Turkish companies wishing to enter public tenders in Europe face both a significant opportunity and a serious set of regulations as of 2026. The good news is: If you read the rules correctly, it is possible to access billions of euros worth of projects within the EU. The bad news is; these rules are detailed, technical, and often proceed through legal texts in English.
In this article, we will explain step by step the updated EU tender thresholds for the 2026–2027 period, where to find tenders, who can participate, and the application steps. We will also summarize how tenders will shift from being “price-focused” to “green and social” criteria after 2026.
The Basic Logic of EU Public Procurement: Which Rules Bind You?
The “constitution” of public tenders in Europe is based on three main EU directives:
- Directive 2014/24/EU – Public Contracts Directive
Covers classic public administrations such as ministries, municipalities, and public institutions. - Directive 2014/25/EU – Utilities Directive
Covers infrastructure and public service providers such as water, energy, transportation, and postal services. - Directive 2014/23/EU – Concessions Directive
Regulates build-operate-transfer and similar concession contracts.
These directives introduce common rules across the EU for all public procurements above certain monetary threshold values. The basic principles are:
- Transparency – Tender announcements must be clear and accessible, and criteria must be predetermined.
- Non-discrimination – No barriers can be placed on foreigners to protect domestic firms.
- Equal treatment and competition – The same information and opportunities must be provided to all bidders.
Tenders below the threshold values are primarily subject to national regulations (for example, Germany, France, the Netherlands, etc. have their own tender legislation). However, the fundamental principles of the EU – equal treatment, transparency, and non-discrimination – cannot be completely ignored even in these small tenders.
2026–2027 Period EU Tender Thresholds: What Amount Triggers EU Rules?
The EU Commission updates the tender thresholds every two years under the WTO GPA agreement. The new threshold values accepted for the 2026–2027 period will apply to tenders initiated from January 1, 2026.
Public Contracts Directive (2014/24/EU) – Classic Public Administrations
- Construction works (public works contracts): €5,404,000
- Supply and service purchases – central administrations (ministries, etc.): €140,000
- Supply and service purchases – local/administrative authorities (municipalities, etc.): €216,000
- Social and certain other services (Annex XIV, “light-touch regime”): €750,000 (threshold unchanged)
Utilities Directive (2014/25/EU) – Water, Energy, Transportation, Postal Services
- Construction works: €5,404,000
- Supply and service purchases + design contests: €432,000
- Some social and other specific services (Annex XVII): €1,000,000
Concessions Directive (2014/23/EU) – Concession Contracts
- Concessions (concession contracts): €5,404,000
Overall, most thresholds for the 2026–2027 period have been slightly lowered compared to the previous period. This means that more tenders will be subject to the strict transparency and competition rules at the EU level.
Example Threshold Table (Summary)
- Construction works (all directives): €5,404,000
- Central administration goods/services: €140,000
- Local administration goods/services: €216,000
- Utilities goods/services: €432,000
- Concessions: €5,404,000
- Social and certain services: €750,000 – €1,000,000 range
Tenders exceeding these amounts are generally announced across the EU and open participation from other member states (and in most cases, third countries under the GPA).
How to Find Tenders in Europe? TED and National Portals
Tenders Electronic Daily (TED): The EU’s Central Tender Platform
Most EU public tenders are announced on TED – Tenders Electronic Daily, which is the online supplement of the Official Journal of the European Union. In particular:
- All goods, services, construction works, and concession contracts above the threshold,
- Many large funded projects (e.g., infrastructure, digitalization, energy transition),
- Direct purchases by EU institutions and agencies
are included here.
When searching on TED, the following filtering tools can be very useful:
- Country (e.g., Germany, Netherlands, France)
- CPV code (Common Procurement Vocabulary – e.g., 45000000: construction works, 72000000: IT services)
- Contract type (works, supplies, services, concessions)
- Estimated contract value (threshold below/above filtering)
- Procedure type (open, restricted, negotiated, etc.)
National e-Procurement Portals and Sectoral Platforms
Each EU member state has its own national e-procurement portal. Tenders below the threshold are mostly published in these systems and may not always reflect on TED. For example:
- A municipality’s small-scale service procurement may only be announced on the national platform.
- Sectors such as health, defense, and transportation may have their own specific procurement portals.
A strategic approach can be beneficial:
- Regularly monitor TED for medium and large-scale projects.
- Subscribe to the relevant national tender portals for your target country markets.
- In sectors like utilities (energy, water, transportation) or defense, also check the announcements of network operators and agencies.
Who Can Participate in Tenders in Europe?
Access for EU Companies and Non-EU Companies
According to the logic of the EU internal market, companies established in all EU member states have the right to participate in public tenders of other member states on equal terms. There can be no distinction between domestic and foreign firms; practices such as “points in favor of domestic firms” are generally prohibited.
When it comes to countries outside the EU (e.g., Turkey), the situation is as follows:
- Many tenders are also open to third country firms under the WTO GPA to which the EU is a party.
- This access is explicitly stated in the tender documents. In some cases, you may only see tender conditions open to EU/EEA firms.
- In practice, many Turkish firms either participate directly or enter the tender by forming a consortium/joint venture with a local EU company.
Typical Eligibility Criteria
In each tender document, you will see details under the heading “eligibility / selection criteria”; however, the general framework is as follows:
- Legal status:
- Company incorporation documents, trade registry records
- Signature circulars or similar documents of authorized representatives
- Financial capacity:
- Specific annual turnover requirements (usually in the range of 1–3 times the tender amount)
- Balance sheets and income statements from recent years
- Technical and professional capacity:
- Completed reference projects of similar size and scope
- Qualified personnel, certifications, quality documents (ISO, sectoral competencies)
- Tax and social security status:
- Declarations and/or official documents stating that there are no tax debts and social security premium debts
Correctly structuring these documents, having them translated into the target country language if necessary, and preparing them for digital submission is one of the most critical steps in the tender process.
Tender Procedure Types: What Format Will You Encounter?
The most common tender procedures under Directive 2014/24/EU are as follows:
1. Open Procedure
This is a one-stage procedure where all bidders can submit offers directly. Generally:
- It is the most accessible gateway for SMEs and companies entering new markets.
- There is a flow of announcement – Q&A – submission of offers – evaluation – results.
2. Restricted Procedure
- First, a pre-qualification stage is conducted.
- Those selected from firms that pass this stage are invited to submit technical and financial offers.
- It is quite common in large-scale and complex projects.
3. Competitive Procedure with Negotiation / Competitive Dialogue
- These are procedures involving negotiation or dialogue with the administration.
- Used for projects requiring very complex or innovative solutions.
4. Innovation Partnership
- Used when the administration needs a product or service that involves R&D and innovation and does not have a ready solution in the market.
- Both development and subsequent supply are carried out within the same framework.
Understanding which procedure you are in is the first step in determining your bidding strategy and timeline.
Step by Step: How to Prepare for a Tender in Europe?
1. Preliminary Preparation: Company and Documents
- Identify your target markets (by country and sector).
- Gather company incorporation documents, financial statements, and references in a standard tender folder.
- If necessary, have your documents translated into English and/or the relevant country language.
- Establish a structure compatible with the competency documents used in tenders in Europe (e.g., ESPD – European Single Procurement Document).
2. Opportunity Detection: Tender Search and Filtering
- Search on TED using CPV codes and set up email alerts.
- Create a free account on the national portals of your target countries.
- Instead of entering very large projects that do not match your capacity alone, consider starting as a consortium or subcontractor.
3. Document Analysis: Reading the Technical and Administrative Specifications
After downloading the tender documents:
- Check if the participation conditions (turnover, number of references, etc.) align with your company profile.
- Examine whether price, quality, or sustainability elements dominate in the evaluation criteria.
- List the required documents and identify your deficiencies.
- Follow the Q&A period and ask any points of hesitation to the relevant administration in time.
4. Proposal Preparation: Technical, Financial, and Compliance Aspects
- In your technical proposal, explain all the headings requested in the specifications by directly referencing them.
- When preparing your financial offer, consider local taxes, VAT, and labor costs.
- Clearly specify the required standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, etc.) for quality, environment, and occupational health and safety.
- If necessary, work with a local tax and legal advisor to foresee any obligations that may arise later.
5. Digital Application: Submission via e-Tender Systems
- Register on the e-tender platform specified in the tender on time.
- Upload your proposal in the requested format (mostly PDF, sometimes structured forms).
- Don’t wait until the last minute; minimize risks such as electronic signature and system congestion.
2026 and Beyond: What Will Stand Out Besides Price?
The EU is initiating consultations for the revision of public procurement directives in the fall of 2025. A new directive proposal is expected to come in 2026 and gradually come into force during the 2026–2030 period. This reform could significantly change the nature of tenders.
1. From Price to “Value”: MEAT and Non-Price Criteria
The principle of “most economically advantageous tender (MEAT)”, which has been in legislation for a long time, theoretically foresees evaluating price, quality, and other elements together. In practice, however, most administrations still focus on “the lowest price”.
In the post-2026 period, the following are expected to gain strength:
- Sustainability (energy efficiency, low carbon footprint, environmental labels),
- Resilience – the supply chain’s resistance to disruptions,
- EU content – higher European added value in critical sectors.
Especially for energy-intensive sectors, special tender criteria and labeling practices for low-carbon products and services will come to the forefront.
2. Social Criteria: Wages, Working Conditions, and Trade Union Rights
Unions and organizations representing public employees are demanding that social criteria such as:
- compliance with minimum wage and collective agreements,
- occupational health and safety,
- decent working conditions
become mandatory and binding in the new rules. The elements currently encouraged at a guiding level are likely to turn into stricter rules in the revision.
3. Joint Procurement and Consortium Opportunities
Strengthening joint procurement mechanisms in areas such as defense, critical raw materials, and strategic technologies is planned. Although this may initially seem distant for SMEs, it can create significant opportunities for firms participating in large consortiums or offering niche technologies.
Tax, Payroll, and Corporate Structure: Just Submitting a Bid is Not Enough
Winning an EU tender requires not only the bidding process but also the correct corporate and financial structure during the contract period. In particular:
- The need to establish a project company (SPV) in different EU countries,
- work and residence permits for personnel who will work in that country,
- payroll (payroll/EOR) and social security reporting for cross-border workers,
- issues of double taxation and VAT that may arise while providing services from Turkey
requires expertise on its own.
For example, when you win a large maintenance-repair or construction job in an EU member country:
- You may be required to open a branch or company locally.
- The rules for posted workers, A1 documents, local minimum wage, and collective agreement provisions will come into play for Turkish personnel you send to the site.
- Failure to comply with these can result in both administrative penalties and termination of the contract.
How Does Corpenza Contribute to This Process?
Entering EU public tenders is not just about “writing a good proposal.” Behind the scenes:
- Positioning with the correct corporate structure model (company, branch, representative office) in the right country,
- Correctly managing tax and social security obligations at the national and EU level throughout the project,
- Correctly structuring the posted worker model and tax optimization for personnel sent abroad
are critical steps.
Corpenza stands by firms wishing to enter EU public tenders with its experience in company establishment, residence permits, golden visas, international accounting, payroll/EOR, and personnel leasing (posted worker) globally and in Europe. In particular:
- Designing the most suitable structure in terms of company establishment and tax in the target market,
- Sending and payroll of white-collar and blue-collar personnel on a project basis or continuously abroad,
- Coordinating local compliance obligations in different EU countries
providing professional support minimizes post-tender risks and helps you establish a sustainable presence in Europe.
Conclusion: What Should You Focus on When Entering EU Tenders Starting from 2026?
- Understand the legal framework: Read the 2014/24/EU, 2014/25/EU, and 2014/23/EU directives along with the 2026–2027 threshold values, at least at a basic level.
- Follow the right platforms: TED for above-threshold projects, national e-tender portals for below-threshold and local jobs.
- Select the appropriate procedure: If you are an SME, consider starting with the open procedure and smaller/medium-sized projects.
- Manage the technical, financial, and compliance aspects together: Do not think of proposal writing separately from tax and labor law aspects.
- Prepare for the 2026+ reforms: Sustainability, social criteria, and joint procurement mechanisms will be the rules of the game in the coming years.
With a strategic approach, the EU public procurement market is becoming more accessible than ever for Turkish companies acting with the right partners and professional consultancy starting from 2026.
Disclaimer
This article is prepared for general informational purposes; it does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice in any way. EU public procurement legislation, threshold values, and national practices may change over time. In each specific case, you should check current official sources (e.g., European Commission and relevant country official gazettes) and seek support from professionals in the field. Corpenza and the author cannot be held responsible for the consequences of decisions made based on the information in this text.
