2026–2027 EU procurement thresholds at a glance (1 January 2026 – 31 December 2027, net of VAT): EUR 140,000 for central-government supplies and services, EUR 216,000 for sub-central buyers, EUR 5,404,000 for works and concessions, EUR 432,000 for utilities and defence supplies and services, and EUR 750,000 for social and other specific services (EUR 1,000,000 for utilities).
What Are EU Procurement Thresholds?
EU procurement thresholds are the contract value limits above which public buyers must follow the full EU procurement directives and publish notices on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily). Below these thresholds, national procurement rules apply — which are typically lighter but still governed by EU Treaty principles of transparency, equal treatment, and proportionality.
Understanding thresholds is critical for suppliers because they determine where opportunities are published, what procedures apply, and what rights you have as a bidder. Above-threshold contracts offer stronger legal protections, standardised procedures, and guaranteed cross-border access.
Current Threshold Values (2026–2027)
The European Commission revises the thresholds every two years so they keep matching the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) as exchange rates move. The current values apply from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027 (Commission Delegated Regulations (EU) 2025/2150, 2025/2151 and 2025/2152, and 2025/2487 for defence). They are in euros, net of VAT, and a contract is covered when its estimated value is equal to or greater than the threshold:
Classic Directive (2014/24/EU)
| Contract Type | Central Government | Sub-Central Government |
|---|---|---|
| Supplies (goods) | EUR 140,000 | EUR 216,000 |
| Services | EUR 140,000 | EUR 216,000 |
| Works | EUR 5,404,000 | EUR 5,404,000 |
| Social and other specific services (Annex XIV) | EUR 750,000 | EUR 750,000 |
Utilities Directive (2014/25/EU)
| Contract Type | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Supplies (goods) | EUR 432,000 |
| Services | EUR 432,000 |
| Works | EUR 5,404,000 |
| Social and other specific services | EUR 1,000,000 |
Concessions Directive (2014/23/EU)
| Contract Type | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Works concessions | EUR 5,404,000 |
| Services concessions | EUR 5,404,000 |
Defence Directive (2009/81/EC)
| Contract Type | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Supplies and services | EUR 432,000 |
| Works | EUR 5,404,000 |
What changed on 1 January 2026
| Threshold | 2024–2025 | 2026–2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Central government supplies and services | EUR 143,000 | EUR 140,000 |
| Sub-central supplies and services | EUR 221,000 | EUR 216,000 |
| Utilities and defence supplies and services | EUR 443,000 | EUR 432,000 |
| Works and concessions | EUR 5,538,000 | EUR 5,404,000 |
| Social and other specific services | EUR 750,000 / 1,000,000 | unchanged |
All four headline values went down slightly, so a few contracts that were below the line in 2025 now have to follow the full EU rules.
National-currency equivalents (2026–2027)
Member states outside the euro area apply official equivalents fixed by the Commission for the same two years (Communication C/2025/5732, published 23 October 2025):
| Currency | EUR 140,000 | EUR 216,000 | EUR 432,000 | EUR 5,404,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swedish krona (SEK) | 1,589,140 | 2,451,816 | 4,903,632 | 61,340,804 |
| Danish krone (DKK) | 1,044,400 | 1,611,360 | 3,222,720 | 40,313,840 |
| Polish złoty (PLN) | 603,400 | 930,960 | 1,861,920 | 23,291,240 |
| Czech koruna (CZK) | 3,491,320 | 5,386,608 | 10,773,216 | 134,764,952 |
| Hungarian forint (HUF) | 55,412,840 | 85,494,096 | 170,988,192 | 2,138,935,624 |
| Romanian leu (RON) | 698,460 | 1,077,624 | 2,155,248 | 26,960,556 |
Outside the EU
Switzerland sets its own treaty thresholds in francs, unchanged for 2026–2027: CHF 230,000 for federal supplies and services and CHF 8,700,000 for works (Federal Act on Public Procurement, Annex 4). The UK has its own thresholds under the Procurement Act 2023, quoted including VAT — see our Procurement Act 2023 guide.
When Is TED Publication Mandatory?
Publication on TED is mandatory whenever the estimated contract value (net of VAT) equals or exceeds the applicable threshold. This means:
- The contracting authority must publish a Contract Notice on TED before launching the procurement
- A contract award notice must be sent for publication no later than 30 days after the contract (or framework agreement) is concluded
- Full EU procedural rules apply — minimum deadlines, ESPD, standstill period, remedies
Below the threshold, authorities publish on national portals only and follow national rules, which vary significantly between member states. Some countries require national advertising well below EU levels; others, including the Netherlands, allow unadvertised quotation procedures for many below-threshold contracts.
Entity Types: Central vs Sub-Central vs Utilities
The threshold that applies depends on who is buying:
Central Government Authorities
Ministries, departments, and agencies listed in Annex I of Directive 2014/24/EU. These have the lowest thresholds (EUR 140,000 for supplies/services) because they are the entities most directly bound by GPA commitments.
Sub-Central Government Authorities
Regional governments, municipalities, publicly-owned bodies, and other contracting authorities not listed in Annex I. Their higher threshold (EUR 216,000 for supplies/services) mirrors the higher GPA threshold for sub-central entities.
Utilities
Entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal sectors that are contracting authorities or public undertakings, or private companies operating on the basis of special or exclusive rights. Utilities have the highest thresholds (EUR 432,000 for supplies/services) because these sectors were historically less open to competition and the higher threshold balances regulatory burden with market opening.
How to Determine the Entity Type
In practice, the contracting authority self-classifies. In TED eForms notices (mandatory since 25 October 2023), the Buyer section states the buyer's legal type, for example central government authority or regional authority. If you are unsure whether an entity is central or sub-central government, check Annex I of Directive 2014/24/EU, which lists the specific bodies for each member state.
Threshold Calculation Rules
Getting the estimated value right is essential — both for contracting authorities (to determine their obligations) and for suppliers (to understand which rules apply). Key calculation principles:
Total Value Including Options and Renewals
The estimated value must include the total amount payable over the contract's full duration, including any optional extensions, renewal periods, prizes, or payments to candidates. A 3-year service contract worth EUR 60,000/year with a 2-year optional extension is valued at EUR 300,000 (5 years total) — above the central government threshold.
Lot Aggregation
When a procurement is divided into lots, the estimated values of all lots must be aggregated to determine whether the threshold is reached. This prevents artificial splitting to avoid EU rules. If the aggregate exceeds the threshold, EU rules apply to every lot — even individually small ones.
The 80/20 Rule for Lots
There is an important exception: contracting authorities may award certain small lots without applying the full EU procedures, provided that:
- The individual lot value is below EUR 80,000 (for supplies/services) or EUR 1,000,000 (for works), AND
- The aggregate value of exempted lots does not exceed 20% of the total procurement value
This "80/20 rule" gives authorities flexibility for minor lots while maintaining overall compliance. Suppliers should note that these small lots may still be published on national portals.
Anti-Splitting Rules
EU law explicitly prohibits splitting a procurement into smaller contracts to circumvent thresholds. Article 5(3) of Directive 2014/24/EU states: "The choice of the method used to calculate the estimated value of a procurement shall not be made with the intention of excluding it from the scope of this Directive." Auditors and review bodies actively monitor for artificial splitting.
Regular Recurring Purchases
For supplies or services that are purchased regularly or renewed within a defined period, the estimated value must be based on either:
- The aggregate value of similar contracts awarded over the preceding 12 months (adjusted for anticipated changes), OR
- The estimated aggregate value over the 12 months following the first delivery
Sub-Threshold National Rules Overview
Below EU thresholds, each member state sets its own rules. The variation is significant:
- Germany: Below EU thresholds, federal buyers follow the UVgO for supplies and services and VOB/A Section 1 for works. Since 1 July 2026 federal buyers may award directly up to EUR 50,000; the Länder and municipalities set their own value limits.
- France: Formalised procedures start only at the EU thresholds. Below them, adapted procedures (MAPA) apply, and supplies and services under EUR 60,000 (since 1 April 2026) and works under EUR 100,000 (EUR 140,000 from 1 January 2027) can be awarded without advertising (Décret n° 2025-1386).
- Netherlands: Below EU thresholds, the Aanbestedingswet 2012 lets buyers choose, and justify in writing, between a nationally advertised procedure and a private procedure with one or more quotes.
- Spain: Minor contracts (contratos menores) below EUR 15,000 for supplies/services or EUR 40,000 for works can be awarded without competitive procedure.
- Italy: Direct award (affidamento diretto) is permitted below EUR 140,000 for supplies and services and below EUR 150,000 for works (Legislative Decree 36/2023).
These sub-threshold contracts represent a huge portion of total procurement spending — some estimates suggest 60-70% by number of contracts. TenderRadar monitors national portals to surface these opportunities alongside TED notices.
Threshold Revision Cycle
The Commission recalculates the thresholds every two years, with effect from 1 January. The 2026–2027 values were adopted on 22 October 2025 and published the next day (the defence values followed on 4 December 2025). Revisions reflect:
- Exchange rate fluctuations between the euro and the SDR (Special Drawing Rights) used in the GPA
- The GPA thresholds themselves, which are fixed in SDR and rarely change; the biennial revision mainly re-converts them into euros at the 24-month average exchange rate
Supply and service thresholds usually move by a few thousand euros (EUR 143,000 to EUR 140,000 in 2026), but the works threshold can move by six figures (EUR 5,538,000 to EUR 5,404,000), enough to shift borderline contracts across the line. The current values apply until 31 December 2027; the next revision takes effect on 1 January 2028.
Practical Implications for Suppliers
- Above threshold = TED: If you only monitor TED, you are only seeing above-threshold contracts — potentially missing the majority of opportunities by number
- Know your buyer's classification: The same EUR 200,000 contract is above threshold for central government but below threshold for sub-central government — affecting where it is published and what rules apply
- Watch for threshold changes: A contract just below the threshold in one cycle may cross it in the next, changing the applicable rules entirely
- Use lot structure strategically: Understand how lots are structured and whether the 80/20 rule applies — it may affect your bidding strategy