#Knowledge
Innovation & transformation
For many companies, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) still seems like a requirement that will only become relevant at some point in the future. However, with the launch of the EU Digital Product Passport Registry and the publication of the first technical standards, the DPP is increasingly moving from political discussion to a concrete implementation topic.
For companies, this raises one key question: Are the necessary product data available, are responsibilities clearly defined, and are processes aligned with future requirements?
The Digital Product Passport is a central element of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and an important component of both the European Green Deal and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. Its aim is to make product information digitally available throughout a product’s entire life cycle.
Depending on the product category, the DPP may include information on:
The overall objective is to create greater transparency, support the circular economy and provide reliable information for different stakeholders, including consumers, authorities, repair businesses, recyclers and business partners.
The DPP Registry is the central EU infrastructure for managing and identifying Digital Product Passports. It serves as a directory and links products to their respective Digital Product Passports using unique identifiers. The actual product data is not stored centrally. Instead, it remains in decentralised databases operated by manufacturers, economic operators or specialised service providers.
The registry therefore forms the backbone of the DPP ecosystem and creates the basis for consistent product identification, traceability and market surveillance across the EU. Together with the future DPP web portal, it is intended to enable users to access and verify product information across Europe.
In July 2026, the European Commission introduced the DPP Registry. This marked an important milestone in the practical implementation of the Digital Product Passport. The DPP is therefore no longer only a future regulatory requirement. A Europe-wide infrastructure for transparency, traceability and the digital exchange of product information along the value chain is gradually taking shape. The necessary technical and organisational infrastructure is being developed and put into operation step by step.
For many companies, the main challenge of the DPP is unlikely to be creating the Digital Product Passport itself. Instead, the greater challenge will be preparing the underlying data. Companies need reliable and traceable information on products, materials, suppliers and sustainability performance. In practice, this information is often distributed across different systems, departments and partners along the value chain.
Key questions therefore include:
Companies that address these questions early and prepare their data accordingly will be better positioned as product-specific requirements gradually come into force.
Before investing in software solutions or technical systems, companies should first assess how well prepared they already are for future DPP requirements. A structured review helps to evaluate the current situation and identify key areas for action.
These include in particular:
This provides the basis for developing an implementation roadmap that reflects the company’s actual needs.
To support companies with this assessment, we offer an ESPR & DPP Readiness Check.
As part of a workshop, we conduct a structured analysis of the current level of preparation and assess the company’s maturity in key areas such as:
The result is a clear traffic-light assessment with concrete recommendations and prioritised next steps. This makes it clear where a solid foundation is already in place, where gaps remain and which topics should be prioritised in the next stages of preparation.
The Digital Product Passport is no longer a distant future requirement. The regulatory framework is becoming increasingly concrete, the technical infrastructure is taking shape and requirements for greater transparency along supply chains are increasing.
Companies that already examine their product data, processes and supply chains today are creating the conditions for future compliance. At the same time, they can strengthen their data foundation, improve transparency along the value chain and create a basis for more sustainable products as well as better-informed customer and business decisions.
The Digital Product Passport should therefore not be viewed solely as a regulatory obligation. Preparing for it can also help companies build more robust data and processes in the long term and strengthen their competitiveness and future resilience.
Would you like to know how well your company is prepared for the requirements of the ESPR and the Digital Product Passport? Contact us to learn more about our ESPR & DPP Readiness Check.
