Zbornik Radova Pravnog Fakulteta u Splitu (Jan 2008)
LEGAL PROTECTION IN AWARDING PUBLIC CONTRACTS PROCEEDINGS- HARMONISATION OF CROATIAN LAW WITH THE ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE
Abstract
Every economic activity of public legal bodies, and similarly with the activities of public-legal bodies in awarding public contracts to business partners, is subject to the rules of market competition. In order to secure free market competition, and market oriented activity of public legal bodies, the European Union, with its rules, limits the activity of public power and forces it to act in a market oriented way in its economic activities. The legal inheritance of the Union which is related to the awarding of public contracts (on public procurement, concessions and public-private partnership) is based on general principles which arise from the Agreement on the Establishment of the European Union, and from the court practice of the European Court of Justice such as transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination. The demands which are placed on legal protection within the area of awarding certain public contracts are regulated by two, in important points confl ictive directives of the EU on legal remedies: Directive 89/665/EEC, which is related to legal protection in the so called classic sector and by Directive 92/13/EEC which is related to the legal protection in the services sector. The aforementioned with directives set certain demands which the member states must satisfy during the regulation of legal protection in their national legislative. The Croatian system of legal remedies is not unique in the questions of legal protection in procedures of awarding public contracts. That is, the system of legal protection in the procedure of public procurement is different from legal protection in the procedure of awarding contracts of concession and contracts of public-private partnership. Court control of public administration is recognisable as the fundamental element of the rule of law. However, there exists signifi cant room for improvement of legal, and in particular, court protection in the Republic of Croatia for breach of law during awarding public contracts.
