Brussels Airport has suspended its tender for 30 electric buses, which was originally awarded to Chinese company BYD. The Brussels Trade Tribunal has suspended the tender because of a lawsuit launched by Belgian bus constructor VDL, De Tijd reported on Saturday.
The Airport opened the bidding for the bus contract at the start of 2016. The plan was for the buses to be operational in 2018. Chinese company BYD won the contract, chosen over nine other candidates. BYD has asked for 330,000 euros per bus. That’s 33% less than its counterpart VDL Bus Roulers.
VDL took the Airport to court. They say Brussels Airport gave BYD extra information on the prices. The Brussels Trade Tribunal sided with Western Flanders company VDL a little before the summer holidays. In the verdict De Tijd got access to, the Tribunal doesn’t say that BYD’s prices are abnormally low, but does say that Brussels Airport did not publish the results of the price survey clearly enough.
Brussels Airport says it followed the European rules on public markets. However the Airport has suspended the tender and is re-examining it.
(Source: Belga)
