The government fails to meet rules on putting contracts out to tender in around 70% of cases, according to small business sector lobby group MKB.

The organisation says the decision by aid minister Bert Koenders to give a €750,000 contract to a company with close ties to the Labour party is the tipof the iceberg. The figures are based on calculations by the economic affairs ministry.
Under EU rules, all contracts worth over €137,000 must be put out to tender. Government contracts valued at €200m are put out to contract every year.
It emerged on Wednesday that a summit on children’s issues organised by minister for the family André Rouvoet in June was not put out to tender either.
In both cases, the ministers said there had not been enough time to organise a proper process.