The EU is moving towards a future where digital product passports will play a central role in tracking the components and origins of consumer goods, as part of its push for a more sustainable and circular economy.
Under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which was adopted on March 30, the EU aims to make durable and repairable products the standard in its single market. This regulation expands ecodesign rules beyond electric appliances to include textiles and furniture, holding producers responsible for providing more circular products and spare parts for repair.
Digital product passports are tools that can enable more efficient sharing of information across value chains. Products would have an ID number, similar to passports, and they should be machine-readable, either via QR codes, or bar codes.
Stefan Sipka, a policy analyst at the European Policy Centre (EPC), a Brussels-based think-tank
These digital passports, akin to IDs for products, will be machine-readable and contain information on the product’s packaging. While they present opportunities for businesses to build trust with consumers and enhance traceability, concerns about data protection and intellectual property have been raised.
The EU’s Battery Regulation serves as a pilot for digital passports, requiring rechargeable industrial and electric vehicle batteries to have their own passports by 2026. This move aims to facilitate recycling, trace products across supply chains, and clarify ownership and responsibility.
Battery passports will make sure we facilitate the recycling of batteries, trace the product across the supply chain until it reaches its end of life, and ensure that the ownership and responsibility is clear
Alex Keynes, manager for clean vehicles at NGO Transport & Environment.
Overall, the adoption of digital product passports represents a significant step towards a more transparent and sustainable economy, building on collaborative efforts between policymakers and industry stakeholders.
According to the EPC’s Sipka, the foundations were laid down in 2017 when the Commission launched the European Battery Alliance to coordinate industrial efforts around battery manufacturing.
“The European Battery Alliance paved the way for this proposal, bringing policy-makers and the industry to work together on its development,” Sipka said.
