A DPP is not a PDF or a marketing microsite — it is a structured dataset, served in a machine-readable format such as JSON-LD, that different audiences can query for the slice they need: consumers see repair and disposal guidance, recyclers see material composition, and market-surveillance authorities see compliance evidence. The same physical data carrier resolves to different views depending on who scans it.
The DPP is introduced as a horizontal framework by the ESPR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, in force). It does not apply to every product at once: the European Commission switches it on product group by product group through delegated acts, and none has been adopted yet; the first ones, for iron and steel and for textiles, are in preparation. Product laws already mandate passports on their own dates: batteries from 18 February 2027 (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542), detergents from 23 September 2029, toys from 1 August 2030, and cars and vans from 1 September 2032.
Frequently asked
Is a Digital Product Passport just a QR code?
No. The QR code (or NFC/RFID tag) is only the data carrier — the doorway. The passport itself is the structured digital record behind it, served in a machine-readable format such as JSON-LD, that the carrier resolves to.
Which products will need a DPP and when?
The ESPR enables a DPP for almost any physical product, but it becomes mandatory group by group through delegated acts. Batteries come first, but under their own Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 rather than ESPR, with a mandatory passport from 18 February 2027; detergents (2029), toys (2030) and cars and vans (2032) also take their dates from their own laws. The first ESPR delegated acts, for iron and steel and then textiles, tyres and aluminium, are planned for 2026–2027, and each, as a rule, applies at least 18 months after it enters into force (ESPR Art. 4(4) allows earlier only in duly justified cases).
Who is responsible for creating a product's DPP?
The economic operator placing the product on the EU market — usually the manufacturer, or the importer or authorised representative — owns the passport obligation and is accountable for the accuracy of its data.