Public procurement in the COVID-19 crisis

The EFTA Surveillance Authority is responsible for monitoring compliance in the EEA EFTA States with internal market law, hereto public procurement. The Authority fully supports the EEA EFTA States taking all measures under EEA law to safeguard a timely supply of necessary goods, works and services.

ESA endorses Commission guidance document on public procurement in the COVID-19 crisis

In these exceptional times of the current COVID-19 crisis, the Authority recognises the importance of public authorities being able to obtain crucial medical equipment and supplies as quickly as possible, as well as being able to ensure the provision of other supplies, services and works needed to address the crisis.

Therefore, ESA today endorses the European Commission's Guidance on using the public procurement framework in the emergency situation related to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Commission's Guidance is designed to explain the flexibilities offered by the EEA public procurement framework for public bodies to rapidly satisfy urgent needs such as purchasing personal protective equipment, medicines and ventilators.

The guidance outlines the options and flexibilities provided by the EEA legislation. It provides an overview of the choice of tendering procedures available to public buyers and applicable deadlines. The guidance points out possibilities, which range from considerable shortening of the generally applicable deadlines to procuring without prior publication of tender notices in exceptional circumstances, such as the extreme urgency linked to the fight against the coronavirus.