Defence or security concessions excluded or exempted from the Agreement on Government Procurement or another equivalent international agreement to which the European Union is a party shall be awarded to economic operators from Member States of the European Union.
The awarding authorities may, however, authorise, on a case-by-case basis, economic operators from countries outside the European Union to take part in an award procedure.
The decision of the awarding authority shall take into account in particular the imperatives of security of information and supply, the preservation of the interests of defence and State security, the interest of developing the European defence technological and industrial base, the objectives of sustainable development, the attainment of mutual benefits and the requirements of reciprocity.