Database on forced labour risks under Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market

The European Commission, through DG TRADE, has announced a call for tenders, specifically EC-TRADE/2025/OP/0017, aimed at establishing a publicly available database on forced labor risks. This initiative is mandated by Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 and is intended to support competent authorities in enforcing prohibitions on products manufactured using forced labor. The goal is to assist economic operators in identifying and managing risks within their supply chains.

The tender is open to various entities, including companies, research institutions, and consultancies, particularly those with expertise in data services and human rights issues. Importantly, while public contracts are available to multiple applicant types, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not distinctly targeted. The funding type is characterized as a procurement contract rather than a grant, with an estimated contract value of 800,000 EUR for a duration of 54 months.

For this project, there is a single applicant requirement, with the submission structured as a single open call, rather than a consortium. Applicants are expected to operate within the EU and EEA due to the nature of EU public procurement regulations. The target sector for the services involved leans toward software services and data management, specifically related to forced labor risk assessment, utilizing various relevant CPV codes.

The timeline for the project entails development and validation of the database, which will compile data from recognized international organizations. Submissions must be made electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, with a submission deadline set for September 30, 2025. The assessment criteria will focus 70% on quality and 30% on price.

The opportunity does not mention any specific countries as there are no geographic restrictions beyond the EU/EEA eligibility, and no co-funding requirement is indicated. Metrics concerning success rates or the number of application stages are unspecified or generalized, highlighting the variability often present in public procurement processes.

Overall, this procurement opportunity is designed to create an important resource aimed at combating forced labor across supply chains, thus fulfilling both regulatory and ethical standards within the realm of international trade.

The European Commission, DG TRADE, has published a call for tenders EC-TRADE/2025/OP/0017, concerning the establishment of a publicly-available, indicative, and non-exhaustive database of forced labor risks. This database is mandated by Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 on prohibiting products made with forced labor. The database aims to support competent authorities in assessing potential violations related to forced labor and to assist economic operators in identifying forced labor risks within their supply chains. The database will focus on widespread and severe risks, based on reliable and verifiable information from international, research, academic, and institutional organizations.

The procedure type is an open procedure. The estimated total value of the tender is 800,000 EUR. The TED publication date is 18/07/2025. The main classification (CPV) code is 72300000, which refers to data services. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 54 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is specified.

Key milestones include the TED publication date of 18/07/2025, a public opening date and time of 01/10/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time, and a deadline for receipt of tenders on 30/09/2025 at 16:00 Europe/Brussels time. The contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after 22/09/2025 at 05:00 Europe/Brussels time.

The available documents include: Invitation to tender EC-TRADE2025OP0017 Invitation letter, Tender specifications EC-TRADE2025OP0017 Tender specifications, Annex 2 to Tenders Specifications EC-TRADE2025OP0017 Declaration on honour (tender), Annex 6 to Tender Specifications EC-TRADE2025OP0017 Financial offer form, Annex 7 to Tender Specifications - Technical Requirements Technical specifications, Appendix 1 to Annex VII to Tender Specifications - Technical Requirements Technical specifications, Appendix 2 to Annex VII to Tender Specifications - Technical Requirements Technical specifications, Draft service contract EC-TRADE2025OP0017 Draft contract, and Annex V to draft service contract EC-TRADE2025OP0017 Draft contract annex. All documents were published on 18/07/2025 and are version 1, with no translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively via electronic submission.

Some frequently asked questions (FAQ) and their answers are provided regarding the eSubmission system:

How to proceed if the system is slow or doesn’t work while uploading/downloading documents? Use the latest versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies on the Internet browser.

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Is it possible to view the details of the submission after the deadline? No, the content of the submission is not accessible after submitting the tender because the system encrypts all attachments upon upload and will not allow decryption after the deadline.

Where can I find my submissions in Manage My Area, in the Funding & Tenders portal? Submissions can be found in ‘My Submission(s)’ for tenders in response to open calls, or in other relevant sections depending on the procedure type.

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I received an invitation from the F&T Portal but cannot view the procurement documents. Invited candidates can only see the procurement documents after having selected an organization.

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How many attachments can I upload per submission? The system allows a maximum of 200 files per tender.

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How do I register my organization and get a Participant Identification Code (PIC)? Check if the organization is already registered using the Search PIC tool under 'How to Participate' > Participant Register.

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I sent my submission on time and a few days later, I received an automatic email informing me that the deadline for the reception of submissions had been reached. Does this mean that my submission was not correctly sent? No, this is an auto-generated notification.

In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG TRADE, to establish a database on forced labor risks as required by Regulation (EU) 2024/3015. The goal is to create a publicly accessible resource that helps authorities and businesses identify and address forced labor in supply chains. The tender is open to any eligible organization that can provide data services, with a total estimated value of 800,000 EUR and a maximum contract duration of 54 months. The selection will be based on the best price-quality ratio. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by 30/09/2025, following the guidelines and requirements outlined in the tender documents. A Participant Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The eSubmission system supports various file types and uses encryption to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.

Eligible Applicant Types: The provided text does not explicitly list eligible applicant types. However, based on the nature of the tender, it can be inferred that eligible applicants could include research organizations, academic institutions, international organizations, and other entities with expertise in data services, forced labor risk assessment, and supply chain analysis. The requirement for a PIC (Personal Identification Code) suggests that any organization capable of registering for one is eligible.

Funding Type: Procurement, specifically a service contract. The call is for tenders, and the nature of the contract is explicitly stated as "services."

Consortium Requirement: The text mentions that a PIC is mandatory for participation "as a sole candidate/tenderer or as a member of a group (consortium)." This indicates that both single applicants and consortia are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The text does not explicitly define geographic eligibility. However, given that it is an EU funding opportunity related to EU regulations, it is highly likely that entities from the EU and potentially EEA countries are eligible. Further details would be needed from the tender specifications to confirm eligibility for non-EU entities.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is data services, as indicated by the CPV code 72300000. More specifically, the tender targets the area of forced labor risk assessment, supply chain due diligence, and human rights within the context of international trade.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The focus is on geographic areas with forced labor risks, which are not specified in this excerpt. The relevant region is the EU, as the tender is related to an EU regulation.

Project Stage: The project stage is likely development and implementation. The goal is to establish a functional database, suggesting that the underlying research and conceptualization phases are already complete. The tender focuses on building and maintaining the database.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 800,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open call for tenders. The submission method is electronic.

Nature of Support: Money. The selected tenderer will receive a service contract with a total value of up to 800,000 EUR for the provision of the required services.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that there are multiple stages. These likely include submission of the tender, evaluation of the proposals, selection of the winning tenderer, and contract negotiation.

Success Rates: The success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG TRADE, for the establishment of a publicly available database on forced labor risks. This database is mandated by Regulation (EU) 2024/3015, which aims to prohibit products made with forced labor from being placed on the EU market. The database will be indicative and non-exhaustive, focusing on specific geographic areas and products where forced labor risks are prevalent. Its purpose is to support competent authorities in identifying potential violations and to assist economic operators in conducting due diligence on their supply chains.

The tender is open to organizations with expertise in data services, research, and analysis related to forced labor and supply chains. The selected contractor will be responsible for developing and maintaining the database, ensuring it is populated with reliable and verifiable information from international organizations and other reputable sources. The contract has an estimated total value of 800,000 EUR and a maximum duration of 54 months.

The submission deadline for tenders is September 30, 2025. Submissions must be made electronically through the designated EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Tenderers must register for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) to participate. The award will be based on the best price-quality ratio. The European Commission is not obliged to answer questions after September 22, 2025.