What are Procurement Thresholds?
Procurement thresholds are legally defined contract values that determine whether national or European procurement law applies. They form the boundary between the national procurement regime and the EU procurement regime.
Current EU Thresholds (2024-2025)
Key thresholds include: works contracts at 5,538,000 EUR, federal supply/service contracts at 143,000 EUR, state/municipal supply/service contracts at 221,000 EUR, sector entity contracts at 443,000 EUR, and concessions at 5,538,000 EUR.
Significance
Above thresholds, EU-wide publication in TED is mandatory, strict procedure rules under GWB/VgV apply, and legal protection through procurement chambers is available. Below thresholds, national rules (UVgO, VOB/A Section 1) apply with shorter deadlines and more flexible procedures.
Calculating Contract Value
Strict rules apply: the net value (excluding VAT) is relevant, all options and extensions must be included, artificial splitting to circumvent thresholds is prohibited, and for framework agreements, the maximum value over the entire duration applies.
Review Cycle
The EU Commission reviews thresholds every two years, aligning them with the GPA (Government Procurement Agreement). Changes take effect on January 1st.