The criteria on which the authorities awarding contracts shall base the award of contracts shall be : either the lowest price only; or, when the award is made to the most economically advantageous tender, various criteria according to the contract : e.g. price , period for completion , running costs , profitability , technical merit ...
Nevertheless, the data supplied by the Community industry, which for this purpose did not include one of the complainants given that it did not give an admissible reply on profitability, show that since 1992 its overall financial performance continued to be below the target set as a reasonable profit for this industry in the definitive duty Regulation.
On this basis, the profitability of the Community industry, expressed as a percentage of net sales, increased during the IIP from a weighted average loss of 4,0 % in 1994 to a profit of 5,2 % in the IP. The profit situation of the Community industry as a whole has improved by 9,2 percentage points during the IIP. However, the Community industry considers a yearly profit rate of 10 % as necessary to maintain their activities.
