Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 13 June 2019

1. Action for annulmentActionable measuresMeasures producing binding legal effectsMeasures altering the applicant's legal situation

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see paras 33, 35)

2. Action for annulmentActionable measuresMeasures producing binding legal effectsAssessment of those effects by reference to the substance of the measure

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see para. 34)

3. European Union public contractsConclusion of a contract following a call for tendersAbnormally low offerObligation to state reasonsScope

(Art. 296, second para. TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 966/2012, Art. 113(2); Commission Regulation No 1268/2012, Art 151(1) and (2) and 161(2) and (3))

(see para. 44)

4. Acts of the institutionsStatement of reasonsObligationScopeAssessment of the duty to state reasons by reference to the circumstances of the case

(Art. 296, second para. TFEU)

(see paras 45, 48)

5. European Union public contractsConclusion of a contract following a call for tendersAbnormally low offerObligation on the contracting authority to examine the abnormally low nature of the tenderScopeElements to be taken into consideration

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 966/2012; Commission Regulation No 1268/2012, Art. 151(1) and (2))

(see paras 60, 62, 64, 114, 122, 123)

6. European Union public contractsConclusion of a contract following a call for tendersAbnormally low offerObligation on the awarding authority to implement an inter partes verification procedureScope

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 966/2012; Commission Regulation No 1268/2012, Art. 151(1))

(see para. 63)

7. European Union public contractsConclusion of a contract following a call for tendersDiscretion of the institutionsJudicial reviewLimits

(see para. 65)

8. Action for annulmentPleas in lawAction against a decision rejecting a tender submitted by a tenderer in the context of a public procurement procedure launched by an EU institutionPlea in law alleging a manifest error of assessment on the part of the contracting authorityBurden of proof incumbent on the applicant

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see para. 66)

9. EU lawPrinciplesPrinciple of sound administrationDuty of diligenceScope

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41)

(see para. 113)

10. Judicial proceedingsApplication initiating proceedingsFormal requirementsBrief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is basedAbstract statementInadmissibility

(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para. and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))

(see para. 127)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU for annulment, first, of the Parliament decision of 19 April 2018 to maintain in force its decision of 24 November 2017 rejecting the applicant’s tender and awarding to five tenderers a framework contract involving general contractor works for Parliament buildings in Brussels (call for tenders 06D 20/2017/M036) and, secondly, of the addendum to the Parliament’s tender assessment report of 26 March 2018.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Strabag Belgium to pay the costs, including those related to the interlocutory proceedings.