eCertis

eCertis is the European Commission's reference database for procurement certificates and attestations. Its purpose is to solve a practical problem in cross-border procurement: when a German contracting authority asks for evidence of "good standing with tax authorities," a Swedish supplier needs to know which Swedish document satisfies that requirement. eCertis answers that question by mapping national certificates to standardised criterion types across all EU member states.

What is eCertis?

eCertis is a web-based repository maintained by the European Commission. It catalogues the certificates, attestations, declarations, and other documents that contracting authorities across the EU accept as means of proof for common qualification criteria. Each entry describes:

The certificate type. For example, a criminal record extract, a tax clearance certificate, a social security payment confirmation, or a professional registration certificate.

The issuing authority. The national body responsible for issuing the document (a tax agency, a court registry, a professional chamber, a social insurance institution).

Availability and access. Whether the document is available online, issued on request, free of charge, or subject to fees. In some member states certain certificates are accessible through administrative interconnection systems without the supplier needing to obtain them manually.

Cross-reference to ESPD criteria. Each certificate is tagged to the relevant exclusion ground or selection criterion codes used in the ESPD XML Format, enabling automated matching within e-procurement systems.

Use of eCertis by contracting authorities became mandatory under Article 61 of Directive 2014/24/EU when a contracting authority requires certificates or attestations. The intention is that a buyer cannot demand a document that does not appear in eCertis as the recognised equivalent for the relevant criterion in the supplier's home country.

eCertis is not a certificate-exchange system: it does not retrieve or transmit certificates on behalf of suppliers. It is an information directory that tells both sides of a procurement which document to request and which to provide.

Why eCertis matters for bidders

For suppliers bidding in countries other than their home state, eCertis is the first place to check when a contracting authority's ESPD Request asks for unfamiliar documentation. Rather than guessing which national document satisfies a foreign authority's requirement, you can look up the criterion in eCertis and confirm the exact document type accepted in your home country.

eCertis also helps when you are preparing a self-declaration in your ESPD Response: you can note the eCertis reference for the certificates you will produce if requested, which makes verification faster for the contracting authority.

Example

An Austrian engineering firm responds to a Polish infrastructure tender. The Polish ESPD Request requires evidence of no criminal conviction for corruption (mandatory exclusion ground). The Austrian firm checks eCertis and finds that the Austrian equivalent is the Strafregisterbescheinigung, issued by the Bundesministerium für Inneres. It notes this in its ESPD Response and, upon being selected as preferred tenderer, obtains and submits the Strafregisterbescheinigung to the Polish authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eCertis always accurate?

eCertis is maintained by national contact points in each member state, and the Commission relies on those contacts to keep entries current. In practice, some entries lag behind legislative or administrative changes. If an eCertis entry seems inconsistent with your national authority's current practice, verify directly with the issuing body before relying on the eCertis description.

Does eCertis cover the UK?

eCertis covers EU member states. Following Brexit, UK certificates are no longer listed. UK suppliers bidding in EU procedures should clarify with the contracting authority which documents they accept as equivalent from third-country suppliers, as this falls to the authority's discretion absent an applicable trade agreement provision.

Can eCertis be used for below-threshold contracts?

eCertis is technically available for any procurement, but its use is only mandatory under the EU directives for above-threshold procedures. Below-threshold national rules may or may not require reference to eCertis.