Where the passport comes from
The Digital Product Passport is introduced by the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2024/1781. The regulation sets the framework; separate rules for each product group decide which products need a passport, what data it holds and when it applies.
The first passport with a firm date is the battery passport. Under the EU Battery Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, certain batteries, including electric vehicle and larger industrial batteries, are expected to need a passport from February 2027. Other product groups, such as textiles and steel, are planned to follow, but timelines depend on rules that are still being adopted.
What a passport contains
The exact fields depend on the product group, but they typically cover information that helps buyers, repairers and recyclers.
- A unique product identifier
- Materials and substances of concern
- Carbon footprint or other environmental data where required
- Repair, spare parts and disassembly instructions
- Recycling and end-of-life handling
The role of the QR code
The passport is reached through a data carrier on the product, and a QR code is the most common choice being discussed. Scanning it opens the passport data, with access to some details limited to authorized parties such as repairers or authorities.
Many brands plan to use GS1 Digital Link so the same QR code can identify the product at checkout and open its passport. The final technical rules, including which identifiers and carriers are accepted, are set in the implementing acts.