NUTS Codes in Public Procurement Law 2026
NUTS codes in public procurement law: EU-wide uniform territorial codes for indicating the place of performance in procurement notices and tender documents.
Definition: NUTS codes (Nomenclature des unités territoriales statistiques) are a hierarchical system for classifying regional territorial units of the EU, which must be used in public procurement law to indicate the place of performance in notices and procurement documents.
Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2066, Standard Forms Regulation (EU) 2019/1780
What are NUTS codes?
NUTS codes are the official territorial codes of the European Union, with which regions within the EU are uniquely identified and statistically recorded. In public procurement law, they serve to indicate the place of performance of a contract precisely and uniformly across the EU in contract notices and procurement documents. The use of NUTS codes is mandatory in the EU standard forms (eForms) for procurement notices.
Structure of the NUTS system
The NUTS nomenclature is divided into three levels (NUTS 1, NUTS 2, NUTS 3), supplemented by the level of local administrative units (LAU).
| Level | Description | Example Austria | Example Germany |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUTS 1 | Major regions | AT1 (Eastern Austria) | DE2 (Bavaria) |
| NUTS 2 | Regions | AT13 (Vienna) | DE21 (Upper Bavaria) |
| NUTS 3 | Small regions | AT130 (Vienna) | DE211 (Ingolstadt) |
The code consists of a two-letter country code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2) and up to three further alphanumeric characters.
Significance in public procurement law
In EU-wide procurement notices, the indication of the NUTS code for the place of performance is mandatory, so that potential bidders from all EU Member States can identify the geographical focus of the contract at a glance.
Since the switch to the new eForms format (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1780, binding from October 2023), NUTS codes must be specified in structured form in all mandatory notices. Contracting authorities must carefully choose the applicable code, as incorrect entries impair the findability of the tender for potential bidders.
NUTS codes for Austria and Germany
For Austria, NUTS codes at level AT (NUTS 1: AT1–AT3, NUTS 2: AT11–AT34, NUTS 3: AT111–AT342) are decisive; for Germany, all codes begin with DE.
The current NUTS classification is administered by Eurostat and regularly revised. The currently valid version is NUTS 2021 (Regulation (EU) 2016/2066 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/1755).
FAQ
Where can I find the current NUTS codes for my region? The full NUTS classification is available on the Eurostat website. An interactive search and map tool is also available there.
Do I have to indicate a NUTS code for a national contract too? Below the EU thresholds, NUTS codes are not mandatory under EU law, but are recommended or required by many national notice platforms.
What happens if I indicate the wrong NUTS code? An incorrect NUTS code entry is generally not a serious breach of procurement law, but may impair the findability of the notice and should be corrected by means of a notice correction (corrigendum).
Last updated: January 2026 All information without guarantee. For legally binding information, please consult a law firm specialising in procurement law.
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