Regulation
·
May 26, 2026

The Timeline of Digital Product Passport Regulation in EU: ESPR from Product Groups to Rollout Schedule

Martina Sattanino
Content Writer
Sara Ongaro
Sustainability Manager

The rollout of Digital Product Passports under ESPR follows a phased timeline across product groups, delegated acts, and technical infrastructure.

Rather than applying to all products at once, requirements are introduced progressively through category-specific delegated acts that define:

  • which products are affected
  • which data requirements apply
  • when compliance becomes mandatory

For brands, this creates an evolving implementation timeline between 2025 and 2030, with different product groups entering the framework at different stages.

Download the full timeline here

2024: ESPR enters into force

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) entered into force in July 2024, establishing the legal framework for future Digital Product Passport requirements across product categories.

At this stage, the regulation defines the framework itself, while product-specific requirements are introduced later through delegated acts.

2025: The first ESPR Working Plan defines priority product groups

The first ESPR Working Plan, adopted in 2025, identifies the product groups expected to enter the first implementation phases of the framework.

Priority categories include:

  • textiles and apparel
  • iron and steel
  • furniture
  • tyres
  • aluminium
  • mattresses

The Working Plan does not yet define the final technical requirements for these categories. Instead, it establishes the expected sequence for preparatory work and future delegated acts.

2026: Registry infrastructure becomes operational

By 2026, the EU Digital Product Passport infrastructure is expected to become more operational through the development of:

The adoption of the DPP Registry framework is currently expected in July 19th 2026, as already indicated in ESPR 2024.

This phase focuses on the infrastructure supporting Digital Product Passports rather than on product-category obligations themselves.

2027: First Digital Product Passport obligations begin to apply

The first mandatory Digital Product Passports are expected to start applying from 2027 onward, depending on the product category and applicable regulation.

This includes:

  • batteries - under the EU Battery Regulation
  • ESPR priority product groups following delegated-act adoption

The timeline differs depending on:

  • the product category
  • the delegated act
  • transition periods
  • category-specific requirements

This is why there is no single implementation date covering all products.

How delegated acts fit into the timeline

The ESPR itself does not define detailed Digital Product Passport requirements for every product category.

Instead, these requirements are introduced progressively through delegated acts.

Each delegated act can define:

  • which product categories are affected within a product group (ex. product group: apparel and textile; product category: t-shirts, etc.)
  • required DPP data fields
  • interoperability conditions
  • info on possible data carriers (which and where to be applied)
  • DPP availability duration 

This means timelines may differ significantly between product groups.

What is still evolving

Several operational layers of the Digital Product Passport framework are already becoming more concrete through recent EU publications and draft regulations.

Recent developments already introduce:

  • methodologies for defining DPP data requirements and granularity through the JRC methodology
  • draft Registry implementation logic and DPP service provider responsibilities through the ESPR Registry implementing act and related Commission initiatives  
  • interoperability and Digital Product Passport system architecture principles through the ongoing CEN-CENELEC JTC 24 standardisation work under Mandate M/604

Brands can therefore already identify important structural directions of the framework, even while final implementation details continue evolving across product groups.

Next step

For brands, the key challenge is not only identifying future compliance dates, but understanding which operational requirements arrive before those deadlines.

Renoon continuously monitors delegated acts, Registry developments, interoperability work, and upcoming Digital Product Passport requirements across product categories.

If you want to understand how these developments apply to your products, systems, or category, get in touch with our team to learn how the Renoon DPP Newstracker works and request access.

Where would you like to start?