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1. During the preliminary review and the in-depth investigation, all procedural steps in the public procurement procedure may continue, except for the award of the contract.

2. If the Commission decides to open an in-depth investigation pursuant to Article 30(3), the contract shall not be awarded to an economic operator submitting a notification under Article 29 until the Commission takes a decision under Article 31(3) or before the time limits set in Article 30(5) or (6) elapse. If the Commission has not adopted a decision within the applicable time limit, the contract may be awarded to any economic operator, including the economic operator submitting the notification.

3. Where the contracting authority or contracting entity finds that the most economically advantageous tender was submitted by an economic operator, which submitted a declaration within the meaning of Article 29 and where the Commission has not opened a review in line with Articles 29(8), 30(3) or 30(4), the contract may be awarded to the economic operator submitting such a tender before the Commission takes any of the decisions referred to in Article 31 or before the time limits laid down in Articles 30(2), 30(5) or 30(6) elapse or before the Commission takes any of the decisions referred to in Article 31 regarding other tenders under investigation.

4. Where the Commission adopts a decision in accordance with Article 31(2) concerning a tender which the contracting authority or contracting entity has found to be the most economically advantageous tender, the contract may be awarded to the economic operator not subject to a decision under Article 31(2) having submitted the next best tender.

5. Where the Commission adopts a decision in accordance with Article 31(1) or (3), the contract may be awarded to any economic operator having submitted the most economically advantageous tender, including, to the economic operator having submitted the notification under Article 29.

6. The contracting authority or the contracting entity shall inform the Commission without undue delay of any decision relating to the cancellation of the public procurement procedure, the rejection of the tender or request to participate by the economic operator concerned, the submission of a new tender by the economic operator concerned or the award of the contract.

7. The principles governing public procurement procedures, including the principles of proportionality, non-discrimination, equal treatment, transparency and competition, shall be observed as regards all economic operators involved in the public procurement procedure. The investigation of foreign subsidies pursuant to this Regulation shall not result in the contracting authority or the contracting entity treating the economic operators concerned in a way that is contrary to those principles. Environmental, social and labour requirements shall apply to economic operators in accordance with Directives 2014/23/EU, 2014/24/EU and 2014/25/EU, or other Union law.

8. Time limits referred to in this Chapter shall begin on the working day following that of the receipt of the notification or of the adoption of the relevant Commission decision.