The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is the central digital tool for assessing the sustainability of products within the framework of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). It creates transparency and forms the basis for a functioning circular economy.
Legally, the Digital Product Passport is based on the European Construction Products Regulation (CPR) and the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR).
According to JTC24, the system should be open, SME-friendly, vendor-independent and ‘as simple as a website’. The DPP is designed for interoperability and ensures that information is available in both human- and machine-readable formats. These are decentralised data carriers that will be introduced for almost all product sectors starting in 2027. Access to the DPP is via a unique identifier (QR, barcode, NFC, etc.). The Digital Product Passport should be decentralised, easily accessible, permanent, free of charge, barrier-free and technology-neutral for every person, every software and every application at all times, without any legal or technical obstacles.
Products may only be placed on the market or put into service if they comply with the Ecodesign Regulation. Proof of compliance is provided by the Digital Product Passport. This means that anyone who does not have a DPP will no longer be able to sell their product. Period.
The DPP is technology- and system-independent, flexible and can be used across sectors. It can be used with any digital device and is designed to be consumer-friendly, enabling informed purchasing decisions through easily accessible information.
The DPP comprises publicly accessible data (‘public data’) and protected data, which can only be accessed with appropriate authorisation and requires authentication before access.
The DPP system is decentralised. This means that each product provider makes its own DPPs available independently and on its own responsibility. It is based on open standards such as https, REST-API, json and DNS.
Products whose recyclability, reparability, reusability and recyclability of their components cannot be verified with a Digital Product Passport will no longer be allowed to be sold or installed in the European Union in the future.
Produkte deren Kreislauftauglichkeit, Reparierbarkeit, Wiederverwendbarkeit und der Recyclingfähigkeit ihrer Komponenten nicht mit einem digitalen Produktpass nachgewiesen werden, dürfen künftig in der europäischen Union nicht mehr verkauft oder verbaut werden.
The Digital Product Passport will be mandatory from 2027 for all economic operators selling products in the European Union. It will apply to large batteries (over 2kWh storage capacity) from 2027 and to the construction industry from 2028.
The European Commission will provide a central register that records whether a Digital Product Passport exists and is valid. Digital Product Passports will be provided on a decentralised basis under the responsibility of the economic operator, who will also be responsible for the data.
In the event that manufacturers or distributors are no longer able to fulfil their obligations, certified ‘back-up DPP service providers’ are designated to take over the tasks of the Digital Product Passport completely and permanently.
The DPP is not a purely European endeavour; it has global implications. This is because suppliers from outside the EU must also provide all the necessary information for the DPP. All products sold in the EU must have a Product Passport, even if they are produced outside the EU.
The Battery Passport from the Battery Regulation (expected to be mandatory from 2027) will be the first application of the DPP. It can be seen as a proof of concept, which the DPP will use as a guide for other product groups.
Construction products are often used for many decades and usually consume large quantities of raw materials. With the help of the DPP, all parties involved can access reliable and consistent product information. In accordance with Article 75 of the new Construction Products Regulation, the digital product passport will also be applicable in the construction industry from 2028 onwards.
It provides for a combined ‘declaration of performance and conformity’. The CPR defines eight characteristics (e.g. fire protection, sound insulation, hygiene, etc.), the contents of which are similar to but not identical with those of the DPP. There are harmonised standards for various product groups (e.g. windows) that cover all eight characteristics.
The new Construction Products Regulation refers to the Ecodesign Regulation with regard to the introduction of the digital product passport.
The DPP defines the environmental information of the product and goes into greater depth in this area.