A procurement threshold is a value that triggers a particular rule. EU legal thresholds, national publication thresholds and an organisation's internal approval limits answer different questions. Do not substitute one for another.
For the current amounts, use the EU thresholds for 2026–2027. That reference distinguishes classical procurement, utilities, concessions and defence/security and links to the official instruments.
Three thresholds to distinguish
| Type | Question | Where to verify it |
|---|---|---|
| EU procurement threshold | Does the applicable directive apply by value, subject to scope and exclusions? | Directive and current delegated regulation |
| National procedure or publication threshold | What domestic process is required? | Current national law and official guidance |
| Internal approval threshold | Who must authorise expenditure? | Buyer's internal policy |
A procurement can be below the EU threshold and still require national publication or competition. An internal approval does not establish legal compliance.
The estimate and the bid are different
The buyer estimates the procurement using the governing valuation rules. Under Article 5 of Directive 2014/24/EU, current consolidated text, relevant considerations include VAT exclusion, options, renewals, aggregation, framework duration and regular purchases.
A supplier cannot change the procurement's legal route simply by quoting a lower price. Likewise, a framework's estimated ceiling does not mean that each admitted supplier will receive that amount.
Apply the threshold in the right sequence
Identify jurisdiction, procurement regime, buyer status and contract type. Determine the legally relevant estimated value and date. Then compare it with the applicable amount, recording the source and any exclusion or special rule.
If the contract mixes different activities or regimes, investigate the mixed-procurement provisions before choosing the threshold. If values are given in a non-euro currency, use the applicable published equivalent rather than assuming a daily exchange-rate calculation is permitted.
Supplier action
A threshold helps you understand the publication and procedural route; it does not tell you whether to bid. Continue with the notice-reading checklist, then test eligibility and commercial fit in the bid/no-bid framework.
Verified 13 September 2026 using the European Commission's threshold reference. National thresholds must be checked separately.