Study on the state of play of building permits for housing in the EU, and potential impact of implementing measures to streamline, shorten and digitalise the process

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) has opened a tender opportunity for a study titled "Study on the state of play of building permits for housing in the EU, and potential impact of implementing measures to streamline, shorten and digitalise the process" with Project ID EC-GROW/2025/OP/0094. The total contract value is €200,000, and the study duration is set for 10 months, with a submission deadline of September 15, 2025, at 16:00:59.

This is a public procurement contract aimed at purchasing research services rather than a grant, emphasizing the evaluation of building permit processes across EU Member States. Eligible applicants are expected to be established legal entities, likely including large consultancies, research organizations, or policy research institutes, as the contract is noted to not be suitable for SMEs. The tender may allow for both single applicants or consortiums, but it does not mandate consortium participation.

The geographic eligibility appears to focus on entities within the EU and potentially includes EEA countries, along with EU candidate countries and third countries, depending on applicable regulations. The primary sectors targeted by this tender include construction and building policy, regulatory analysis, and economic research services.

The objective of this study is to analyze the current state of building permits and evaluate the effectiveness of existing measures aimed at streamlining and digitalizing processes. This foundational research is part of a broader initiative to inform the European Strategy for Housing Construction, to be finalized by Q1 2026.

The contracting authority seeks submissions of technical and financial proposals, which will be evaluated based on quality and price criteria. The study will involve comprehensive data collection, stakeholder consultation across the 27 EU Member States, and will culminate in policy recommendations intended to influence future EU legislative and funding frameworks.

Submissions must be completed electronically, and the required documents include an invitation letter, tender specifications, a financial offer form, and various annexes related to security and intellectual property rights. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. No co-funding is required, and payment will be made upon completion of milestones as specified in the contract.

Overall, this tender represents a significant opportunity for qualified entities to contribute to important policy research that will play a role in shaping housing regulatory frameworks across Europe.

The European Commission, DG GROW Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs is launching a call for tenders EC-GROW2025OP0094 for a study on the state of play of building permits for housing in the EU, and potential impact of implementing measures to streamline, shorten and digitalise the process. The TED reference for this call is 151/2025 520540-2025.

The objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of the current situation in the Member States regarding streamlining, accelerating, and digitalising the housing permit system, which is a building block of the European Strategy for Housing Construction being developed by DG GROW Unit H1 by Q1 2026. The study will also aim to understand the measures already implemented and assess their impact on the supply of housing and the competitiveness of the construction sector.

The procedure type is an open procedure, and submissions must be electronic. The estimated total value of the tender is 200,000 EUR. The nature of the contract is for services, and the maximum contract duration is 10 months. The award method will be based on the best price-quality ratio. No framework agreement is associated with this tender.

Key milestones include:
TED publication date: 08/08/2025
Date and time of public opening: 16/09/2025 10:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 15/09/2025 16:00 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for submitting questions: 05/09/2025 06:00 Europe/Brussels. The Contracting authority is not bound to reply to questions submitted after this date.

The main classification (CPV) code is 79311400 Economic research services.

The following documents are available for download:
EN Invitation to tender EC-GROW2025OP0094 Building Permits for Housing Invitation letter, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN EN TENDER SPECIFICATIONS EC-GROW2025OP0094 Study on building permits Tender specifications, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
ENTS Annex II DoH declaration-of-honour-tenders Building Permits for Housing EC-GROW2025OP0094 Declaration on honour (tender), published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
ENTS Annex 6 Financial offer form template Financial offer form, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN DRAFT contrat-direct-service-2024 FR Recast-en Draft contract, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN Ct Appendix 1 Security requirements en 2025 Draft contract annex, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN Ct Annex III statements-ipr-en Draft contract annex, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.
EN Ct Annex IV -vat-2023-en Draft contract annex, published on 08/08/2025, Version 1, No translations available.

Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission provided electronically.

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In summary, this is a call for tenders by the European Commission, DG GROW, for a study to assess the current state of building permits for housing across EU member states. The goal is to understand the impact of streamlining, digitizing, and accelerating the permit process on housing supply and the construction sector's competitiveness. The tender is open to any organization with the relevant expertise in economic research and construction, and the Commission will award the contract based on the best price-quality ratio. The selected contractor will have 10 months to complete the study, and the total estimated value of the contract is 200,000 EUR. Interested parties must submit their tenders electronically by September 15, 2025. A key requirement for participation is having a valid Personal Identification Code (PIC).

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but given that it is an open procedure tender for economic research services, it is likely that eligible applicants include research institutes, universities, consulting firms, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations with expertise in economic research and the construction/housing sector.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement, specifically a service contract. The contracting authority is procuring economic research services.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity is an open procedure, suggesting that both single applicants and consortia are likely eligible to apply. The documentation mentions the need for a Personal Identification Code (PIC) for both sole candidates and members of a group (consortium).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is likely the EU, as the study focuses on the state of play of building permits for housing in the EU Member States. The description mentions the need to understand the current situation in the various Member States.

Target Sector: The target sectors are building and construction, housing, and economic research. The tender is for a study on building permits for housing and the potential impact of measures to streamline, shorten, and digitalise the process. It also falls under economic research services.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity focuses on the EU Member States, as the study aims to understand the situation regarding building permits for housing within these countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is research. The tender is for a study to gain a better understanding of the current situation in the Member States, understand the measures already implemented, and assess their impact.

Funding Amount: The estimated total value of the contract is 200,000 EUR.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for tenders. The submission method is electronic.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services rendered, specifically the delivery of the economic research study.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned, but it is likely a multi-stage process involving submission of a tender, evaluation, and contract award.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not mentioned, so it is likely not required.

Summary: This opportunity is a call for tenders issued by the European Commission, DG GROW, for a study on building permits for housing in the EU. The goal of the study is to gain a better understanding of the current situation in the Member States, including measures already implemented, and to assess their impact on the supply of housing and the competitiveness of the construction sector. The study aims to support the European Strategy for Housing Construction. The procedure is an open call, meaning any organization with the relevant expertise can apply. The estimated total value of the contract is 200,000 EUR, and the maximum contract duration is 10 months. Submissions must be electronic, and the deadline for receipt of tenders is September 15, 2025. The tender documents include an invitation letter, tender specifications, a declaration on honour, a financial offer form template, a draft contract, and annexes related to security requirements and intellectual property rights. A Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory for participation. The European Commission, DG GROW - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs is the lead contracting authority.