Digital Product Passport explained: how a DPP works under ESPR
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a machine-readable record of a product that actors along its life can look up by scanning it, each seeing the data their access rights allow. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) makes it the standard way to share data on materials, footprint, repair and recycling. This page walks through how a passport is found, what it holds, where it lives and how its claims can be checked.
From scan to passport
Every passport starts with a data carrier on the product, its packaging or its accompanying documents. Scanning it yields a unique product identifier and a link. The link resolves to the passport data, so the carrier itself never has to change when the data does.
Passport data (illustrative)
{
"uniqueProductIdentifier": "https://id.example.com/01/08712345678906/10/B2026-114",
"granularity": "batch",
"manufacturer": { "name": "Example Textiles B.V.", "operatorId": "NL-OP-000123" },
"materials": [
{ "material": "cotton", "share": 0.62, "recycledShare": 0.30 },
{ "material": "polyester", "share": 0.38, "recycledShare": 0.00 }
],
"carbonFootprint": { "value": 7.4, "unit": "kg CO2e" },
"repair": "https://dpp.example.com/B2026-114/repair",
"declarationOfConformity": "https://dpp.example.com/B2026-114/doc"
}
What a passport holds
ESPR lists the kinds of information a passport can carry, and each delegated act picks the fields for its product group. Not every field is for everyone. A consumer sees the public part, while repair instructions or compliance files can be limited to repairers, recyclers or authorities.
| Category | Examples | Example access split |
|---|---|---|
| Product identity | Unique product identifier, model, manufacturer, place of production | Public |
| Materials and substances | Material composition, substances of concern, recycled content | Public |
| Environmental performance | Carbon footprint, durability, energy use | Public |
| Repair and end of life | Spare parts, disassembly and recycling instructions | Often restricted to repairers and recyclers |
| Compliance | Declaration of conformity, technical documentation, certificates | Often restricted to authorities |
The exact fields and who may read each one are set per product group by its delegated act. This table shows the categories ESPR lists, not a fixed schema. The access column is an example, modelled on the battery passport, which splits its data into public information, information for persons with a legitimate interest and information for authorities.
Model, batch or item
A passport can describe a whole product model, one production batch or a single item. The delegated act decides which. A model-level passport suits products where every unit is the same, while item level is needed when data differs per unit, such as the state of health of a battery.
Who hosts the passport
There is no single EU database holding all passports. The economic operator that places the product on the market is responsible for its passport, and can host it itself or use a DPP service provider. A backup copy is kept by an independent service provider, so the passport outlives the company that created it.
Making passport claims verifiable
A passport written by the manufacturer is still a self-declaration. Many claims actually come from someone else: a supplier states the recycled content, a lab measures the footprint, a certification body issues a certificate. When those parties issue their claim as a verifiable credential, the passport can carry it and anyone can check who made the claim and that it has not been changed or revoked.
Credential payload for one passport claim (illustrative)
{
"iss": "https://lab.example.com",
"vct": "https://lab.example.com/credentials/recycled-content",
"iat": 1789200000,
"sub": "https://id.example.com/01/08712345678906/10/B2026-114",
"recycledContent": { "material": "cotton", "share": 0.30 },
"status": {
"status_list": { "idx": 812, "uri": "https://lab.example.com/statuslists/1" }
}
}
When passports become mandatory
- 18 July 2024: ESPR enters into force and sets the framework, without obligations for any specific product yet.
- 19 July 2026: Deadline for the Commission to set up the digital product passport registry.
- 18 February 2027: Battery passport required under the Battery Regulation for EV batteries, light means of transport batteries and industrial batteries above 2 kWh.
- Next: Product groups from the ESPR working plan, such as textiles, furniture, tyres, mattresses, steel and aluminium, each once its delegated act applies.
Related terms
Digital Product Passport (DPP) · ESPR · Verifiable Credential · Issuer · Verifier · Status List
Frequently asked questions
Is the QR code the passport?
No. The QR code, NFC tag or RFID chip is only the data carrier. It holds the unique product identifier and a link, and the passport is the dataset that link resolves to. That is why the passport can be updated after the product has shipped without reprinting anything.
Does the EU store every passport centrally?
No. The passport data stays with the economic operator or a service provider acting on its behalf. The Commission registry stores at least the unique identifiers, plus the commodity code for imported products and any other data a delegated act adds, so a passport can be found and checked by customs and market surveillance authorities. It does not hold the full dataset. Separately, the Commission runs a public web portal for searching and comparing passport data within each viewer's access rights.
Does ESPR require verifiable credentials?
No. ESPR requires the passport to be machine-readable, interoperable and based on open standards, and leaves the technical format to standards and delegated acts. ESPR does require that data authentication, reliability and integrity are ensured, and lets the Commission set procedures to issue and verify digital credentials of the actors with access rights. Verifiable credentials are one way to meet those requirements while also making each claim checkable.
When does my product need a passport?
Only once a delegated act for your product group applies. Each act sets its own date, and ESPR requires at least 18 months between a delegated act's entry into force and its application, unless an earlier date is duly justified. Batteries follow the separate Battery Regulation, with a battery passport required from 18 February 2027.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, Batteries Regulation
This page is informational and does not constitute legal advice. For authoritative guidance consult the regulations and the delegated act for your product group.