Contracts covered by the Procurement Directives

This document replaces the brief that was originally published in January 2011. The EU Public Procurement Directives cover three main types of contract: works, supplies and services including design contests. Some contracts will often contain elements of one or more of the 3 types of contract. The Directives contain specific rules that are used to classify these mixed contracts. A number of contracts are entirely excluded from the scope of the Directives, either because of their nature or because they are the subject of different systems of regulation or administration. Even if not excluded, contracts will only be subject to the provisions of the Directives where their value exceeds the relevant EU financial threshold. SIGMA Brief 4 gives an overview of the different types of contract, on contract classification as well as exemptions from the scope of the Directives.