Nick Beckett speaks with Virginie Dor (CMS Belgium), Bernt Elsner (CMS Austria) and Caroline Hobson (CMS UK).

In this episode, we discuss:

• the importance of public procurement in the Healthcare sector, representing approximately 10% of GDP in the E.U.
• the challenges for public procurement in extreme and unforeseen emergencies, including COVID-19
• the scrutiny of direct awards and potential legal challenges and sanctions
• the joint centralised procurement of vaccines in short timeframes and the benefits and pitfalls of such approach
• in what circumstances exclusivity, including due to IP rights or technical barriers, can justify derogation from public procurement procedures
• what changes do U.K. companies face in public procurement procedures in the E.U., and vice versa, in light of Brexit