Procurement in the public sector is accountable for up to 20 % of the European Union GDP. The regulation of public spending is therefore of great importance not only for the purpose of opening the internal market for suppliers to the public sector from all over the European Union, but also for all public entities and potential suppliers who are relying on the rules for entering into contracts.

This book is the first comprehensive analysis covering all the areas of procurement. It combines the advantages of a traditional article-by-article commentary with a horizontal systematic presentation of the laws and policies underlying public procurement in the EU. By means of cross-references it enables the reader to understand the system and interaction between the different directives on procurement.

The commentary is based on the European Union legal framework and is not focusing on the national transposition of the rules and will therefore be useful in all Member States.

This book is part of a series of commentaries edited by Roland Bieber, Marcel Haag and Michael Jürgen Werner.

Dr Michael Steinicke is professor of European Union law at Aarhus University. He is a prolific writer having published numerous books and articles on public procurement, EU law and competition law.

Dr Peter L. Vesterdorf is senior consultant with Publicure, Copenhagen, and affiliated with Public Affairs Group, a lobbyist firm in Copenhagen. He has written a number of books and articles mainly on European law.