To support progress towards a sustainable world, we delve into an EU initiative focused on using digital records to provide transparency and reliable data on products and their sustainability impact.
The European Commission (EC) is introducing an EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) to enable the implementation of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
Manufacturers selling in Europe will need to provide an EU DPP for products in priority areas that have a high loading on the environment, or for which there is a high potential for circularity.
Read this article to find out if your organization will be impacted and how to keep up with developments.
What is a Digital Product Passport?
A Digital Product Passport is a structured collection of product-related, machine-readable data with pre-defined scope and agreed data management and access rights, conveyed through a unique product identifier that is accessible via electronic means through a data carrier.
What is the EU Digital Product Passport?
The EU DPP is a digital identity card for products, components, and materials, which will store relevant information to support products’ sustainability, promote their circularity and strengthen legal compliance.
This information will be accessible electronically, making it easier for consumers, manufacturers, and authorities to make more informed decisions and trace data provenance related to sustainability, circularity and regulatory compliance. It will allow custom authorities to perform automatic checks on the existence and authenticity of the DPPs of imported products.
Which products will need to have an EU DPP to be sold into the EU?
The focus is on resource intensive sectors with a high circularity potential. The EC have identified the following priority areas:
- Iron & Steel
- Aluminium
- Textiles – garments and footwear
- Furniture – including mattresses
- Tyres
- Detergents
- Paints, lubricants, chemicals
- Energy-related products
- ICT products, as well as other electronics
What information will need to be included in the EU DPP?
Information to be included in the DPP will be identified by the Commission, in close consultation with all relevant stakeholders, and will depend on the specific product in question. This information can include:
- Product’s technical performance
- Materials and their origins
- Repair activities
- Recycling capabilities
- Lifecycle environmental impacts
What is the timeline for implementation?
The ESPR is a framework legislation, meaning concrete product rules will be decided progressively over time, on a product-by-product basis, or horizontally, on the basis of groups of products with similar characteristics.
The process will begin with a prioritization exercise, followed by publication of a working plan setting out the products and measures to be addressed under the ESPR over a given time period. Development of product rules will then start, based on inclusive planning, detailed impact assessments and regular stakeholder consultation. This will happen through an Ecodesign Forum. The first ESPR Working Plan will be adopted and published in Q2 2025.
How can organizations that will be impacted participate in the development of standards that will support the EU DPP?
CEN/CLC JTC 24, Digital Product Passport - Framework and System was formed in Q3 of 2023 in response to a standards request from the European Commission and work is underway to develop European Standards to support the implementation of the EU DPP.
The standards are being developed at pace because the DPP will be required imminently by the ESPR for product categories such as batteries. See The ESPR Working Plan for more information on timelines.
The coverage of deliverables for the Digital Product Passport (DPP) framework and system, based on but not limited to standards, includes:
- unique identifiers;
- data carriers and links between physical product and digital
- representation;
- access rights management, information, system security, and business
- confidentiality;
- interoperability (technical, semantic, organization);
- data processing, data exchange protocols and data formats;
- data storage, archiving, and data persistence;
- data authentication, reliability, integrity;
- Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for the product passport lifecycle management and searchability; and the data delivering system, data specification method while ensuring cross-sectoral and cross-system interoperability.
Exclusions:
- Sector specific standards;
- deliverables already covered by the scope of other CEN and CENELEC TCs;
- definition of the content of data belonging to different product types or segments.
The EU DPP represents a transformative step towards sustainability and circularity in Europe. Don’t miss your chance to shape its development and prepare your organization with a standards subscription for a sustainable future.
Get involved today
Is your organization impacted by EU DPP? Join the BSI Committee IST/47/-3 to help shape the standards that will guide the EU DPP. Apply to join here.
How BSI Knowledge can support your organization
While the EU DPP focuses on enhancing sustainability and circularity for products, BSI Knowledge provides access to a wide range of relevant standards to help you navigate these changes.
From managing technical performance to ensuring compliance with environmental and regulatory requirements, BSI Knowledge offers a comprehensive suite of standards to guide your organization through the complexities of the DPP. Whether it's understanding materials, improving recycling capabilities, or maintaining data integrity, BSI Knowledge equips your organization with the tools to succeed.
Request a demo to explore how BSI Knowledge can support your efforts in adapting to the evolving landscape of sustainable and compliant product standards.
