Prospective Regulatory Framework For Public Procurement Takes Shape

On 29 August 2011, 2 laws of 5 August 2011 amending the Law of 15 June 2006 on public contracts and certain contracts for works, supplies and services (Wet overheidsopdrachten en bepaalde opdrachten voor werken, leveringen en diensten van 15 juni 2006/Loi du 15 juin 2006 relative aux marchés publics et à certains marchés de travaux, de fournitures et de services - the "Law of 15 June 2006") were published in the Belgian Official Journal.

The first amending law, entitled Law of 5 August 2011 amending the Law of 15 June 2006 on public contracts and certain contracts for works, supplies and services (Wet van 5 augustus 2011 tot wijziging van de Wet overheidsopdrachten en bepaalde opdrachten voor werken, leveringen en diensten van 15 juni 2006/Loi du 5 août 2011 modifiant la Loi du 15 juin 2006 relative aux marchés publics et à certains marchés de travaux, de fournitures et de services) brings about numerous changes to the Law of 15 June 2006 in order to implement partially into Belgian law (i) Directive 2004/18/EC of 31 March 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts; and (ii) Directive 2004/17/EC coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors. Amongst other things, this first amending law extends and amends the lists of definitions contained in Articles 2 through 4 of the Law of 15 June 2006.

The second amending law, entitled Law of 5 August 2011 amending Article 80 of the Law of 15 June 2006 on public contracts and certain contracts for works, supplies and services (Wet van 5 augustus 2011 tot wijziging van artikel 80 van de Wet overheidsopdrachten en bepaalde opdrachten voor werken, leveringen en diensten van 15 juni 2006/Loi du 5 août 2011 modifiant l'article 80 de la Loi du 15 juin 2006 relative aux marchés publics et à certains marchés de travaux, de fournitures et de services) complements Article 80 of the Law of 15 June 2006 with 3 indents. The amended provision now authorises the King to adopt rules concerning the reasoning, information and legal remedies with respect to decisions taken on the basis of the Law of 15 June 2006.

At the same time, the preparations of the various...