The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is part of EU rules on sustainable products. The European Commission describes it as "a digital container for products, components, and materials", meant to support sustainability, circularity and legal compliance. It is introduced step by step, one product group at a time, so there is no single date on which it applies to everything.
Where it comes from
- Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), (EU) 2024/1781. In force since 18 July 2024. It sets the framework, and the passport content for each product group is set later in delegated acts.
- Batteries Regulation, (EU) 2023/1542. A separate law that has its own battery passport.
What is in a passport
The Commission lists examples such as the materials in a product and where they come from, repair information, recycling capabilities and lifecycle environmental impact. The exact information for each product group is decided through consultation and set in the product's delegated act, so a passport for a battery will differ from one for textiles.
How a code on the product fits in
- A data carrier links the product to its passport. The Commission gives a QR code as the example.
- A unique identifier. Registered products get an identifier from the EU DPP Registry, which the Commission describes as the EU database supporting the system. The Registry holds identifiers and registration data.
- The product information is held elsewhere. According to the Commission, the full information is kept by the economic operator or a DPP service provider, not by the Registry.
Which carrier is allowed and how the identifier must look are decided per product group. GS1's support article on ESPR says that all ISO-compliant, internationally standardised data carriers will qualify, and advises waiting for the sector-specific acts, since they may add requirements.
Timeline
The Commission's DPP page publishes an indicative schedule. These are the items as listed there; check the page for the current version.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 20 July 2026 | The DPP Registry becomes operational |
| 18 February 2027 | The passport becomes mandatory for certain batteries (electric vehicle, light transport and industrial batteries): the first product group |
| Later | Iron and steel, textiles, tyres, aluminium, furniture and mattresses follow, each through its own delegated act |
After a delegated act is adopted, the Commission indicates a transition period of at least 18 months for businesses.
What this means if you print QR codes
- Do not print a "DPP code" yet for a product group whose rules are not final. The identifier format and the carrier are set per product group.
- Find your product group in the Commission's page and in the delegated act when it is published.
- Ask your supplier or trade association who will provide the passport service for your product.
The identifier rules are still being settled by the Commission and standards bodies. This is why a general QR code or GS1 Digital Link is not by itself a Digital Product Passport: see what GS1 Digital Link is for the web-address format and our generator for what it does and does not do.
What BestQR does and does not do
BestQR does not create product passports and does not check compliance with the ESPR. It makes QR codes. This page is an explanation with sources, not legal advice.
Sources
Last updated and checked against the sources on 13 October 2026. Standards change, so check the source for the current wording.
- European Commission: Digital Product Passport
- European Commission: DPP Registry
- European Commission: batteries and the DPP
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR), EUR-Lex
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (Batteries), EUR-Lex
- European Commission: implementing the ESPR
- GS1: which data carriers qualify under the ESPR
Frequently asked questions
Is a Digital Product Passport just a QR code?
No. The QR code is the data carrier that leads to the passport. The passport is the set of data, held by the operator or a service provider and linked to a unique identifier.
Does it apply to all products now?
No. It is introduced by product group. Batteries are first, with a mandatory date of 18 February 2027 for certain types, and other groups follow through delegated acts.
Can I make a Digital Product Passport with BestQR?
No. BestQR makes QR codes. A passport needs the product data, an identifier and a service that hosts it, set up according to the rules of your product group.