Digital Product Passports for EU manufacturers, importers and distributors

A DPP is a standardized electronic document containing key information about materials, environmental footprint, recycling, and origin. For companies, this is a tool for demonstrating sustainability, compliance with European regulations, and easier access to international markets, while building customer trust.

ESPR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1781) introduces DPP in phases on the delegated-act schedule. The first sector is iron and steel (2026 delegated act), followed by aluminium and textiles (2027), and furniture (2028). Electronics, tyres, mattresses, chemicals and household appliances come later in the Working Plan through 2030. Important: batteries are NOT under ESPR but under a separate Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 — the Battery Passport is mandatory from 18 February 2027 for EV batteries, industrial batteries above 2 kWh and light means of transport. Construction products are under the separate CPR. For business this means manufacturers and importers in the steel and textile sectors will be hit first.

Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR) entered into force in July 2024. The key dates as of today: • 20 July 2026 — the EU DPP central Registry went live (19 July is the ESPR Art. 13(1) legal deadline binding the Commission). Its rules are in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778, in force since 6 August 2026. • 15 July 2026 — the six European DPP standards were cited in the Official Journal as harmonised standards (Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1736). • 18 February 2027 — first mandatory DPP under EU law (Battery Passport). • 2026–2028 — phased entry into force of the ESPR delegated acts for specific product groups: iron and steel (2026), aluminium and textiles (2027), furniture (2028). Actual compliance (DPP for products) comes 18 months after each delegated act. For business this means: preparation starts now, not at the deadline. German buyers are already asking for DPP data — 2 years before it becomes mandatory.

Companies should identify affected product lines, organize data collection according to European standards, and build systems for creating and managing digital passports. This is key to regulatory compliance and maintaining competitiveness in the market.

Once the delegated act for a specific product group enters into force and the grace period (usually 18 months) elapses, products from that group without a valid DPP cannot be placed on the EU market. Customs authorities will have direct access to the central registry to check DPP status at the border. Penalties under ESPR Article 74 must be "effective, proportionate and dissuasive" — they include fines and temporary exclusion from public procurement. Specific amounts are set by national legislation. Beyond direct penalties, businesses risk: loss of German and Western European customers (who already actively require DPP data), missed green-procurement opportunities (low-carbon steel and aluminium from 1 January 2029 under the Industrial Accelerator Act), and reputational damage with consumers.

The benefits include greater transparency, building trust among partners and customers, improved international image, and better product management. For the market, this means more sustainable practices, reducing environmental footprint, and stimulating business competitiveness.

Yes. In addition to ESPR and DPP, we also cover CPR (EU) 2024/3110 for construction products — the Declaration of Performance and Conformity (DoPC), the mandatory GWP declarations and the future construction digital passport, with a single data set and no duplication.

ESPR (EU) 2024/1781 is the framework regulation for ecodesign and the digital product passport covering most products (steel, textiles, furniture and others). CPR (EU) 2024/3110 is the sector-specific regulation for construction products and takes precedence over ESPR for them. Steel is a special case — it falls under both regimes. See the ESPR and CPR pages for details.