DPP Technical Implementation: Data and Standards
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The biggest challenge of the Digital Product Passport is not the QR code, but the robust database behind it. Manufacturing companies must consolidate information from product development, procurement, production, sustainability, and the supply chain.
This raises an early question for management: What architecture is sustainable in the long term without committing to product-group-specific data fields that have yet to be defined?
What the Technical Implementation of the DPP Must Achieve
The Digital Product Passport is a structured, machine-readable dataset that is linked to a product via a data carrier. Among other things, the ESPR requires unique identification, interoperability, open standards, differentiated access rights, and long-term data availability. However, the specific delegated act will determine which content is mandatory.
Typical data categories include:
- Product and manufacturer identity
- Materials and substances of concern
- Carbon footprint and recycled content
- Durability, repair, and replacement parts
- Recycling and disposal information
A PDF data sheet is not sufficient. What is required is semantically unambiguous, versionable, and machine-exchangeable data. The existing DPP documents also emphasize the difference between a mere QR code and the structured data set behind it.
Which DPP standards apply?
Since July 2026, the technical framework has become significantly more concrete: The European Commission has launched the DPP registry in a test phase. Of the eight harmonized standards that have been developed, six are already available. They cover unique identifiers, interoperability, data carriers, programming interfaces, exchange protocols, and data storage. Two additional standards on authentication and access rights will follow.
GS1 Digital Link can link product identifiers via QR code, DataMatrix, or RFID to digital information. It is a suitable implementation component, but is not automatically mandatory for every product group.
A Scalable DPP System Architecture
Companies do not necessarily need a new centralized DPP system. An integrated architecture often makes more sense:
Source systems: ERP, PLM, PIM, MDM, MES, DAM, and sustainability systems provide the data.
Data model: A common model standardizes terms, units, identifiers, and relationships between the product, model, batch, and individual item.
Integration layer: APIs and standardized interfaces connect internal systems, suppliers, and DPP service providers.
Delivery: A resolver maps from the data source to the appropriate view of the product passport.
Governance: Roles, approvals, quality rules, versioning, and update events ensure reliability.
Five Steps to Implementation
- Map products to relevant legal acts.
- Identify data assets and data gaps.
- Define the responsible source for each data field.
- Define a standards-based target architecture and pilot product.
- Test data quality, permissions, and updates during the pilot phase.
C-level executives should make early decisions regarding data ownership, system responsibility, and “make-or-buy” strategies. An isolated QR code solution does not ensure compliance and usually leads to costly integration work later on.
The technical implementation of the DPP begins with data management, not with the label. Companies should now organize their source systems, identifiers, data quality, and interfaces, but at the same time should not anticipate any mandatory fields that have not yet been specified. A modular architecture protects investments and can be adapted to future delegated acts.
FAQ
1 Does the DPP require the implementation of a new IT system?
Not necessarily. Existing PIM, PLM, ERP, and MDM systems can continue to be used if their data models, interfaces, and governance are DPP-compatible.
2 Is GS1 Digital Link mandatory?
Not generally. The standard is a suitable approach for identification and linking. The requirements of the applicable legal act are binding.
3 Where should DPP data be stored?
The ESPR does not prescribe a single central enterprise system. The key factors are availability, security, interoperability, and compliance with retention obligations.
4 What data should companies already be collecting?
It makes sense to collect stable baseline data such as product identity, materials, supplier information, documents, and existing sustainability metrics. Mandatory fields that have not yet been defined should be modeled flexibly.
Bibliography
- Europäisches Parlament und Rat: Verordnung (EU) 2024/1781 zur Schaffung eines Rahmens für Ökodesign-Anforderungen, 13.06.2024, EUR-Lex, abgerufen am 23.07.2026. (EUR-Lex)
- Europäische Kommission: The Digital Product Passport Registry is now live, 20.07.2026, Originalquelle der EU-Kommission, abgerufen am 23.07.2026. (Binnenmarkt, Industrie, Unternehmertum und KMU)
- Europäische Kommission: Digital Product Passport – Harmonised Standards, einschließlich Durchführungsbeschluss (EU) 2026/1736 vom 14.07.2026, abgerufen am 23.07.2026. (Binnenmarkt, Industrie, Unternehmertum und KMU)
- Joint Research Centre: Methodology for defining data requirements for the Digital Product Passport under the ESPR framework, 2026, Publications Office of the European Union, abgerufen am 23.07.2026.
- GS1 Germany: DPP Provisional Application Standard, 2025, abgerufen am 23.07.2026. (GS1 Germany)
- Fraunhofer IPK: Die Standards für den digitalen Produktpass sind da, 01.06.2026, abgerufen am 23.07.2026. (Fraunhofer IPK)
