The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is the EU's most ambitious product transparency initiative. Starting in 2026, manufacturers and importers must attach a machine-readable digital identity to each product — containing sustainability data, repair information, recycled content, and supply chain details. The rollout happens in waves, and 2026 is when the infrastructure goes live.
The Digital Product Passport is a digital record attached to a physical product — typically via a QR code, RFID tag, or NFC chip — that carries standardized sustainability and circularity data throughout the product's lifecycle. It's anchored in the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, Regulation EU 2024/1781), which entered into force in July 2024.
The DPP data includes: material composition, recycled content percentages, carbon footprint, repair and disassembly instructions, hazardous substance declarations, supply chain origin, and end-of-life instructions. The goal is to enable recyclers, repair shops, consumers, and regulators to make informed decisions at every stage of the product lifecycle.
By July 2026, the European Commission will deploy the central DPP registry — the infrastructure that underpins the entire system. This registry will generate unique product identifiers, store links to product passports, and enable enforcement checks by customs authorities and market surveillance bodies.
The registry launching does not mean all products need a DPP in 2026 — it means the infrastructure exists to issue and verify them. Mandatory requirements follow by product category according to the schedule below.
| Timeframe | Products | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-2027 | Batteries (EV, industrial, portable) | EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 |
| 2026-2027 | Large industrial equipment | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2027 | Textiles and footwear | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2027 | Iron and steel | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2027-2028 | Aluminium | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2028-2029 | Electronics and ICT equipment | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2028-2029 | Furniture and mattresses | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2029-2030 | Vehicles and mobility products | ESPR delegated acts |
| 2030 | All remaining product categories | ESPR catch-all |
The Battery Regulation (Regulation EU 2023/1542) is the first to mandate DPPs, with requirements phasing in during 2026-2027 depending on battery type. It's the most detailed DPP specification to date and serves as the template other sectors will follow.
Key battery passport requirements include: carbon footprint per kWh, recycled content percentages for cobalt, lithium, nickel and lead, supply chain due diligence documentation, state-of-health data for EV batteries above 2kWh, and end-of-life handling instructions.
For EV battery manufacturers, the 2026 battery passport requirement is not optional. Non-compliance blocks market access in the EU. This is the most immediate DPP obligation any business needs to address.
Even if your product category's mandatory date is 2027 or later, preparation in 2026 is essential. The data collection required for a DPP typically takes 12-18 months to set up properly — especially the supply chain traceability components.
- Identify your product's DPP timeline — check the ESPR regulation and delegated acts for your category
- Audit your current data availability — which sustainability data points do you already collect, and which require new supplier surveys or testing?
- Choose a DPP technology provider — evaluate platforms against the EU registry integration requirements
- Map your supply chain — DPP requires traceable origin data that may require new supplier agreements
- Integrate with your product information systems — PLM, ERP, and QA systems will need to feed into the DPP
Use our DPP readiness scanner to assess your organization's current preparedness and identify the highest-priority gaps.
Companies already producing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), CE markings, or REACH compliance documents often ask how the DPP relates. The answer: DPP is not a replacement — it's an integration layer. It references and links existing declarations but adds lifecycle data, reparability information, and real-time state-of-health data (for batteries) that existing frameworks don't require.
The DPP is also machine-readable by design. Unlike an EPD document, a DPP can be queried programmatically by recycling robots, customs systems, and supply chain management tools. This machine-readable requirement is a fundamental design difference from previous product information regimes.