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Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
I. The network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
II. Introduction of cross-border problem-solving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
III. Pre-contract problem solving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
IV. Experiences gained from practical cross-border cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. Characteristics of the method for cross-border problem-solving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
I. Cross-border problem solving is a service for the supplies sectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
I.1. The objective is equal competition conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
I.2.
The interest of the company is in focus
– not control of the procurement procedure itself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
I.3. The company's assessments are decisive, i.a. for the purpose of anonymity . . . . . . . . . . 10
I.4. Complaints are not always justified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
I.5. Information for the companies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
II.
Cross-border problem-solving is based on informal, efficient co-operation
between competent, national authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
II.1. No legal powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
II.2. Problems are to be solved in a low-conflictual atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
II.3. Guidelines for the network co-operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
II.4. Reciprocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
II.5. Common language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
III. Cross-border problem-solving is supplementary to the traditional review procedures . . . . . . . . 13
III.1. Not all problems may be solved by this method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
III.2. The method is most useful in concrete cases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
III.3. The method is most effective in connection with pre-contract problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
III.4. The method is also useful in connection with matters open to question . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
IV. The Commission's role in cross-border problem-solving co-operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
V. European/EU institutions are obliged to comply with the public procurement rules . . . . . . . . . 16
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