Public procurement: services, supply and public work contracts (amend. Directives 92/50/EEC, 93/36/EEC, 93/37/EEC)

In adopting the report by Mr Werner LANGEN (PPE, D), the European Parliament approved the Commission proposal concerning the coordination of procedures for the award of public service contracts, public supply contracts and public works contracts respectively, subject to the following substantial amendments: - in the case of 'research and development' services not covered by the public procurement agreement, the directive applies only to public contracts whose estimated worth excluding VAT is ECU 200 000 or more; - the contracting authorities are authorized to request or to accept from a business enterprise an opinion with a view to establishing the specifications relative to a contract, provided this opinion does not have the effect of preventing competition; - the European Parliament does not adopt the general principle of an obligation to inform unsuccessful candidates of the characteristics and advantages of the successful tender, but proposes that there should be no difference in the treatment of Community and third-country businesses and that information on the successful offer should only be allowed to be given if this is not damaging to the public interest, commercial interests or competition; - the EP proposes not to go beyond the terms of the GATT agreement and not to leave it to the Commission to decide on the nature of the statistical information required by the directive. �