply for the following Directives:

• 2004/17 (public utilities procurement),
• 2004/18 (procurement of public contracts (in other sectors),
• 2009/81 (defence and security public procurement),
• 2014/24 (procurement of public contracts (in other sectors),
• 2014/25 (public utilities procurement) and
• 2014/23 (procurement of concession contracts).

1. Works contracts As of 1 January 2016, the threshold will be increased to 5,225,000.00 EUR for public contracts in the utilities sectors, in the defence and security sector, as well as in all other sectors instead of 5,186,000.00 EUR.   2. Supply contracts The new threshold amounts to 135,000.00 EUR for supply contracts in the classic sectors of centralised government authorities, such as the Buildings Authority, instead of 134,000.00 EUR. In the case of decentralised government authorities - local administrations, for example - the threshold amount will be increased to 209,000.00 EUR instead of 207,000.00 EUR.   For supply contracts in the utility sectors, the threshold amount will be raised from 414,000.00 EUR to 418,000.00 EUR. The same applies for contracts in the defence and security sector.   3. Service contracts  For service contracts, the same new thresholds apply as for supply contracts. So in sectors other than the public utilities, defence or security sector this results in a threshold amount of 135,000.00 EUR instead of 134,000.00 EUR for centralised government authorities and 209,000.00 EUR instead of 207,000.00 EUR for decentralised government authorities. In the utility sectors and defence and security sector, the new threshold amount is raised from 414,000.00 EUR to 418,000.00 EUR.

For more information on this topic, you can consult Virginie Monteyne-Jadoul (author) and Kris Lemmens (unit head).