Why a Digital Product Passport (DPP)?

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is highly relevant because it is both a key innovation and a core component of the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) of 2024. The ESPR entered into force on 18 July 2024.

Its relevance stems from its functions and objectives aimed at improving sustainability, transparency, and market oversight.

1. Promoting sustainability and the circular economy

The DPP acts as a kind of digital identity card for products. It is designed to store and share relevant data on sustainability, durability, and other environmental aspects.

The main goal of the regulation—and of the DPP—is to improve the ecological sustainability of products, thereby helping to make sustainable products the norm.

The DPP stores data on a product’s:

• Sustainability performance
• Recyclability
• Environmental impacts

throughout its entire life cycle.

By providing a detailed digital dataset across the product life cycle, the DPP helps improve traceability along the value chain.

2. Greater transparency and informed decision‑making

The DPP is designed to increase transparency along product value chains, helping to bridge the gap between consumer demand for transparency and the current lack of reliable product information.

It makes information electronically accessible to:

• Customers/consumers: Access to relevant information is intended to enable informed choices and increase demand for sustainable products.
• Economic operators and authorities: including manufacturers, importers, repairers, recyclers, and market surveillance authorities.

The information provided includes, among other things:

• Details on origin, materials, environmental impacts, and disposal recommendations
• A unique product identifier
• Information on substances of concern
• Additional materials such as user manuals and conformity documents

Implementation of the DPP closely follows open‑data principles. By integrating open‑data principles, the DPP aims to enhance the visibility and integrity of product information, benefiting businesses, consumers, and the environment.

3. Supporting market surveillance and compliance

The DPP is an important tool for authorities and market participants to ensure regulatory compliance:

• It improves supply‑chain management and ensures compliance with legal requirements.
• It helps companies identify and mitigate risks related to product authenticity and environmental impacts.
• It facilitates the work of authorities.
• Customs authorities will be able to use the DPP to automatically verify the existence and authenticity of DPPs for imported products.
• DPP requirements make it easier for national authorities to verify product conformity.

In summary, the Digital Product Passport represents a significant step forward for product transparency and sustainability, helping foster a more open and responsible market. It forms part of the broader framework for reducing the carbon and environmental footprint across the entire product life cycle.

Sources & further reading

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