(Last edited Dec 5th, 2024)
As industries navigate a transformative era in sustainability and compliance, Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are emerging as a key regulatory and operational tool. Rooted in the European Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), DPPs aim to ensure products align with standards of sustainability, circularity, and legal compliance.
Here’s an overview of the latest updates shaping the regulatory framework and standardization of DPPs.
Key takeaways:
- DPP standards are expected to be finalized by 2025.
- DPP service providers will need to meet specific criteria for content and data availability.
- Discover how to stay informed and actively participate in shaping the future of DPPs.
What Are Digital Product Passports?
In the context of the ESPR, DPP has been introduced as a tool to provide easy access to digital information on products’ sustainability, circularity and legal compliance.
DPP definition:
“A product passport is a tool to foster the sustainability of products and the transition to sustainable business models by making information available to actors along the entire value chain. The availability of a product passport significantly enhances end-to-end traceability of a product throughout its value chain, helps consumers make informed choices by providing access to product information relevant to them, allows economic operators and other value chain actors such as repairers or recyclers to access relevant information, and enables competent national authorities to perform their duties.
Product passports should be as uniform as possible across products, industry sectors, and relevant Union legislations, and they should be used as consistently as possible to avoid confusion and misunderstandings when organizations or industries use different semantic or technical standards. To promote such uniformity, the product passport should also allow the inclusion of information concerning integrated product components, where relevant.”
Starting February 18, 2027, DPPs will be mandatory for batteries and are expected to expand to other product categories soon after. This tool is designed to make it easier for everyone—from businesses to consumers—to access critical product data, helping to drive a circular economy.
How Are the Rules Being Finalized in the EU?
The EU is setting clear rules to ensure DPPs work seamlessly across industries. These rules are being developed in two ways:
1. Delegated Acts: Setting the ground rules
These are detailed regulations that will guide how DPPs are created, managed, and maintained.
Here’s what they’ll cover:
- Creating DPPs and their digital carriers (like QR codes or chips).
- Storing and updating DPPs, making sure they’re secure and always accessible.
- Reporting requirements to track key product information.
- Backup systems to prevent data loss.
A key goal is to ensure long-term access to DPP information and guarantee that service providers meet specific financial and security standards.
Next step: Starting from November 12, 2024, a draft for these rules is already open for feedback: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say_en
2. Standardisation: Building the Backbone of DPPs
Standardization is essential to ensure interoperability and efficiency across industries adopting DPPs. The standardization process focuses on:
- Data processing, exchange protocols, and formats.
- Data storage, archiving, and persistence.
- Data authentication, reliability, and integrity.
- API development for DPP lifecycle management and searchability.
Standardization Bodies Involved
Key organizations driving the standardization efforts include:
- The European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
- The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
- The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
These bodies work to harmonize technical and operational standards, ensuring a seamless implementation of DPPs across industries.
Next step: The standardization process is expected to conclude by the end of 2025.
What Does This Mean for DPP Service Providers?
The new rules will impact service providers involved in creating or managing DPPs like Arianee. Here are some highlights:
- Certification: Service providers may need to obtain certifications to demonstrate compliance.
- Data Security: Providers must guarantee that DPP data remains secure, trustworthy, and consistently accessible.
- Long-Term Data Availability: DPP data must remain accessible potentially beyond the lifespan of the producing brand, ensuring its availability for purposes like recycling.
Looking Ahead
While details are still being finalized, these regulatory and standardization efforts reflect the EU’s commitment to creating a sustainable, transparent, and legally coherent product lifecycle framework. Businesses must stay proactive, monitor updates, and prepare for upcoming requirements to align with this transformative shift. To learn more about specific regulations and timelines, stay updated with developments from CEN, CENELEC, ETSI, and official EU publications.
The clock is ticking on DPP compliance. Start strategizing now to ensure your business is ready for 2027 and beyond.
Follow the Arianee Digital Product Passport Regulation Tracker here.
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