Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 6 October 2021 –
Global Translation Solutions v Parliament

(Case T‑7/20)

(Public service contracts – Tendering procedure – Translation services – Rejection of a tenderer’s bid – Award of the contract to another tenderer – Award criteria – Format in which a file submitted in a test is to be uploaded)

1.      European Union public contracts – Tendering procedure – Award of contracts – Most economically advantageous tender – Award criteria – Choice of the contracting authority – Limits – Compliance with the principles of transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046, Arts 160(1) and (2), and 166(2))

(see paras 31-35, 43, 44)

2.      European Union public contracts – Tendering procedure – Award of contracts – Award criteria – Method of assessment – Discretion of the awarding authority

(European Parliament and Council Regulations No 966/2012, Art. 105, first para., and 2018/1046, Art. 166(2))

(see para. 47)

3.      Fundamental rights – Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – Right to sound administration – Scope

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41)

(see para. 60)

4.      European Union public contracts – Tendering procedure – Obligation to reject ambiguous tenders – Scope – Obligation to comply with the principle of proportionality

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046)

(see para. 62)

5.      European Union public contracts – Conclusion of a contract following a call for tenders – No obligation on a contracting authority to complete a tendering procedure

(European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046, Art. 171)

(see para. 76)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU for annulment of the decision contained in the Parliament’s letter of 28 October 2019 rejecting the tender submitted by the applicant for Lot 15 in tendering procedure TRA/EU19/2019 and of the decision contained in the Parliament’s letter of 4 December 2019 awarding the contract to another tenderer.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Global Translation Solutions ltd. to pay the costs.