(1)

By Decision 2014/115/EU (2), the Council approved the Protocol amending the Agreement on Government Procurement (3) (‘the Agreement’) concluded in the framework of the World Trade Organization. The Agreement is a plurilateral instrument and its purpose is to mutually open government procurement markets among its parties. It applies to any procurement contract with a value that reaches or exceeds the amounts (‘thresholds’) set in it and expressed as special drawing rights.

(2)

One of the objectives of Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) is to allow the contracting entities and the contracting authorities, which apply that Directive, to comply at the same time with the obligations laid down in the Agreement. In accordance with Article 17 of Directive 2014/25/EU every two years the Commission is to verify that the thresholds set out in points (a) and (b) of Article 15 of that Directive correspond to the thresholds established in the Agreement and is to, where necessary, revise them.

(3)

The thresholds laid down in Directive 2014/25/EU have been revised. In accordance with Article 68(1) of Directive 2009/81/EC, the thresholds laid down in that Directive are to be aligned to the revised thresholds laid down in Directive 2014/25/EU.

(4)

Directive 2009/81/EC should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

in point (a), ‘EUR 443 000’ is replaced by ‘EUR 428 000’;

(2)

in point (b), ‘EUR 5 548 000’ is replaced by ‘EUR 5 350 000’.