31/87
Beentjes | 38 + 40-44 | W1-20
W1-26.1.a-b
W1-26.1.c-e
W1-26.2
W1-29.1
W1-29.2
W1-29.3
W1-29.4
W1-29.5.1-2
W1-29.5.3
ECT-249 [ex 189] | 38 The third question seeks in substance to establish whether Articles 20, 26 and 29 of Directive 71/305 may be relied upon by individuals before the national courts.
40 Furthermore, the Court has consistently held (see most recently the judgment of 26 February 1986 in Case 152/84 Marshall v Southampton and South-West Hampshire Health Authority (( 1986 )) ECR 723 ) that where the provisions of a directive appear, as far as their subject-matter is concerned, to be unconditional and sufficiently precise, those provisions may be relied on by individuals against the State where that State fails to implement the directive in national law within the prescribed period or where it fails to implement the directive correctly.
41 It is therefore necessary to consider whether the provisions of Directive 71/305 in question are, as far as their subject-matter is concerned, unconditional and sufficiently precise to be relied on by an individual against the State.
42 As the Court held in its judgment of 10 February 1982 in Case 76/81 Transporoute v Minister for Public Works (( 1982 )) ECR 417, in relation to Article 29, the directive' s rules regarding participation and advertising are intended to protect tenderers against arbitrariness on the part of the authority awarding contracts.
43 To this end, as has been stated in relation to the reply to the second question, the rules in question provide inter alia that in checking the suitability of contractors the awarding authorities must apply criteria of economic and financial standing and technical knowledge and ability, and that the contract is to be awarded either solely on the basis of the lowest price or on the basis of several criteria relating to the tender. They also set out the requirements regarding publication of the criteria adopted by the awarding authorities and the references to be produced. Since no specific implementing measure is necessary for compliance with these requirements, the resulting obligations for the Member States are therefore unconditional and sufficiently precise.
44 In reply to the third question it should therefore be stated that the provisions of Articles 20, 26 and 29 of Directive 71/305 may be relied on by an individual before the national courts. |
