Each year the institutions of the European Union tender for contracts with a total value of between Ç18 - Ç20 billion. These already large figures are likely to increase in the new budget for 2013 onwards. EU tenders are subject to a special set of rules set out in the EU's Financial Regulation and a series of subsidiary rules adopted by the EU Commission. Understanding EU Commission Tenders is based on a thorough understanding of the law but is written for everyone.