Digital Product Passport guide
How Does the Digital Product Passport Work Across Its Lifecycle?
The Digital Product Passport connects reliable product data to a product, batch or model. Authorized stakeholders can use and contribute the information they need across the value chain and circular economy.
Fundamentals
One dataset that travels with the product
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a structured dataset about a product. It can bring together information on materials and components, chemical substances, origin, environmental impacts, repairability, spare parts, reuse, recycling and disposal.
A data carrier on the product, packaging or accompanying documentation – such as a QR code – links to the passport. The applicable product-specific EU rules determine which data is mandatory, who may view or update it and whether the passport applies to a model, batch or individual item.
- 1
- structured dataset per defined product level
- 6
- key stakeholder groups in the illustrated lifecycle
- 2027
- battery passport requirement starts for certain batteries
Information flows around the Digital Product Passport
The diagram shows which information the participating groups typically receive and which feedback can flow back into the product lifecycle.
What does the Digital Product Passport diagram show in detail?
The Digital Product Passport sits at the centre of the diagram. Around it are raw material producers, manufacturers, retailers, product users, repair businesses, and waste and circular economy companies.
Raw material producers provide data about extraction and production, including origin and production conditions. Manufacturers add information about the materials used, their properties and production. In return, they receive raw material information and feedback on the quality and condition of products and components.
Retailers receive information about raw materials and production and can return product feedback. Product users receive relevant information about environmental impacts, use, repair and disposal.
Repair businesses receive repair and spare-part information and can report the condition of products and components. Waste and circular economy companies use data about material composition and quality to improve sorting, reuse and recycling.
Stakeholders and data flows
Who uses the Digital Product Passport – and why?
A DPP is not a public data collection in which everyone sees everything. Roles and access rights make the relevant information available to each group for its specific task.
Raw material producers
- Provides
- Data on origin, extraction, production conditions and relevant material characteristics.
Manufacturers
- Receives
- Raw material information and feedback on the condition of products and components.
- Provides
- Information on materials, components, production and other product characteristics.
Retailers
- Receives
- Information on raw materials, products and production processes.
- Provides
- Feedback from sales, returns and customer contact to manufacturers.
Product users
- Receives
- Clear information on environmental impacts, use, repair options and disposal.
Repair businesses
- Receives
- Repair instructions, spare-part information and safety-relevant product data.
- Provides
- Feedback on the condition and repair of products and components.
Waste and circular economy companies
- Receives
- Information on material composition, quality, disassembly and appropriate treatment.
Contents
What data can a Digital Product Passport contain?
There is no single data list for every product. Typical categories nevertheless show which information can support compliance and the circular economy.
Identity and origin
Product, model or batch identifiers, economic operators, manufacturing location and supply chain references.
Materials and substances
Components, material shares, critical raw materials and, where required, substances of concern.
Environmental performance
Product-specific metrics such as durability, energy efficiency or resource efficiency where required.
Use and repair
Instructions, maintenance, spare parts, safety information and repair-related characteristics.
Circularity and end of life
Disassembly, reuse, recyclability, material separation and appropriate disposal.
Evidence and conformity
Declarations, references to tests or certificates and other required evidence.
The applicable legal act is decisive
It defines the required data fields for each product group, the passport’s level of granularity, update and retention requirements, and who may access the information.
EU regulation
From a framework to product-specific obligations
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) creates the European framework for Digital Product Passports. Product-specific legal acts then introduce concrete obligations step by step. The EU Battery Regulation already provides its own timetable for batteries.
2024
ESPR enters into force
Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 establishes the DPP as a central instrument for product-specific information requirements.
2025
First ESPR working plan
The European Commission prioritizes iron and steel, aluminium, textiles, furniture, tyres and mattresses, among other groups, for future measures.
2026
The technical foundation becomes concrete
Six European DPP system standards have been published; at the stated information date, two more are still in formal vote.
2027
Battery passport for certain batteries
From 18 February 2027, battery passports are required for LMT batteries, industrial batteries above 2 kWh and electric vehicle batteries.
Through 2029
Further product rules follow in stages
The ESPR working plan lists target years for adopting product-specific measures. The actual application date will be set by each legal act.
Technical standards
A shared system framework is taking shape
European standards define the technical foundation for product passports to be discoverable, interoperable, persistently available and accessible under controlled conditions. They do not replace product-specific legal acts, but provide shared building blocks for implementation.
EN 18216
PublishedData exchange protocols
EN 18219
PublishedUnique identifiers
EN 18220
PublishedData carriers and their link to the product
EN 18221
PublishedData storage, archiving and persistence
EN 18222
PublishedAPIs, lifecycle management and searchability
EN 18223
PublishedDPP system interoperability
FprEN 18239
Formal voteAccess rights, system security and confidentiality
FprEN 18246
Formal voteData authentication, reliability and integrity
| Standard | Topic | Status |
|---|---|---|
| EN 18216 | Data exchange protocols | Published |
| EN 18219 | Unique identifiers | Published |
| EN 18220 | Data carriers and their link to the product | Published |
| EN 18221 | Data storage, archiving and persistence | Published |
| EN 18222 | APIs, lifecycle management and searchability | Published |
| EN 18223 | DPP system interoperability | Published |
| FprEN 18239 | Access rights, system security and confidentiality | Formal vote |
| FprEN 18246 | Data authentication, reliability and integrity | Formal vote |
Status as of 14 July 2026. According to CEN/CENELEC, the formal vote for the two marked drafts runs until 16 July 2026.
Implementation
How businesses can prepare today
Even while individual product rules are still being developed, businesses can build a structured data and system foundation. These steps reduce later pressure and duplicate work.
- 1
Clarify your product portfolio and role
Identify product groups, sales markets and your role as manufacturer, importer, retailer or another economic operator.
- 2
Inventory your data sources
Document which information exists in ERP, PIM, PLM, documents, supplier portals or spreadsheets.
- 3
Assign gaps and responsibilities
Map data fields to internal teams and suppliers, then define approval and update processes.
- 4
Plan identifiers and granularity
Review current product identifiers and prepare for model, batch or item level as required by the product rules.
- 5
Design access and evidence
Separate public information from protected data and make origin, version and approval traceable.
- 6
Plan interfaces instead of isolated solutions
Connect existing systems and create a robust process for maintenance, publication and long-term availability.
Frequently asked questions
The short version
Key answers about how the Digital Product Passport works and how it will be introduced.
Is the Digital Product Passport a single EU database?
No. The DPP is designed as a decentralized, standardized dataset linked to the product through a data carrier. Registries and search services support discovery, while the actual data may be held by different DPP service providers or economic operators depending on the architecture.
Is all information in a DPP public?
No. Product-specific rules determine which information consumers, authorities, repair businesses or other stakeholders may access. Role-based rights protect confidential and security-relevant data.
Does one passport cover a model, batch or individual item?
That depends on the relevant product rule. The ESPR permits different levels of granularity. Businesses should structure identifiers so model, batch and, where necessary, item level can be represented cleanly.
When does the Digital Product Passport become mandatory?
There is no single start date for all products. The battery passport applies to certain batteries from 18 February 2027. Other product groups follow under their respective delegated acts and transition periods.
Who is responsible for the data?
Legal responsibility depends on the applicable act and the economic operator’s role. In practice, several parties often supply data; the obligated operator must organize its completeness, currency and required availability.
Is Excel enough for a Digital Product Passport?
Spreadsheets can help with an initial inventory. Managing many products, data contributors, versions, access rights, validation, interfaces and persistent publication requires a controlled, traceable process and usually a purpose-built system.
Official foundations and further reading
The regulatory statements on this page are based on EU legislation and publications from the German Federal Environment Ministry and CEN/CENELEC.
- 01German Federal Environment Ministry: A passport for the entire product cycleStakeholders and information flows across the product lifecycle
- 02German Federal Environment Ministry: What is a Digital Product Passport?Definition and typical information categories
- 03Regulation (EU) 2024/1781Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
- 04ESPR Working Plan 2025–2030Priority product groups and indicative timeline
- 05Regulation (EU) 2023/1542EU Battery Regulation and the battery passport under Article 77
- 06CEN/CENELEC: EU Digital Product Passport, 25 June 2026Status of European DPP system standards
Last reviewed on 14 July 2026.
Next step
Prepare structured product data today
We can show you how to bring existing data sources, responsibilities and publication processes together for the Digital Product Passport.