4. In the context of an award procedure, the contracting authority/entity may not include economic operators other than those which made a request to participate, or candidates without the requisite capabilities.

Where a Member State provides that any application for review of a decision of a contracting authority/entity taken in the context of, or in relation to, a contract award procedure falling within the scope of this Directive must be made before the expiry of a specified period, this period shall be at least 10 calendar days with effect from the day following the date on which the decision of the contracting authority/entity is sent to the tenderer or candidate if fax or electronic means are used or, if other means of communication are ...[+++]used, this period shall be either at least 15 calendar days with effect from the day following the date on which the decision of the contracting authority/entity is sent to the tenderer or candidate or at least 10 calendar days with effect from the day following the date of the receipt of the decision of the contracting authority/entity.

EUROPA - EU law and publications - EUR-Lex - EUR-Lex - 32009L0081 - EN - Directive 2009/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on the coordination of procedures for the award of certain works contracts, supply contracts and service contracts by contracting authorities or entities in the fields of defence and security, and amending Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC (Text with EEA relevance) - DIRECTIVE 2009/81/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL // of 13 July 2009 // on the coordination of procedures for the award of certain works contracts, supply contracts and service contracts by contracting ...[+++] authorities or entities in the fields of defence and security, and amending Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC // Services referred to in Articles 2 and 15 // Services referred to in Articles 2 and 16 // Definition of certain technical specifications referred to in Article 18 // Information to be included in the notices referred to in Article 30 // Information to be included in the subcontract notices referred to in Article 52 // FEATURES CONCERNING PUBLICATION // REGISTERS - ( // Requirements relating to devices for the electronic receipt of requests to participate and tenders

This exclusion means also that in the specific context of defence and security markets, Member States retain the power to decide whether or not their contracting authority/entity may allow economic operators from third countries to participate in contract award procedures.

The award of contracts concluded in the Member States by contracting entities as referred to in Directive 2004/17/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors and by contracting authorities as referred to in Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts is subject to compliance with the principles of the Treaty and in particular the free movement of goods ...[+++], the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services, and with the principles deriving therefrom, such as the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination, mutual recognition, proportionality and transparency.

Once again we see the handover of power in Hong Kong has generally gone very well and has defeated some of the more pessimistic forecasts.