The Digital Product Passport: what product data teams need
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a machine-readable product record created under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 and sector laws. The EU DPP Registry went live on 20 July 2026. The first mandatory passport is the battery passport under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 from 18 February 2027; textiles, steel and construction products follow through delegated acts.
What is the Digital Product Passport?
The Digital Product Passport is a structured, machine-readable record of a product, reached through a data carrier such as a QR code and registered in an EU registry. It gives customers, recyclers, repairers and authorities access to the information each needs. The product data compliance pillar places the passport among the other EU rules that turn product data into a legal obligation.
The DPP has two legal routes. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 creates the general framework and activates passports per product group through delegated acts. Sector laws set their own passports, starting with batteries under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.
According to the Commission, passport content depends on the product group and may cover:
- Composition, including materials and substances of concern.
- Circularity, such as recycled content, repair and spare parts.
- Environmental impact, such as carbon footprint.
- Use, maintenance and safety instructions.
- End-of-life guidance and regulatory compliance documents.
The infrastructure is now in place. The Commission launched a central DPP web page on 17 July 2026 and the DPP Registry on 20 July 2026. The Registry comes with a testing environment, technical documentation and a free semantic repository of data models.
Which data does a Digital Product Passport hold?
A passport combines identifiers, product content and access rules, and the PIM is the natural source for the content layer. The table shows the attribute groups across the battery passport and the ESPR framework.
| Attribute | Unit or format | Level | Typical source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unique product identifier | Identifier per DPP standard | Model, batch or item, per delegated act | PIM, ERP, MES |
| Unique operator and facility identifiers | Identifier | Company, site | Master data |
| Data carrier and resolver link | QR code, persistent URL | Per identifier | DPP platform |
| Unique Registration Identifier | Registry identifier | Per passport | EU DPP Registry |
| Commodity code | CN/TARIC code | Model | ERP, PIM |
| Declaration of conformity, technical documentation | Document reference | Model | Quality system, DMS |
| Instructions for use, safety, installation | Text, documents per language | Model | PIM, DAM |
| Material composition, substances of concern | Percent, name, concentration | Model or batch | Supplier, PLM |
| Carbon or environmental footprint | Unit per delegated act | Model or batch | LCA tool |
| Repair, spare parts, end of life | Text, part identifiers, years | Model | PIM, service |
| Access rights | Public, professional, authority | Per attribute | DPP platform |
| Battery data points | 71 points in Commission guidance | Model or item | Battery manufacturer |
The identifier level decides how much of the passport the PIM can serve. Model-level passports fit a PIM well. Item-level passports need serial data from manufacturing, with the PIM supplying the shared content. The GS1 Digital Link page explains one widely used way to encode identifiers in a QR code.
When does the Digital Product Passport become mandatory?
The battery passport on 18 February 2027 is the only fixed DPP date; every other product group waits for a delegated act. The list below shows each milestone with its certainty and source.
- Commission DPP web page
The Commission launched a central DPP web page with guidance, FAQs and sector timelines.
- DPP Registry live
The EU DPP Registry went live with a testing environment, and references to six harmonised DPP standards were published.
- Battery passport guidance
Updated non-binding guidance lists 71 battery passport data points by battery category.
- Battery access rights act
Commission timeline lists an implementing act on battery passport access rights for Q4 2026.
- Battery passport mandatory
EV, LMT and industrial batteries above 2 kWh placed on the market need a battery passport.
- Construction products DPP act
Commission timeline lists a delegated act for construction materials under the Construction Products Regulation in Q2 2027.
- DPP service providers act
Commission timeline lists a delegated act on DPP service providers in Q2 to Q3 2027.
- Textiles DPP delegated act
Textiles delegated act listed for Q3 to Q4 2027; operators get at least 18 months before requirements apply.
The Commission's indicative timeline lists the iron and steel delegated act for the fourth quarter of 2026. Construction products follow in the second quarter of 2027 under the Construction Products Regulation. Textiles, tyres and aluminium are listed for the third or fourth quarter of 2027, furniture for 2028.
Each ESPR delegated act gives at least 18 months before requirements apply. PIMvendors estimate: a textile passport obligation is unlikely before 2029. Toys and detergents get passports through their own legislation, with dates still to be set.
For PIM planning, the dates translate into a sequence. Battery makers need passport data in production by February 2027. Steel and construction product suppliers should settle their data model during 2027. Textile, furniture and tyre companies have more time, but supplier data collection at scale takes several seasons.
What does the DPP mean for the PIM and the wider stack?
The PIM becomes the content source for the passport, while a DPP platform hosts it and handles registration. That split matters for selection, because few PIMs do both well.
| Function | PIM | DPP platform or service provider | ERP or MES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product content, translations, documents | Owns | Receives | |
| Identifier scheme | Defines model level | Issues carriers | Holds batch and serial |
| Hosting and access rights | Owns | ||
| Registry submission | Owns | ||
| Lifecycle events (repair, ownership) | Owns | Feeds |
Plan four decisions before the PIM selection. First, choose the identifier granularity per product group. Second, map PIM attributes to the published DPP standards and the Commission's semantic repository. Third, assign an owner and approval step to each passport attribute group. Fourth, decide between a PIM vendor's DPP module and an independent DPP service provider; a delegated act on DPP service providers is expected in 2027.
The product data stack page shows where the DPP platform sits next to PIM, DAM and ERP. Battery makers should also read the ESPR page, because the same identifier rules will apply across product groups.
How do you test DPP readiness in a PIM selection?
Test DPP readiness by asking each vendor to produce a passport payload from your own product data. PIMvendors' scenario method uses the same sample and the same steps for every shortlisted vendor.
- Load 10 products with composition, instructions and conformity documents in two languages.
- Show the attribute mapping to a published DPP standard or the Commission data model.
- Generate the passport payload and the data carrier link for one model.
- Change one material value and show what updates downstream, with an audit trail.
- Show the integration with a DPP platform, including the Registry step.
Watch for vendors that show a static product page with a QR code. A passport needs structured, machine-readable data, access rights and registration. Fashion and textile companies can use the fashion and apparel industry page to prepare fibre, care and origin data before the textiles act arrives.
Treat the passport as a channel your PIM feeds. Decide identifier granularity and data ownership first, then choose the DPP platform, and only then ask PIM vendors to show the integration on your data.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Digital Product Passport mandatory for all products?
No. The Digital Product Passport becomes mandatory product group by product group. Batteries come first on 18 February 2027 for EV, LMT and industrial batteries above 2 kWh. Other groups need an ESPR delegated act or sector legislation, such as the Construction Products Regulation or the Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509, before any passport obligation applies.
When will textiles need a Digital Product Passport?
The Commission's timeline lists the textiles delegated act for the third or fourth quarter of 2027. Economic operators get at least 18 months after adoption, so textile passports are unlikely before 2029. The exact date depends on the adopted act. Fashion companies can start now by structuring fibre composition, care and origin data in their PIM.
What is the DPP Registry?
The DPP Registry is the EU database that stores the unique identifiers and mandatory registration data of each passport. Registration produces a Unique Registration Identifier, and customs can check imported products against it. The Registry went live with a testing environment on 20 July 2026, with registration through a user interface or an API.
Do we need a separate DPP platform if we have a PIM?
Usually yes. The PIM supplies most passport content, but hosting the passport, issuing data carriers, managing access rights and registering in the EU Registry are separate functions. Some PIM vendors offer DPP modules; others integrate with DPP service providers. Ask vendors to show the full flow on your data, including the Registry step.
Which standards apply to the Digital Product Passport?
Eight harmonised DPP standards were developed with CEN-CENELEC, covering unique identifiers, data carriers, interoperability, APIs, data exchange and storage. By 20 July 2026, six were published by national standardisation bodies and the Commission had published references to their harmonised parts. Use them as the mapping target for your PIM attributes.
Sources and method
- European Commission: Digital Product Passport
- European Commission: Digital Product Passport Registry now live (20 July 2026)
- European Commission: new DPP web page launched (17 July 2026)
- European Commission: guidance on the digital battery passport (21 August 2026)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries and waste batteries (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (EUR-Lex)
How this page was made: drafted by the PIM Selection editors from the sources listed, checked against the PIMvendors selection method, and signed off by a named expert. Editorial policy.
Cite this page
PIM Selection (2026). The Digital Product Passport: what product data teams need. PIMvendors.com. https://pimselection.com/compliance/digital-product-passport/ (version 2026-10-14).