Indicative, non-exhaustive list of conflict affected and high-risk areas (the CAHRA list) under Regulation (EU) 2017/821 - responsible sourcing of minerals

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE) is planning a forthcoming call for tenders related to the development and ongoing maintenance of the indicative non-exhaustive list of conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) under Regulation (EU) 2017/821, which focuses on responsible sourcing of minerals. This initiative is a legal obligation mandated by Article 14 of the regulation. The estimated total contract value is €400,000, with a maximum duration of 48 months.

Eligible applicants for this tender are likely to include large enterprises and specialized consultancies with expertise in areas such as supply chain due diligence, risk assessment, and geopolitical analysis, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are excluded. The contracting authority is seeking to ensure that the selected contractor can effectively handle sensitive data associated with conflict zones and provide comprehensive monitoring of these areas.

The planned procedure is an open call, and the contract notice is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union on or around June 30, 2025. The main classification under CPV codes falls within business and management consultancy and related services (CPV: 79400000).

This tender does not stipulate a consortium requirement, indicating that single applicants are likely sufficient. Geographically, the tender is expected to be open to entities based in EU member states and possibly EEA countries, although specific country eligibility will be clarified in the final documentation.

The nature of support is a service contract, which involves monetary compensation for the services rendered. The evaluation process will focus on the applicants' proven experience in conflict zone analysis and their methodological rigor.

Currently, detailed documentation regarding application procedures, eligibility criteria, and evaluation metrics is not available, as this announcement serves as a preliminary notice of the intended project. Interested applicants should monitor the Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) database for updates.

In summary, this procurement opportunity represents a strategic initiative by the European Commission aimed at reinforcing ethical mineral sourcing practices by regularly updating a list of conflict areas. The contract is set to be published soon, and prospective bidders are encouraged to prepare their submissions in alignment with the anticipated requirements.

The European Commission, DG TRADE - Trade, is planning a call for tenders with OJ S publication, procedure identifier EC-TRADE/2025/OP/0006-PIN, concerning the indicative, non-exhaustive list of conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) under Regulation (EU) 2017/821 on responsible sourcing of minerals. The TED reference is 106/2025 360084-2025.

The call for tenders is forthcoming. The description states that the CAHRA list is one of the accompanying measures under Regulation (EU) 2017/821. Pursuant to Article 14 of the Regulation, the Commission has a legal obligation (a) to set up the CAHRA list with the help of an external contractor and (b) to regularly update it.

The estimated total value of the contract is 400000 EUR. The TED publication date is 04/06/2025, and the estimated date of publication of a contract notice is 30/06/2025. The main classification (CPV) is 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services. The nature of the contract is services, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. No framework agreement is mentioned.

A question was asked regarding where to find the procurement documents. The answer clarifies that the planned call for tenders announces the intention of the contracting authority to publish a future call for tenders, and no other information or documents other than those published are currently available. This question was published on 16/02/2024 23:54.

In summary, this is a planned call for tenders by the European Commission, DG TRADE, to establish and regularly update the indicative, non-exhaustive list of conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) as required by Regulation (EU) 2017/821 on responsible sourcing of minerals. The Commission is legally obligated to create and maintain this list with the assistance of an external contractor. The estimated value of the contract is 400,000 EUR, with a maximum duration of 48 months. The call is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ S). The contract notice is expected around June 30, 2025. Currently, no procurement documents are available, as this is just an announcement of a future call for tenders. Interested parties should monitor the TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) database for the official publication of the contract notice. The selected contractor will provide business and management consultancy services related to setting up and updating the CAHRA list.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of the call for tenders (business and management consultancy and related services) and the contracting authority (European Commission, DG TRADE), it is likely that eligible applicants include companies, consultancies, research institutes, and other organizations with expertise in the relevant areas.

Funding Type: Procurement. This is a call for tenders, indicating a procurement process where the European Commission is seeking to contract services.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. This will likely be detailed in the full call for tenders documentation when it is published.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly mentioned, but as this is a call for tenders from the European Commission, it is highly likely that entities from the EU and possibly EEA countries are eligible. The specific eligibility criteria will be detailed in the full call for tenders documentation.

Target Sector: This program targets the responsible sourcing of minerals, conflict affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs), business and management consultancy, and related services.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The focus is on conflict-affected and high-risk areas globally, rather than specific countries. The relevant region is the EU, as the contracting authority is the European Commission.

Project Stage: The project stage is related to the implementation and update of a list (CAHRA list), which suggests a development and implementation phase. The contractor will be responsible for setting up and regularly updating the list.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value is 400,000 EUR.

Application Type: Planned call for tenders with OJ S publication. This indicates a formal call for tenders process that will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Supplement (OJ S).

Nature of Support: Non-monetary services. The selected contractor will provide services to the European Commission related to the CAHRA list.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not specified in this preliminary announcement. The full call for tenders documentation will outline the application and evaluation process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not available at this stage, as this is a planned call for tenders.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not specify whether co-funding is required. This will likely be detailed in the full call for tenders documentation when it is published.

Summary:

This is a planned call for tenders from the European Commission, DG TRADE, concerning the establishment and regular updating of the indicative, non-exhaustive list of conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) under Regulation (EU) 2017/821 on responsible sourcing of minerals. The Commission has a legal obligation to set up and regularly update the CAHRA list with the help of an external contractor. The procedure type is a planned call for tenders with OJ S publication. The estimated total value of the contract is 400,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 48 months. The TED publication date was 04/06/2025, and the estimated date of publication of a contract notice is 30/06/2025. The main classification (CPV) is 79400000, which refers to business and management consultancy and related services. The nature of the contract is for services. The call is related to the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2017/821, which aims to ensure the responsible sourcing of minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The selected contractor will assist the Commission in fulfilling its obligation to maintain and update the CAHRA list. The opportunity is aimed at organizations with expertise in business and management consultancy, particularly in areas related to responsible sourcing, conflict analysis, and risk assessment. The full details of the call, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, and evaluation criteria, will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Supplement (OJ S) on the estimated date of publication of a contract notice, which is 30/06/2025.