1. Contracting entities may conclude framework agreements, provided that they apply the procedures provided for in this Directive.

A framework agreement means an agreement between one or more contracting entities and one or more economic operators, the purpose of which is to establish the terms governing contracts to be awarded during a given period, in particular with regard to price and, where appropriate, the quantities envisaged.

The term of a framework agreement shall not exceed eight years, save in exceptional cases duly justified, in particular by the subject of the framework agreement.

2. Contracts based on a framework agreement shall be awarded on the basis of objective rules and criteria, which may include reopening the competition among those economic operators party to the framework agreement as concluded. These rules and criteria shall be set out in the procurement documents for the framework agreement.

The objective rules and criteria referred to in the first subparagraph shall ensure equal treatment of the economic operators who are parties to the agreement. Where a reopening the competition is included, contracting entities shall set a time limit which is sufficiently long to allow tenders for each specific contract to be submitted and contracting entities shall award each contract to the tenderer that has submitted the best tender on the basis of the award criteria set out in the specifications of the framework agreement.

Contracting entities shall not use framework agreements improperly or in such a way as to prevent, restrict or distort competition.