Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 25 October 2012 — Astrim and Elyo Italia v Commission

(Case T-216/09)

Public service contracts — Tendering procedure — Maintenance services for air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems — Ispra Joint Research Centre — Rejection of a tenderer’s bid — Interpretation of a condition laid down in the contract specifications — Duty to state reasons

1.                     EU public contracts — Conclusion of a contract following a call for tenders — Discretion of the institutions — Judicial review — Limits (see paras 17-21)

2.                     EU public contracts — Conclusion of a contract following a call for tenders — Obligation on an institution to exercise its option to make contact with a tenderer after the opening of tenders — Condition — Exercise in compliance with the principles of sound administration, equal treatment, proportionality and legal certainty (Council Regulation No 1605/2002, Arts 89 and 92; Commission Regulation No 2342/2002, Art. 148(3)) (see paras 22-25, 38, 39, 42, 43)

3.                     EU public contracts — Tender procedure — Duty to comply with the principle of equal treatment of tenderers — Need to ensure equal opportunities and comply with the principle of transparency — Scope (see paras 34-37)

4.                     Proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Identification of the subject-matter of the dispute — Summary statement of pleas (Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 44(1)(c)) (see para. 47)

5.                     Acts of the institutions — Statement of reasons — Obligation — Scope — Decision, in the award of a public contract, not to accept a tender (Art. 253 EC; Council Regulation No 1605/2002, Art. 100(2); Commission Regulation No 2342/2002, Art. 149(3)) (see paras 82-85)

6.                     EU public contracts — Tender procedure — Obligation to reject ambiguous tenders — Scope (Council Regulation No 1605/2002, Art. 99; Commission Regulation No 2342/2002, Arts 139(1) and 148) (see paras 93-95, 102, 103)

Re:

Operative part

The Court: