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Bygga om spelplanen? – Entreprenadrättsliga ÄTA-arbeten i förhållande till ändrings- eller optionsklausuler i LOU

Möllerstedt Svensson, Moa LU (2024) LAGF03 20242
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Offentlig upphandling bygger på EU-rättens grundläggande principer vilka bland annat syftar till att säkerställa rättvisa och konkurrens. När ett kontrakt har ingåtts är möjligheterna att ändra dess innehåll under löptiden därför strikt begränsade. Ändrings- eller optionsklausuler utgör dock ett undantag från denna huvudregel och medger ändringar av upphandlade kontrakt utan att ett nytt upphandlingsförfarande behöver genomföras. Samtidigt präglas entreprenadrätten av standardavtal som AB 04, där beställaren tillerkänns en vidsträckt ändringsbefogenhet genom bestämmelserna om ändrings-, tilläggs-, och avgående arbete (ÄTA-arbete). Denna ändringsmöjlighet grundas i entreprenadrättens särdrag, kännetecknad av långa och omfattande arbeten som... (More)
Offentlig upphandling bygger på EU-rättens grundläggande principer vilka bland annat syftar till att säkerställa rättvisa och konkurrens. När ett kontrakt har ingåtts är möjligheterna att ändra dess innehåll under löptiden därför strikt begränsade. Ändrings- eller optionsklausuler utgör dock ett undantag från denna huvudregel och medger ändringar av upphandlade kontrakt utan att ett nytt upphandlingsförfarande behöver genomföras. Samtidigt präglas entreprenadrätten av standardavtal som AB 04, där beställaren tillerkänns en vidsträckt ändringsbefogenhet genom bestämmelserna om ändrings-, tilläggs-, och avgående arbete (ÄTA-arbete). Denna ändringsmöjlighet grundas i entreprenadrättens särdrag, kännetecknad av långa och omfattande arbeten som involverar flertalet parter.

Uppsatsen syftar därmed till att undersöka om ÄTA-bestämmelserna i AB 04 uppfyller de krav som ställs på ändrings- eller optionsklausuler i 17 kap. 10 § LOU. LOU kräver att sådana klausuler är angivna i upphandlingsdokumenten, klart, exakt och entydigt beskriver förutsättningarna för tillämpning samt specificerar omfattningen och arten av de möjliga ändringarna.

Frågan om ÄTA-bestämmelsernas förenlighet med kraven på ändrings- eller optionsklausuler i LOU har hittills inte behandlats i varken förarbeten eller praxis. Konkurrensverket har publicerat två artiklar kring frågan, där de hävdar att ÄTA-bestämmelserna inte uppfyller de krav som uppställs i 17 kap. 10 § LOU. Dessa uttalanden har mött omfattande kritik från flera aktörer inom offentlig upphandling och entreprenadrätt, däribland Byggandets Kontraktskommitté. Det råder således en betydande rättslig osäkerhet kring hur gränsdragningen mellan dessa två rättsområden bör hanteras. Jag ställer mig tvekande till Konkurrensverkets uttalanden och anser istället att frågan bör prövas från fall till fall med beaktande av övriga kontraktshandlingar. (Less)
Abstract
Public procurement is based on the fundamental principles of EU law which aim to ensure justice and competition, among other things. Once a contract has been concluded, the possibilities to modify its content during its term are therefore strictly limited. However, review or option clauses constitute an exception to this general rule, allowing changes to procured contracts without the need for a new procurement procedure. At the same time, construction contract law is characterized by standard agreements such as AB 04, in which the client is granted broad modification authority through provisions governing “ÄTA-works”, short for alterations (Sw. ändringsarbete), additions (Sw. tilläggsarbete) and omission (Sw. avgående arbete). This... (More)
Public procurement is based on the fundamental principles of EU law which aim to ensure justice and competition, among other things. Once a contract has been concluded, the possibilities to modify its content during its term are therefore strictly limited. However, review or option clauses constitute an exception to this general rule, allowing changes to procured contracts without the need for a new procurement procedure. At the same time, construction contract law is characterized by standard agreements such as AB 04, in which the client is granted broad modification authority through provisions governing “ÄTA-works”, short for alterations (Sw. ändringsarbete), additions (Sw. tilläggsarbete) and omission (Sw. avgående arbete). This modification authority is based on the special characteristics of construction contract law, known for its long and extensive projects involving multiple parties.

The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether “ÄTA-work” in AB 04 meets the requirements for review or option clauses as stipulated in Chapter 17, Section 10 of the Public Procurement Act (LOU). The Public Procurement Act requires that such clauses are mentioned in the procurement documents and that they clearly, precisely, and unequivocally describe the conditions under which it may apply. Additionally, they need to state the scope and nature of the possible modifications.

The question of whether the “ÄTA-provisions” align with the requirements for review or option clauses under the Public Procurement Act has not yet been addressed in legislative history or case law. The Swedish Competition Authority has published two articles on the topic, claiming that the “ÄTA-provisions” do not meet the requirements set out in Chapter 17, Section 10 of the Public Procurement Act. These statements have been widely criticized by several actors in the public procurement industry and construction contract law, including the Construction Contracts Committee. Consequently, there is significant legal uncertainty regarding how the boundary between these two legal fields should be managed. I am skeptical of the Swedish Competition Authority's statements and instead argue that the issue should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account other contractual documents. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Möllerstedt Svensson, Moa LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20242
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Avtalsrätt, Entreprenadrätt, AB 04, Offentlig upphandling
language
Swedish
id
9179869
date added to LUP
2025-03-20 14:16:05
date last changed
2025-03-20 14:16:05
@misc{9179869,
  abstract     = {{Public procurement is based on the fundamental principles of EU law which aim to ensure justice and competition, among other things. Once a contract has been concluded, the possibilities to modify its content during its term are therefore strictly limited. However, review or option clauses constitute an exception to this general rule, allowing changes to procured contracts without the need for a new procurement procedure. At the same time, construction contract law is characterized by standard agreements such as AB 04, in which the client is granted broad modification authority through provisions governing “ÄTA-works”, short for alterations (Sw. ändringsarbete), additions (Sw. tilläggsarbete) and omission (Sw. avgående arbete). This modification authority is based on the special characteristics of construction contract law, known for its long and extensive projects involving multiple parties. 

The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether “ÄTA-work” in AB 04 meets the requirements for review or option clauses as stipulated in Chapter 17, Section 10 of the Public Procurement Act (LOU). The Public Procurement Act requires that such clauses are mentioned in the procurement documents and that they clearly, precisely, and unequivocally describe the conditions under which it may apply. Additionally, they need to state the scope and nature of the possible modifications.

The question of whether the “ÄTA-provisions” align with the requirements for review or option clauses under the Public Procurement Act has not yet been addressed in legislative history or case law. The Swedish Competition Authority has published two articles on the topic, claiming that the “ÄTA-provisions” do not meet the requirements set out in Chapter 17, Section 10 of the Public Procurement Act. These statements have been widely criticized by several actors in the public procurement industry and construction contract law, including the Construction Contracts Committee. Consequently, there is significant legal uncertainty regarding how the boundary between these two legal fields should be managed. I am skeptical of the Swedish Competition Authority's statements and instead argue that the issue should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account other contractual documents.}},
  author       = {{Möllerstedt Svensson, Moa}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Bygga om spelplanen? – Entreprenadrättsliga ÄTA-arbeten i förhållande till ändrings- eller optionsklausuler i LOU}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}