Keywords
Summary

Keywords

1. Approximation of laws — Procedures for the award of public service contracts — Directive 92/50 — Scope — Public service concession covering the management of a public pay car park — Excluded

(Council Directive 92/50)

2. Community law — Principles — Equal treatment — Discrimination on the ground of nationality — Freedom of establishment — Freedom to provide services — Treaty provisions — Scope — Public service concession contracts — Included — Limits — Specific case

(Arts 12 EC, 43 EC and 49 EC)

Summary

1. The award, by a public authority to a service provider, of the management of a public pay car park, in consideration for which that provider is remunerated by sums paid by third parties for the use of that car park, is a public service concession to which Directive 92/50 relating to the coordination of procedures for the award of public service contracts does not apply.

(see para. 43, operative part 1)

2. Public authorities concluding public service concession contracts are bound to comply with the fundamental rules of the EC Treaty, in general, particularly Articles 43 EC and 49 EC, and the principle of non-discrimination on the ground of nationality set out in Article 12 EC, which are specific expressions of the general principle of equal treatment. The principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination on grounds of nationality imply, in particular, a duty of transparency which consists in ensuring, for the benefit of any potential tenderer, a degree of advertising sufficient to enable the service concession to be opened up to competition and the impartiality of procurement procedures to be reviewed.

However, the application of the rules set out in Articles 12 EC, 43 EC and 49 EC, as well as the general principles of which they are the specific expression, is precluded if the control exercised over the concessionaire by the concession-granting public authority is similar to that which the authority exercises over its own departments and if, at the same time, that entity carries out the essential part of its activities with the controlling authority.

The aforementioned provisions and principles preclude, in that regard, a public authority from awarding, without putting it out to competition, a public service concession to a company limited by shares resulting from the conversion of a special undertaking of that public authority, a company whose objects have been extended to significant new areas, whose capital must obligatorily be opened in the short term to other capital, the geographical area of whose activities has been extended to the entire country and abroad, and whose Administrative Board possesses very broad management powers which it can exercise independently.

(see paras 46-49, 62, 72, operative part 2)