Amendments to the Public Procurement Law (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 92/2023) and the related amendments to the Public Procurement Portal User Instructions (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 96/2023) came into force on 4 November 2023. These rules change how businesses are required to register user accounts on the Public Procurement Portal and requires firms that are already registered to renew their accounts by 31 January 2024, the effective date of the new regulations.

To register a user account, a business must provide the first and last name of the intended user and their Serbian or foreign national identification number, and upload a scan, printout, or photo of their personal identity document (personal identity card or passport) for verification. If necessary, the business must also provide the user’s authorisation to access the Public Procurement Portal on behalf of the firm registering the account.

Businesses that had registered user accounts on the Portal before the amended regulations came into force can renew their registrations by inputting the data and uploading the documentation required under the new rules, namely:

• Natural persons operating as sole traders must input their personal data (first and last name, Serbian or foreign national identification number, address, contact details, etc.) and upload a scan, printout, or photo of their personal identity card or passport.
• Legal persons must authorise an individual who will input information about the business (registration number, Taxpayer Identification Number, registered address, contact details, etc.) and their own personal data (first and last name, Serbian or foreign national identification number, address, contact details, etc.) as well as upload a scan, printout, or photo of their personal identity card or passport and authorisation to access the Public Procurement Portal on behalf of the firm registering the account (which must be issued on the company’s letterhead and signed by an authorised officer of the business).

The Public Procurement Office will verify and approve new registrations and renewals, but the verification and approval process will not affect users’ ability to take action on the Portal.

Importantly, businesses whose initial registrations or renewals are not approved will not be able to:

1. Seek additional information or clarification of procurement documents as envisaged by law;
2. Submit tenders as envisaged by law;
3. Seek procurement reviews as envisaged by law.