ESPR and Regulation (EU) 2024/1781: the legal foundation of the DPP

The Digital Product Passport is closely tied to the European Union's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), Regulation (EU) 2024/1781. ESPR sets a framework for making products placed on the EU market more durable, repairable, recyclable and resource-efficient — and the Digital Product Passport is one of its central tools for delivering that information.

Rather than applying to everything at once, ESPR works through product-specific rules that are introduced progressively for different product groups. For each group covered, the passport requirements — what data must be captured, who can access it, and how — are defined so that obligations are clear and comparable across the market.

For organisations that design, manufacture or place products on the market, this means the DPP is shifting from a competitive advantage to a compliance obligation. Preparing early — mapping data, choosing standards and building reliable processes — is far easier than reacting once deadlines arrive.

This is where service providers add value: translating regulatory text into working data models, systems and workflows. A network of providers aligned on interpretation and best practice helps the whole ecosystem move from legal text to real, compliant passports.

This article is a general overview and not legal advice. Always refer to the official text of Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 and its implementing measures for binding requirements.