EC Opens Infringement Against Romania Over Public Procurement In Road Rehabilitation Tender

The European Commission announced Thursday it has triggered infringement procedures over Romania”s failure to comply with EU public procurement rules in the auction for the rehabilitation of a national road.

„The European Commission has today requested that Romania comply fully with the European Directives on public procurement,” the EC said in a statement Thursday.

The Commission argues that the public procurement procedure for the rehabilitation of a national road between Crasna and Iasi breached Directives 2004/18/EC and 89/665/EEC.

The tender procedure, managed by the Romanian roads authority CNANDR, was conducted on the basis of a national law which was later found to be incompatible with European rules on public procurement, therefore essential information from the contract notice was missing and bidders were deprived of their full right to effective review, the Commission noted.

The Commission’s request takes the form of a reasoned opinion under EU infringement procedures. Unless Romania takes measures to comply to EU law in this case within two months, the Commission may decide to refer the country to the European Court of Justice.