Vienna, Austria - October 2, 2025:
The Monopoly Administration for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland (Monopolverwaltung für Wien, Niederösterreich und Burgenland) has awarded a concession for the operation of a tobacco shop at Gerasdorfer Straße 338, 2201 Gerasdorf, to Sandra Machoritsch.
The announcement was published in the Official Journal of the European Union under notice number 644854-2025 (OJ S 189/2025). The concession, valued at approximately EUR 103.66 million (excluding VAT), is granted under Austria’s Tobacco Monopoly Act (Tabakmonopolgesetz) and aims to maintain the regulated and socially responsible distribution of tobacco products.
Contract Overview
The awarded concession allows the independent operation of a licensed tobacco shop at the Gerasdorf location. The contract falls under the category of retail trade services (CPV 55900000) and was processed under the standard regime according to Directive 2014/23/EU, which governs concession contracts in EU member states.
The Monopoly Administration-a public body supervised by the Austrian central government-acts as the contracting entity responsible for overseeing tobacco distribution in the regions of Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland. Its activities primarily support social protection goals, with concessions often aimed at promoting small business entrepreneurship and inclusion.
Direct Award Justification
The concession was awarded directly to Machoritsch due to exclusive rights under § 22 (3) No. 3 lit c BVergGKonz 2018 in conjunction with § 27 of the Tobacco Monopoly Act (TabMG 1996). According to the procurement notice, “the service in question can only be provided by a contractor due to existing exclusive rights” - making a competitive tender procedure unnecessary.
This approach aligns with Austria’s legal framework that grants exclusive rights for tobacco retail operations to specific license holders authorized by the Monopoly Administration.
Social and Economic Context
Austria’s tobacco monopoly system is a long-standing element of its social economy, providing licensed retail opportunities often aimed at supporting people with disabilities and small entrepreneurs. Each concession ensures that tobacco products are sold under controlled, legally compliant, and socially responsible conditions.
The new Gerasdorf tobacco shop concession awarded to Sandra Machoritsch reinforces the government’s commitment to maintaining this balance between public regulation and small business empowerment, contributing to local commerce and employment stability within the Vienna Countryside/Northern Part (AT126) region.
Tags: Austria tenders, Contract award, tobacco monopoly, concession award, Gerasdorf, Monopolverwaltung Wien, BVergGKonz 2018, TabMG 1996, EU procurement, Sandra Machoritsch, retail trade services, Austrian concessions
