IP/09/999
Brussels, 25 June 2009
Public contracts: the Commission decides to take Greece to the European Court
The European Commission has decided to bring Greece before the European Court of Justice on the basis of Article 228 of the EC Treaty. The Hellenic Republic has failed to take steps to comply with the Court's judgment of 18 December 2007 in Case C-481/06 on the conformity of Greek legislation, which allows a negotiated procedure to be used without a prior call for tenders for public contracts for the supply of certain types of medical equipment.
Article 228 provides that in bringing the case before the Court of Justice the Commission must specify the amount of the lump sum or penalty payment to be paid by the Member State concerned which it considers appropriate in the circumstances. According to the same article, if the Court of Justice finds that the Member State concerned has not complied with its judgment it may impose a lump sum or penalty on it.
The latest information on infringement proceedings against the Member States is available on the following site:
