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Threshold values explained: the limits that decide where tenders end up
Threshold values decide where a tender is advertised and which rules apply. Here are the EU thresholds that apply now, and what changed in 2026.
"Threshold value" sounds like something only lawyers need to care about. It isn't. Thresholds decide where a tender is advertised, which rules the buyer has to follow, and therefore where you need to look to find the contracts. And in 2026, several of the limits changed. Here is the overview.
What a threshold value is
A threshold value is a financial limit in the rules on public procurement. When the estimated value of a purchase passes a threshold, stricter rules apply. Among other things, the purchase must be advertised, so that every interested supplier can find out about the competition. All amounts in the rules are excluding VAT.
The value is calculated for the whole contract period, including options and extensions, not per year. That surprises many people, especially with framework agreements. The buyer is also not allowed to split up a purchase that naturally belongs together just to get below a limit.
Three levels to know
Simplified, there are three levels, and the logic is the same across Europe:
- Below the national limit: Small purchases fall outside the formal tendering rules, or under very light ones. The buyer can often go straight to one supplier, but should still be able to justify the choice. Where the limit sits varies from country to country. In Norway, for example, it was raised from NOK 100,000 to NOK 500,000 on 1 July 2026, one of the biggest changes to the Norwegian rules in years.
- Between the national limit and the EU thresholds: National rules apply. In many countries the buyer must advertise the competition nationally, on the country's tender portal. The tender is then visible and searchable for everyone.
- Above the EU thresholds: The competition must also be advertised in TED, the EU's common tender database, and suppliers from the entire EEA can take part.
Below the EU thresholds, each country sets its own rules, so the details differ. The basic principles of competition, equal treatment and transparency still carry weight, but many of the smaller purchases are not in any database. There, visibility and relationships are what count.
The EU thresholds that apply now
The EU thresholds are the same across the EU/EEA and are revised every two years by the European Commission. The current values for 2026–2027 have applied since 1 January 2026, and they are slightly lower in euro than in the previous period. The most important ones:
- Supply and service contracts, central government authorities: €140,000 (previously €143,000)
- Supply and service contracts, other contracting authorities (including municipalities): €216,000 (previously €221,000)
- Works contracts: €5,404,000 (previously €5,538,000)
- Social and other specific services: €750,000 (unchanged)
Countries outside the eurozone convert the values into their own currency. Because the thresholds are shared, the logic you know from home applies all over Europe: above the EU threshold, the tenders are on TED, whatever the country.
Where many people stumble
- They think the limits apply per year. A contract worth €40,000 a year over four years is a contract worth €160,000. That is above the EU threshold for central government purchases. It must be advertised, not bought directly.
- They think EU tenders are "too big" for them. €140,000 over a contract period is not much. Many EU notices are well within reach for small businesses.
- They forget the purchases below the thresholds. Small purchases are often not advertised at all. They don't disappear, they are just invisible in the databases. Then you need to be known to the buyers before the need arises.
What you should do
Set up tender alerts that cover both your national portal and TED, so you catch both the national and the European competitions. Take note of the new limits from 2026 and use them when you assess your market: do typical contracts in your field sit above or below the advertising limits? That decides whether you should focus on the databases, on visibility with the buyers, or both.
In short
Thresholds are the traffic rules that decide where tenders end up: outside the databases, on the national portal, or across Europe via TED. If you know the limits, you know where to look. We at Cobrief are happy to talk about how to set up alerts that hit where your contracts are actually advertised.