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2-step verification
2-step verification, also referred to as two-factor authentication, allows you to secure your Portal account by adding a second authentication element apart from your password. In this sense, to access you account you will use a logical element, i.e. your password, and a physical element, usually a device to confirm the authentication process.
No compulsory right now, it will become obligatory in the coming months because of security reasons. The threats to cybersecurity are increasing, therefore, all users of the Funding & Tenders Portal are strongly encouraged to establish two-factor authentication for their EU Login account as soon as possible.
Possible options to use two factor
EU Login presents different possibilities to authenticate using a second factor, and you will need to set up at least one to authenticate, but we recommend you to set up more than one if possible:
- A registered device (smartphone, but it can also be a tablet).
- A registered mobile number.
- A registered security key, or if your pc has a trusted platform module (TPM), i.e. your pc supports biometric authentication such as a finger print sensor, you may register it as second factor.
eID authentication
You can additionally use your National ID eCard as second factor. This is currently only possible for the countries that provide this service (19 member states). Also note that the process to confirm the registration or log in happens in the country specific website or with the specific eID solution of the country. Thus, we will need to refer you to your country eID support for guidance on the specific steps to follow per country.
The use of National ID eCard as second factor authentication method usually implies having an additional hardware (i.e. a card reader). You have to make sure you have that hardware/device if you opt for this method.
If your country supports eID, you have enabled it for your National ID Card and you are familiar with your country authentication website/software, you can always use this fourth method as second factor for the Portal.
Refer to the following video tutorial for the part done in your EU Login account and Portal:
Summary about linking your EU Login account to your eID
Please consult https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/wikis/display/DIGITAL/eID for more information on eID.
In all cases, you will need to access your EU Login account by clicking on your profile avatar on the Portal and selecting My Account, and then, click on the option to register the preferred method for second factor authentication, See below for the different options and concrete steps in each case.
Also, regardless of which 2 factor element you are registering, you may be prompted to confirm the registration with an extra layer of security: for example, with a code received by SMS. Thus, even if you are registering an element different than a mobile device, you still need to have your mobile phone at hand to provide a mobile phone and receive the confirmation via SMS (you do not need to registers a phone, but you need to specify a mobile phone number to receive the SMS).
You may confirm the registration also with the app, via QR or pin, but obviously, you can do so if you have previously finished the registration of a device, so if it is a device what you are registering, the phone number and the SMS are the only possibilities left.
When you see the prompt, enter you Eu Login password, provide the mobile number including the country code and click on Sign In.
Then enter the code you received and click on Sign in.
If you have previously registered a device, you can also confirm the action using the EU Login app.
Then proceed with the registration of the second factor as described below accordingly (Register a device, Register a phone number, Register a security key / trusted platform).
This extra authentication step appears only once per session (i.e., if you proceed to register a mobile, you will be presented with the prompt to provide the mobile phone number and receive the code via SMS; if you register a second element afterwards, like a security key, for example, you will not have this prompt again since you already confirmed it once in the current session).
This extra step is also needed when removing any registered element (device, phone or security key/platform).
Register a device
Before registering the mobile device, please look for the EU Login mobile app in Google Play or App Store, depending on your device operating system, and have it installed in the device.
You will use this option to register, typically, a smartphone, but you can also register a tablet.
Access you EU Login account.
After having the app installed on the device, access your EU Login Account on the Portal ( by clicking on your profile avatar on the Portal and selecting My Account), click on Manage my mobile devices.
Add the device to the list of your devices.
Click on Add a mobile device.
Sometimes you may be requested to use a higher level of security to confirm the action.
If you are presented with a prompt to receive a code via SMS at this point, please follow the instructions as explained above. Otherwise, just keep on reading below.
Provide a name for your device and a pin code of 4 digits. Click on Submit.
Link the device with the EU Login app.
You will be shown a QR code on the screen of your pc, you need to scan it using the EU Login App in your device.
Thus, open the EU Login app in the device.
Then, click on initialize. Click on the blue tick at the bottom right.
Scan the code.
Once the device scans the code, you will be asked to enter the pin code you specified in step 2. Click on the blue tick to confirm.
A confirmation will be displayed both on the device and on your computer.
As from this moment, you device have been registered and you can proceed to authenticate with it.
Video Tutorial: Using the EU Login app
Summary about registering a device and using the EU Login app
Register a phone number
For registering a phone number you do not need to install anything on your phone, simply register the number to link it with your EU Login account and confirm the registration with a code. Please note that a phone number can be linked it only once.
Access you EU Login account.
Access your EU Login Account on the Portal ( by clicking on your profile avatar on the Portal and selecting My Account), click on Manage my mobile phone numbers.
Sometimes you may be requested to use a higher level of security to confirm the action.
If you are presented with a prompt to receive a SMS code at this point, please follow the instructions as explained above. If you do not get the prompting at this point, then move to step 2.
Provide the phone number
Click on Add a mobile phone number.
Then, enter the phone number including the country code, click on Add.
An SMS will be sent to the provided phone number. Enter the code on the screen and click on on Finalise.
The registered phone number may be registered for another EU Login account. Thus, this option is the best option for users with two accounts (i.e. and expert account and a non-expert account).
At this moment, you mobile phone has been registered for your account and you can start using it as second factor on the Portal.
Video Tutorial: Using an SMS code
Summary about registering a phone and using SMS codes
Register a security key / trusted platform
As a third possibility, you can register a security key or trusted platform.
The security key is a USB key that you insert in the pc and that will act a second factor. There are different options on the market and the only prerequisite is that the security key needs to be compliant with the FIDO2 authentication standard (consult the manufacturer / product specifications before purchasing).
You can also register your pc as trusted platform and use it as second factor if it has a trusted platform module (TPM), a specialized security chip available in most modern PCs. You know that your PC contains this module because it allows you to secure the access via a pin code or via biometric solutions, such as a touch-ID, an area where you place your finger to gain access to the pc based on your previously registered fingerprint, facial recognition, etc.
To use this option, you will need to have configured the biometric access or Pin code access in your pc first. When registering the trusted platform, EU Login will detect the TPM and ask you to use it as trusted platform.
Access you EU Login account.
Access your EU Login Account on the Portal (by clicking on your profile avatar on the Portal and selecting My Account), click on Manage my Security Keys and Trusted Platforms.
Then, move to the correct Step 2 below depending of what you are registering.
Register a security key.
Insert the security key and click on Add a security key.
Provide a name for you security key and click on Submit.
If you did not insert the key yet, please cancel!
If your device has a trusted platform module (TPM), please be aware that your EU Login account could detect it at this point, specially if you did not insert the key in the pc yet.
A pop up will prompt you to use it (instead of the security key). Please click on Cancel to abort, otherwise you will be setting up the the biometric/pin code of you pc as second factor, and not the security key.
Then, you will see a pop up window to confirm that the security key will be used to authenticate for Eu Login and the email of you EU Login account, click OK to confirm.
If you did not insert the key yet, insert it now before clicking OK.
You will be asked to allow ecas.ec.europa.eu (this is the EU Login service) to have access to the manufacturing details of your key. Click OK to confirm.
Provide a pin for your security key and click OK.
Depending on the model, you will be requested to touch the key now.
At this point, your security key has been registered and you may use it as second factor.
Register a trusted platform.
Click on Add a Trusted Platform.
Then provide a name for your platform and click Submit.
A pop will appear prompting you to authenticate using your PC. You will see the authentication method that has been set up for you pc, click on more choices to see all the authentication methods configured on your pc, then select the one you want to use.
After authentication with the PC has been successful, you can start using it as second factor now.
Video Tutorial: Using a security key or trusted platform
Enable two-factor authentication
Go to your security settings (i.e. log in to the Portal, click on the arrow below the image of your profile and select Security Settings).
Click on Activate.
Select three different questions from the drop down list and enter an answer. These questions will be used when two-factor authentication is enabled but you are not able to sign in using it. Click on Send Questions to confirm.
No special characters are allowed, only Latin characters. Note also that upper case, spaces and accents (è,é,ê,ë, etc.) will not be considered when prompted to provide the answers to deactivate. This means that they all are ignored by the system, so the same answers as above can be given as follows:
You will receive an email confirming the activation of the two-factor authentication.
Also, when you access your security settings in the portal now, it will indicate that the two-factor authentication is active for your account.
If you have forgotten the answer to the security questions, you must contact the support helpdesk as soon as possible, as there is no way for you to remove the questions unassisted.
Use two-factor authentication
When two-factor authentication is active, select the option you registered as second factor.
These are the possible options you can use according to what you have registered as second factor:
- if you registered a device, with the EU Login App, you can select either Eu Login Mobile App Pin Code or Eu Login Mobile App QR code.
- if you registered a phone number, then select Mobile Phone + SMS
- if you registered a security key or trusted platform, select it at the bottom of the list
You can still log in to the portal with just your password, but when accessing you will be prompted to use or to deactivate it:
Click on 1 to sign in, and you will be presented with the list of available methods to authenticate using a second factor, or click on 2 to deactivate the 2-step validation.
Once authenticated, you will be able to access any of the applications in the left-side navigation menu without further validation while your current Funding & Tenders Portal session remains active.
Disable two-factor authentication when device not available
If you device is not available at the moment but you still need to access My Area, you have the possibility to disable the 2-step. Select 2 as shown below.
You will be requested to provide the answers to your questions in an activate screen like the one below.
Provide the answers and click on Send Responses. If the answers are correct, you will directly access the application under My Area and you will get an email confirming that you deactivated the two-factor authentication. No further confirmation will be displayed on the screen.
After removing a device from the list of your devices
You can remove a device from your devices, via Security Settings, clicking on the hyperlink "register your mobile or device" in order to access your EU Login account.
Or via the My account option from the account menu on the right upper-corner.
Then select my mobile devices / Delete a mobile device.
However, notice that whenever you remove a device, even if you add a second device, when clicking the 
button to access My area, you will be shown the following recovery screen before actually being able to use the 2-factor verification.
For security reasons, you need to authenticate using the answer to your three questions. Afterwards, you will be able to use your 2-factor verification as usual, so you will be shown the 2nd verification step missing screen once again, and when clicking on the button (option 1 below), you will proceed to use the 2-factor this time.
After using the panic button (external users only)
External users that are not LEARs have the possibility to delete any device linked within their EU Login account using a "panic button".
When clicking this button, a warning message will be shown informing that authentication by means of a device will not be possible any more. After confirming, you will get logged out.
You can log on back to your EU Login account using the usual password, but if the two-factor authentication was enabled when deleting the associated devices, you will not have access to any of the applications under My Area, because you will be prompted to authenticate using your device.
In this case, you will have two possibilities:
Deactivate 2-step providing the answer to the secret questions. Click on the 
button when prompted for your questions, enter the answer in the recovery screen and click on the 
button.
Register a new mobile device.
First, install the EU Login Mobile App in your new device. Afterwards, you can register a new device going to Security Settings and clicking in the link to register a device.
Or via the My account option from the account menu on the right upper-corner and and clicking on Manage my mobile devices in the Your EU Login account.
Then click on Add a mobile device and provide a name for your new device and a four pin code.
Click on Submit. Go now to the EU Login app on your device and select Initialize (if by any chance EU Login had been set up in that device already, click on settings and then on the options menu (three dots in the upper-right corner, and select reset device).
Finally, scan the code which is being displayed on your pc. A message informing that there is a pending request for initialisation will be displayed on your app, after a couple of minutes it will be accepted and you will see a confirmation on your pc informing that the new device has been added to your account. You can use 2-step now with the new device:
After registering a new device, whenever you try to use it for first time, you will be shown a recovery screen first, where you need to enter the answer to your questions. After clicking on the button, you will be prompted to authenticate with the 2-factor authentication. Proceed as usual.
Disable two-factor authentication from security settings
You can also deactivate the two-factor authentication at any moment by accessing your Security Settings in the Funding & Tenders Portal and selecting Deactivate:
Deactivating from Security Settings does not prompt you for your questions, but you will be prompted to sign in using two-factor authentication. Hence, this option cannot be used if your do not have your device with you:
Once signed in, you will be requested to confirm deactivating by clicking the Deactivate button a second time. You can reactivate the 2-step validation via security setting/activate again, you will need to enter new security questions, but there will be no need to register the device unless you deleted it from your linked devices.
