The European Commission has issued guidance on how the EU public procurement framework can and should be used during the COVID-19 crisis. While it has not relaxed any of the existing EU procurement rules, it has clearly emphasized the flexibility that already exists under the regime for the purchase of the supplies, services, and works needed to address the crisis. The guidance stresses that the European public procurement framework already provides all necessary flexibility to public buyers to purchase goods and services as quickly as possible – provided, of course, that the purchase requirement is directly linked to the COVID-19 crisis.
