Press Release: Public procurement: Commission requests Slovakia to review legal services contracts for motorway construction projects

The European Commission decided to send a formal request to Slovakia concerning the award of a legal services contract in 2007 in the context of the D1 motorway and R1 expressway construction project. In the Commission's view, these contracts were awarded without a sufficient level of advertising as required under EU public procurement rules. This formal request takes the form of a 'reasoned opinion', the second stage of the infringement procedure laid down in Article 226 of the EC Treaty. If there is no satisfactory reply within two months, the Commission may refer the matter to the European Court of Justice.