Guide · Digital Product Passport

Digital Product Passport (DPP): what it is, how it works and when it becomes mandatory

A Digital Product Passport is a product’s digital identity card: a set of data on origin, materials, environmental impact, repair and end of life, accessed through a QR code or NFC tag on the product. It is introduced by the EU ESPR (2024/1781) and becomes mandatory product group by product group; the first obligation fixed in law is the Battery Passport, from 18 February 2027.

Updated

At a glance

  • Legal basis: ESPR Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, in force since 18 July 2024; for batteries, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.
  • What it holds: data set by each product group’s delegated act, such as composition, substances, recycled content, environmental footprint, repairability and end-of-life instructions.
  • How it is read: a data carrier on the product (QR code, NFC or RFID) linked to a unique identifier.
  • When: batteries from 18 February 2027; other groups usually 18 months after their delegated act (iron and steel expected in 2026, textiles in 2027).
  • Who: whoever places the product on the EU market — manufacturer, importer or authorised representative.

What a Digital Product Passport contains

The exact content is set by each product group’s delegated act. These are the recurring information areas:

Information area Example data
Product identity Unique identifier, model, batch or serial number, manufacturer, place of production
Materials and composition Raw materials, substances of concern, recycled content, certifications
Environmental impact Carbon footprint, environmental footprint, life-cycle assessment data
Use and durability Instructions for use and care, durability, performance
Repair Repairability score, spare-part availability, disassembly instructions
End of life Collection, recycling and disposal instructions
Compliance Declarations of conformity, technical documentation, customs codes

Beyond mandatory data, many brands add voluntary information: product story, warranty, ownership history, after-sales services.

How it works

An ESPR-compliant DPP rests on five technical elements.

  1. 01

    Unique identifier

    Each passport is tied to a unique product identifier, at model, batch or item level as set by the delegated act.

  2. 02

    Data carrier

    A QR code, NFC tag or RFID on the product, packaging or documentation leads to the passport with a single scan.

  3. 03

    Data hosted by the operator

    Data stays with whoever places the product on the market, or with a DPP service provider they appoint, in open and interoperable formats.

  4. 04

    Differentiated access

    Some information is public and free for consumers; other information is reserved for authorities, repairers or recyclers.

  5. 05

    EU registry

    Passport identifiers are recorded in the EU DPP registry, live since 20 July 2026. The registry holds identifiers, not the full data.

EU DPP Registry guide →

When it becomes mandatory

There is no single date: the obligation applies to each product group through its own act. The timeline known today:

Product groupDateStatus
EV, LMT (e-bike, e-scooter) and industrial batteries over 2 kWh 18 February 2027 Obligation set by Reg. (EU) 2023/1542
Iron and steel 2026 ESPR delegated act expected
Textiles and apparel 2027 ESPR delegated act expected
Tyres 2027 ESPR delegated act expected
Furniture 2028 ESPR delegated act expected
Aluminium 2028 ESPR delegated act expected
Mattresses 2029 ESPR delegated act expected

For ESPR groups the date is the delegated act expected under the 2025–2030 Working Plan; obligations usually apply 18 months later. Products not covered, such as food or leather goods, can adopt the DPP voluntarily.

Complete ESPR guide → Battery Passport guide →

Who must comply, and the risks

The obligation falls on whoever places the product on the EU market: the manufacturer, the importer if the manufacturer is outside the EU, or the authorised representative. Distributors and retailers must keep the passport accessible.

Where a DPP is required, a product without one cannot be placed on the EU market. Penalties are set by each Member State.

Technical standards

European technical standards for the DPP (identifiers, data carriers, interoperability, access and security) are developed by CEN and CENELEC in joint committee JTC 24, under a Commission mandate. They are voluntary, but once cited in the Official Journal of the EU they give a presumption of conformity with the ESPR.

How to implement a DPP in five steps

  1. 1

    Check your obligations

    Find out whether your product group has a delegated act and when it applies.

  2. 2

    Map your data

    List the required data and where it lives today: ERP, PLM, suppliers, certifications.

  3. 3

    Collect supply-chain data

    Often the longest part: you need supplier data on materials and processes.

  4. 4

    Choose data carrier and platform

    QR code or NFC; model, batch or item level; and a platform that hosts the passports and registers them in the EU registry.

  5. 5

    Publish and maintain

    The passport must stay up to date across the product’s whole life cycle, including after sale.

Do you need blockchain?

No, the ESPR does not mandate a specific technology. Blockchain is an extra choice: it makes data verifiable by anyone and impossible to alter after the fact — useful against counterfeiting and to prove what was declared, and when. MyLime uses it for this, writing only cryptographic hashes, never personal data, to the public blockchain.

Real-world examples

  • Colnago

    Every C68 bike has its own Digital Product Passport with an NFC tag built into the frame. Through the Retrofit programme, frames already sold can be certified too.

  • 3T

    The DPP traces every high-end cycling component, from production to the end customer.

  • Paoletti Guitars

    The digital passport certifies the origin, materials and craftsman behind every handmade guitar.

Digital Product Passport FAQ

Is the Digital Product Passport already mandatory?
Not yet, except in specific cases. The first obligation fixed in law is the Battery Passport, from 18 February 2027. For other products the obligation starts with the product group’s ESPR delegated act, usually 18 months after its adoption.

What is the difference between the DPP and the Battery Passport?
The Battery Passport is the Digital Product Passport for batteries, required by the Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542. The DPP in general is required by the ESPR for other product groups.

Does the DPP replace the product label?
No. It sits alongside mandatory labels and makes far more information available digitally, updatable over time.

How long does it take to implement a DPP?
It depends on how available your data is. With MyLime, going from contract to go-live typically takes 10–12 weeks; a pilot on one product line is faster.

All frequently asked questions →

Find out what your product needs.

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