09/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - According to conclusions reached on 4 June by Advocate General Verica Trstenjak, the contract signed by the town of Cologne for the construction of several exhibition halls is in breach of the provisions of Directive 93/37/EEC for the award of public works contracts (Case C-536/07). Although the contract officially concerns leasing, the advocate general states, it has all the characteristics of a contract for construction - by its duration (30 years), its magnitude (over €600 million) and the fact that the details of construction of the premises and infrastructure are stated. On the basis of this, such “public works” should have been the subject of an open call for tenders - which was not the case. The case was referred to the Court by the European Commission against the German authorities. The Court will, in the next few weeks, give its final judgement which will be totally in keeping with the conclusions of the advocate general in three quarters of the cases. (C.D./transl.jl)