Single Digital Gateway

The Single Digital Gateway (SDG) is an EU initiative established under Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 to provide businesses and citizens across Europe with a single online access point for the information, procedures, and assistance they need to operate in the EU internal market. Within the procurement context, the SDG provides guidance on public procurement rules, links to national procurement systems, and information on how to find and participate in European public tenders.

What is the Single Digital Gateway?

The Single Digital Gateway is hosted on the Your Europe portal and aggregates resources from all 27 EU member states and EU institutions into a single, multilingual interface. For procurement specifically, the SDG covers:

• Procurement rules by country. Each member state's transposition of the EU procurement directives (2014/24/EU, 2014/25/EU, 2014/23/EU) into national law, including country-specific rules for below-threshold contracts and remedies procedures.
• How to find opportunities. Guidance on using TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and national procurement portals to identify contract opportunities above and below EU threshold values.
• Participation requirements. Country-specific information on documents required from foreign tenderers, including certificates of good standing, tax clearance, and professional registration.
• Procedures for challenging awards. Information on national review and remedies procedures for unsuccessful bidders who believe procurement rules were not followed.

Beyond procurement, the SDG covers the full range of procedures businesses need for cross-border activity: registering a company, obtaining professional recognition, complying with national tax and employment rules, and accessing business support services. The SDG's breadth makes it the starting point for non-EU or non-local suppliers who are new to the European procurement market.

The SDG links directly to national eProcurement portals, SIMAP (Information System for Public Procurement) for CPV codes and thresholds, and the EU Funding and Tenders Portal for EU-funded contract opportunities.

Why it matters for bidders

The Single Digital Gateway is particularly valuable for suppliers new to a particular EU member state. Procurement rules vary significantly in their national implementation even when grounded in the same directive. A German authority, a Greek authority, and a Bulgarian authority are all bound by Directive 2014/24/EU, but their national procedures, document requirements, and portal systems differ considerably. The SDG provides a single starting point for understanding these country-specific differences without needing to navigate each country's national administrative websites independently.

For SMEs and companies new to EU markets, the SDG's procurement guidance reduces the research burden of understanding where to find opportunities and what is required to bid competitively.

Example

An Irish software firm is exploring its first bid for a Danish public sector contract. Before approaching TED Search to look for opportunities, the firm uses the Single Digital Gateway to understand Denmark's national procurement rules, find the Danish national eProcurement portal, and confirm what Danish authorities require from foreign tenderers in terms of documentation. This background research takes an afternoon and prevents costly mistakes in the bid submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Single Digital Gateway available in all EU languages?

Yes. The SDG is available in all 24 official EU languages. Information from national authorities is provided in the original language with links to translated versions where available.

Does the SDG help with EEA countries outside the EU?

The SDG is an EU initiative and covers the 27 EU member states. Information on EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) and Switzerland is generally not included in the SDG, though those countries' national portals provide equivalent information locally.

Is the Single Digital Gateway useful for UK-based suppliers post-Brexit?

UK-based suppliers can use the SDG to research EU member state procurement rules and find national portals. The SDG does not cover UK domestic procurement, which is governed by the Procurement Act 2023 and Find a Tender Service.