Advertisement campaign, Europe Day 2026

The European Commission Representation in Estonia is preparing to issue a tender for a public procurement opportunity related to an advertising campaign for Europe Day 2026. This opportunity is designated for advertising services under the main CPV code 79340000. The campaign aims to promote various festivities in Estonia, particularly in the cities of Tallinn and Narva, where major events will be held.

The timeline for this tender is significant, with a registration deadline set for October 15, 2025. Applicants will likely include commercial service providers, advertising agencies, marketing firms, and other organizations capable of delivering comprehensive advertising campaigns. Notably, the tender is not specifically aimed at small and medium enterprises, indicating a preference for larger entities or specialized agencies due to the campaign's extensive scope.

The funding type is characterized clearly as a procurement contract, meaning that the European Commission will pay for the provided advertising services, contrasting with traditional grants. While the exact funding amount is not specified, it is suggested that the contract's total value falls into a middle or low range, likely under €200,000.

The contract is designed for a 5-month duration, primarily focused on creating and executing an advertising strategy that spans multiple channels, including outdoor advertising, radio spots, online and social media campaigns, content marketing, and possibly television advertising. The campaign is expected to highlight themes of peace and unity in Europe, engaging various audiences ahead of Europe Day on May 9, 2026.

Interested parties must electronically express their interest by the specified deadline, which is part of a negotiated procedure allowing for limited participation from selected candidates. The process aligns with EU procurement regulations and standards. The formal call for tenders will follow this preliminary notice. The opportunity represents a critical platform for enhancing visibility and public engagement around Europe Day 2026 in Estonia.

This is a pre-information notice, not a call for tenders. It announces the European Commission's intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure.

The procedure identifier is EC-COMM/TLL/2025/MVP/0522-EXA.

The contracting authority is the European Commission, DG COMM Communication.

The subject of the planned procurement is a comprehensive advertising campaign to promote the activities of Europe Day 2026. The campaign will focus on Tallinn and Narva, Estonia, where the largest events organized by the EC Representation will take place.

The European Commission seeks to commission a campaign that covers the full spectrum of promotional channels to achieve the widest possible reach. This includes:

Outdoor advertising
Radio spots
Online advertising
Targeted campaigns on social media platforms
Content marketing
Television advertising (where possible)

The goal is to ensure that the visibility and awareness of Europe Day 2026 extend broadly across society, engaging diverse audiences and highlighting the values of peace and unity that the day represents.

Europe Day 2026 will feature large-scale public events in Tallinn and Narva, emphasizing 9 May as a day of peace and unity in Europe.

In Tallinn, the celebrations will include:

An orienteering game around the city
The announcement of the “European of the Year”
The central event, “Our Estonia, Our Europe,” on Freedom Square, with exhibitions and activities from EU embassies and related organizations
A free evening concert at Freedom Square, broadcast live on ETV and ETV+

In Narva, Europe Day will include:

A main concert on Town Hall Square featuring artists and local school groups
An international language café or Just Transition Fund job fair (tbc) at the University of Tartu Narva College, with the participation of foreign embassies
An orienteering game
An EU information tent
A café area

The overall aim of Europe Day 2026 is to strengthen the narrative of peace over victory, ensuring that European values and voices are at the heart of the public sphere on 9 May. Events are organized in cooperation with the European Commission Representation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government Office, the Ministry of Culture, the Integration Foundation, and local Europe Direct centers across Estonia.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The estimated total value is not specified.

The main classification (CPV) code is 79340000 Advertising and marketing services.

The nature of the contract is for services.

The maximum contract duration is 5 months.

There is no framework agreement.

Milestones:

Start date for expression of interest: 2025-09-30 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for expression of interest: 16/10/2025 04:59 Europe/Tallinn
Indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure: 2025-10-15 Europe/Tallinn

Expression of interest:

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below.
Method of expression of interest: Electronic
Address for expression of interest: Express interest

FAQ:

References that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure.

In summary, the European Commission Representation in Estonia is planning an advertising campaign for Europe Day 2026, focusing on events in Tallinn and Narva. This announcement is a preliminary notice to inform potential bidders about the upcoming opportunity to participate in a negotiated procedure for a low or middle value contract. The campaign aims to promote the values of peace and unity through various advertising channels, including outdoor, radio, online, social media, content marketing, and potentially television. Interested parties should express their interest electronically by the specified deadlines in late 2025. The actual call for tenders will be launched afterwards.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the nature of the contract which involves advertising and marketing services, it is likely that eligible applicants would include advertising agencies, marketing firms, media companies, and other entities with relevant expertise in these areas. The contracting authority, Euroopa Komisjon, DG COMM Communication, would likely have specific requirements detailed in the future call for tenders.

Funding Type: The funding type is a service contract, as the European Commission Representation in Estonia intends to purchase a comprehensive advertising campaign. This falls under procurement, where the contracting authority purchases services from an external provider.

Consortium Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. This detail will likely be specified in the future call for tenders. It is possible that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, depending on the scope and complexity of the required services.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary focus of the advertising campaign is on Estonia, specifically the cities of Tallinn and Narva. Therefore, it is highly likely that the geographic eligibility will prioritize companies or organizations that have a presence or the ability to operate effectively within Estonia. However, the exact geographic eligibility criteria will be detailed in the future call for tenders. It is possible that companies from other EU member states could also be eligible, provided they can demonstrate their ability to deliver the required services in Estonia.

Target Sector: The target sector for this program is advertising and marketing. Specifically, it targets advertising campaigns, content marketing, outdoor advertising, radio spots, online advertising, and social media campaigns. The main classification (CPV) code provided is 79340000, which corresponds to advertising and marketing services.

Mentioned Countries: Estonia is explicitly mentioned as the location for the advertising campaign, with a focus on the cities of Tallinn and Narva.

Project Stage: The project is in the planning stage. This announcement is a preliminary notice indicating the contracting authority's intention to launch a negotiated procedure in the future. The actual advertising campaign would be in the implementation stage once a contract is awarded.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is described as a "middle/low value contract." While a specific monetary range is not provided, this suggests the contract value is likely to be below a certain threshold that would necessitate a full open tender procedure. It is reasonable to assume the value is somewhere under €200k, but this is speculative.

Application Type: The application type will be a negotiated procedure, which is initiated after the expression of interest phase. This means that the contracting authority will invite a limited number of candidates to submit proposals based on pre-defined criteria. The initial stage involves an electronic expression of interest.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for providing advertising and marketing services. This is a service contract where payment is made upon delivery of the agreed-upon services.

Application Stages: Based on the information provided, there appear to be at least two stages: 1) Expression of interest (electronic submission), and 2) Submission of a proposal following an invitation to participate in the negotiated procedure.

Success Rates: Success rates cannot be determined from the provided information, as this is a planned call for tenders. Success rates will depend on the number of applicants, the quality of proposals, and the specific evaluation criteria used by the contracting authority.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided text does not specify whether co-funding is required. This information will likely be included in the future call for tenders. It is possible that co-funding may not be required, as this is a procurement contract where the contracting authority is purchasing services.

Summary:

This opportunity is a pre-announcement for a future negotiated procedure by the European Commission Representation in Estonia to procure advertising and marketing services for Europe Day 2026. The campaign aims to promote Europe Day activities in Tallinn and Narva through various channels, including outdoor advertising, radio spots, online advertising, social media, content marketing, and potentially television advertising. The contracting authority, Euroopa Komisjon, DG COMM Communication, intends to launch a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. The maximum contract duration is 5 months. Interested parties must submit an electronic expression of interest, with a deadline of October 16, 2025. The indicative date for launching the negotiated procedure is October 15, 2025. This is not a call for tenders but an announcement of intent, and further details will be provided in the future call for tenders. The goal is to raise awareness and engagement with Europe Day 2026, emphasizing the values of peace and unity.