{"id":23241,"date":"2025-11-07T10:45:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T09:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abante.de\/minor-price-change-no-change-in-overall-character\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T11:30:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T10:30:47","slug":"minor-price-change-no-change-in-overall-character","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/minor-price-change-no-change-in-overall-character\/","title":{"rendered":"Minor price change = no change in over\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Octo\u00adber 16, 2025, the ECJ ruled in its judg\u00adment (Ref.: C- 282\/24) that a change in the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion method in a frame\u00adwork agree\u00adment award\u00aded on the basis of the low\u00adest price award cri\u00adte\u00adri\u00adon is not auto\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly to be regard\u00aded as a change in the over\u00adall nature of the frame\u00adwork agree\u00adment. This applies as long as the total con\u00adtract val\u00adue changes only slight\u00adly and there is no fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal shift in the eco\u00adnom\u00adic bal\u00adance.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our video dis\u00adcussing the judg\u00adment:  <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe hcb-fetch-image-from=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IuhNYchAHuo\" title=\"Geringf\u00fcgige Preis\u00e4nderung = Kein ver\u00e4nderter Gesamtcharakter ?\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IuhNYchAHuo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Issue: Remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion adjust\u00adment for tow\u00ading ser\u00advices in Swe\u00adden  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The deci\u00adsion of the Euro\u00adpean Court of Jus\u00adtice (ECJ) sheds light on a cen\u00adtral ques\u00adtion regard\u00ading flex\u00adi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty in pub\u00adlic pro\u00adcure\u00adment law: To what extent may a con\u00adtract\u00ading author\u00adi\u00adty adjust the con\u00adtract terms with\u00adout hav\u00ading to ini\u00adti\u00adate a new pro\u00adcure\u00adment pro\u00adce\u00addure?  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ini\u00adtial sit\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion: In 2020, the Swedish police author\u00adi\u00adty (Polis\u00admyn\u00addigheten) invit\u00aded ten\u00adders for a frame\u00adwork con\u00adtract for tow\u00ading ser\u00advices. The only award cri\u00adte\u00adri\u00adon was the low\u00adest price. The price cal\u00adcu\u00adla\u00adtion com\u00adbined a fixed price for ser\u00advices with\u00adin an ini\u00adtial radius of 10 km and a vari\u00adable remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion per kilo\u00adme\u00adter for dis\u00adtances beyond that. Two frame\u00adwork agree\u00adments were con\u00adclud\u00aded on this basis at the begin\u00adning of 2021.     <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The adjust\u00adment and its con\u00adse\u00adquences: Dur\u00ading 2021, the police author\u00adi\u00adty and the con\u00adtrac\u00adtors agreed to adjust the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion terms ret\u00adro\u00adspec\u00adtive\u00adly. The aim was to dis\u00adtrib\u00adute costs more even\u00adly with\u00adout increas\u00ading the total con\u00adtract val\u00adue. The change includ\u00aded an exten\u00adsion of the fixed price radius from 10 km to 50 km and an adjust\u00adment of the prices. The police author\u00adi\u00adty stat\u00aded that the appli\u00adca\u00adtion of this new remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion mod\u00adel had led to a slight reduc\u00adtion in the total remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion.     <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Swedish Com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adtion Author\u00adi\u00adty (Konkur\u00adrensver\u00adket) saw this adjust\u00adment as an infringe\u00adment and applied for a fine against the police author\u00adi\u00adty. The court upheld this and sen\u00adtenced the author\u00adi\u00adty to pay a fine of around 106,650 euros. The changes were to be regard\u00aded as sub\u00adstan\u00adtial and chang\u00ading the over\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter.    <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fol\u00adlow\u00ading an appeal, the Swedish Supreme Admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtive Court (H\u00f6gs\u00adta f\u00f6r\u00advalt\u00adnings\u00addom\u00adstol) referred the ques\u00adtion to the ECJ as to whether this change in the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion modal\u00adi\u00adty con\u00adsti\u00adtutes a change in the over\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter with\u00adin the mean\u00ading of Art. 72 (2) of Direc\u00adtive 2014\/24\/EU.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key point of the deci\u00adsion: Clear dis\u00adtinc\u00adtion between \u201csig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant change\u201d and \u201cover\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter\u201d  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ECJ had to clar\u00adi\u00adfy the scope of the term \u201cchange in the over\u00adall nature\u201d with\u00adin the mean\u00ading of Art. 72 (2) of the Pub\u00adlic Pro\u00adcure\u00adment Direc\u00adtive 2014\/24\/EU. This has impli\u00adca\u00adtions for the appli\u00adca\u00adtion of Ger\u00adman law, as there is a cor\u00adre\u00adspond\u00ading pro\u00advi\u00adsion in Sec\u00adtion 132 (4) GWB.     <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. the nec\u00ades\u00adsary dif\u00adfer\u00aden\u00adti\u00ada\u00adtion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ECJ ruled that a dis\u00adtinc\u00adtion must be made between a mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal change and a change to the over\u00adall nature of the con\u00adtract.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pur\u00adpose of the flex\u00adi\u00adble reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtion<\/strong>: With Art. 72 (2) of the Pub\u00adlic Pro\u00adcure\u00adment Direc\u00adtive, the Union leg\u00adis\u00adla\u00adtor want\u00aded to pro\u00advide a far-reach\u00ading pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty for sim\u00adpli\u00adfied amend\u00adments below cer\u00adtain val\u00adue thresh\u00adolds. This pro\u00advi\u00adsion serves to ensure a cer\u00adtain degree of flex\u00adi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty and the pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty for con\u00adtract\u00ading author\u00adi\u00adties to react prag\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly to cir\u00adcum\u00adstances.    <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Delim\u00adi\u00adta\u00adtion: <\/strong>If every sub\u00adstan\u00adtial mod\u00adi\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtion were also to be regard\u00aded as a change in the over\u00adall nature of the con\u00adtract, Art. 72 (2) of the Pub\u00adlic Pro\u00adcure\u00adment Direc\u00adtive would be prac\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly inef\u00adfec\u00adtive. The term \u201cover\u00adall nature\u201d only cov\u00aders the most impor\u00adtant mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal changes that entail a fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal change in the sub\u00adject mat\u00adter or nature of the con\u00adtract or a fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal shift in the bal\u00adance.    <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. the val\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion of the change in remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sim\u00adple change to the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion method \u2014 such as a shift in the ratio of fixed to vari\u00adable remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion \u2014 does not in itself con\u00adsti\u00adtute a fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal change to the sub\u00adject mat\u00adter of the frame\u00adwork agree\u00adment.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The cru\u00adcial point is that<\/strong> a change in the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion method that leads to a minor change in the over\u00adall val\u00adue does not in any case mean a fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal change in the sub\u00adject mat\u00adter or nature of the frame\u00adwork agree\u00adment.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Excep\u00adtion in the case of upheaval:<\/strong> Only in excep\u00adtion\u00adal cir\u00adcum\u00adstances, such as a dras\u00adtic change in the ratio between fixed and vari\u00adable remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion, can such an adjust\u00adment lead to a fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal shift in the bal\u00adance and thus to a change in the over\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter. This must be exam\u00adined if the change caus\u00ades a com\u00adplete upheaval in the sys\u00adtem and puts the award recip\u00adi\u00adent in a sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant\u00adly more favor\u00adable posi\u00adtion.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tips for pub\u00adlic clients: prag\u00admat\u00adic solu\u00adtions with legal cer\u00adtain\u00adty<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rul\u00ading under\u00adlines that a prag\u00admat\u00adic, solu\u00adtion-ori\u00adent\u00aded approach to pub\u00adlic pro\u00adcure\u00adment law must always go hand in hand with pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adal excel\u00adlence and trans\u00adparen\u00adcy.  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use of the scope for flex\u00adi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty: <\/strong>The val\u00adue lim\u00adits in Art. 72 Para. 2 of the Pub\u00adlic Pro\u00adcure\u00adment Direc\u00adtive (10% for ser\u00advices, 15% for works con\u00adtracts) pro\u00advide a clear frame\u00adwork for nec\u00ades\u00adsary adjust\u00adments lim\u00adit\u00aded in val\u00adue as long as the over\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter is not changed.   <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Doc\u00adu\u00admen\u00adta\u00adtion of the bal\u00adance<\/strong>: Com\u00adplete doc\u00adu\u00admen\u00adta\u00adtion is key to legal cer\u00adtain\u00adty. When\u00adev\u00ader the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion method is adjust\u00aded, it must be pos\u00adsi\u00adble to prove that the change does not cause a fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal shift in the eco\u00adnom\u00adic bal\u00adance.   <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Exam\u00adi\u00adna\u00adtion in the event of a change of sys\u00adtem<\/strong>: Cau\u00adtion is required if the change of remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion modal\u00adi\u00adty rep\u00adre\u00adsents a com\u00adplete upheaval of the sys\u00adtem of the orig\u00adi\u00adnal con\u00adtract, as this may con\u00adsti\u00adtute a change in the over\u00adall char\u00adac\u00adter of the con\u00adtract.  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tips for bid\u00adders and appli\u00adcants: Pro\u00adtect your rights to fair com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adtion<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a bid\u00adder, you are enti\u00adtled to expect that the com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adtion will be fair and trans\u00adpar\u00adent and that sub\u00adse\u00adquent changes will not under\u00admine the orig\u00adi\u00adnal pro\u00adce\u00addure.  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Focus on the eco\u00adnom\u00adic bal\u00adance:<\/strong> In the event of known con\u00adtract amend\u00adments, check not only the val\u00adue lim\u00adits, but also whether the eco\u00adnom\u00adic bal\u00adance has been fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal\u00adly shift\u00aded in favor of the con\u00adtrac\u00adtor.  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Crit\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly scru\u00adti\u00adnize remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion meth\u00adods:<\/strong> If a client makes a far-reach\u00ading shift from fixed to vari\u00adable costs or vice ver\u00adsa, this can have a sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant impact on the bid\u00adder group and the bid cal\u00adcu\u00adla\u00adtion.  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ensure legal pro\u00adtec\u00adtion:<\/strong> The pro\u00adce\u00addure serves to ensure com\u00adpli\u00adance with the prin\u00adci\u00adples of equal treat\u00adment and trans\u00adparen\u00adcy. Effec\u00adtive legal pro\u00adtec\u00adtion before the pub\u00adlic pro\u00adcure\u00adment tri\u00adbunals and high\u00ader region\u00adal courts applies to the upper thresh\u00adold range.   <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Octo\u00adber 16, 2025, the ECJ ruled in its judg\u00adment (Ref.: C- 282\/24) that a change in the remu\u00adner\u00ada\u00adtion method in a frame\u00adwork agree\u00adment award\u00aded on the basis of the low\u00adest price award cri\u00adte\u00adri\u00adon is not auto\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly to be regard\u00aded as a change in the over\u00adall nature of the frame\u00adwork agree\u00adment. This applies as long [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":22627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[703,248],"tags":[716,714,719,715,718,708,717],"team_kategorien":[],"lexikon_kategorie":[217,208,202,201,199],"class_list":["post-23241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-public-procurement-law-in-15-minutes","category-jurisdiction","tag--section-132-gwb","tag-contract-amendment","tag-directive-2014-24-eu","tag-overall-character","tag-price-adjustment","tag-review-procedure","tag-towing-services","lexikon_kategorie-eu-public-procurement-directives","lexikon_kategorie-framework-agreement","lexikon_kategorie-legal-basis-of-public-procurement-law","lexikon_kategorie-legal-protection-in-the-procurement-procedure","lexikon_kategorie-principles-of-public-procurement-law"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23241"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23243,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23241\/revisions\/23243"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23241"},{"taxonomy":"team_kategorien","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_kategorien?post=23241"},{"taxonomy":"lexikon_kategorie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abante.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lexikon_kategorie?post=23241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}