European Commission Publishes First Harmonised Standards for Digital Product Passports
The European Commission has published Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1736, citing the first six harmonised European standards for Digital Product Passports (DPPs) in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This marks an important milestone in the implementation of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), providing the first officially recognised technical standards that support the delivery of Digital Product Passports across the European Union.
What does this mean?
The publication does not introduce new legal requirements. Instead, it officially recognises the first six harmonised standards that support the implementation of the ESPR.
Under Article 41(2) of the ESPR, Digital Product Passports developed in accordance with these harmonised standards are presumed to comply with the relevant Digital Product Passport requirements of the Regulation.
The six published standards
| Standard | Official title | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| EN 18216:2026 | Data exchange protocols | Defines how DPP information is exchanged between systems. |
| EN 18219:2026 | Unique identifiers | Defines how products and their DPPs are uniquely identified. |
| EN 18220:2026 | Data carriers | Defines how users access a DPP, such as through a QR code or other approved data carrier. |
| EN 18221:2026 | Data storage, archiving, and persistence | Defines how DPP information is stored and remains available over time. |
| EN 18222:2026 | APIs for product passport lifecycle management and searchability | Defines standard APIs for managing and searching DPP information throughout a product’s lifecycle. |
| EN 18223:2026 | System interoperability | Defines how different DPP systems work together and exchange information consistently. |
Why it matters
The ESPR established the legal framework for Digital Product Passports. These harmonised standards provide the common technical language needed to support consistent implementation across Europe.
As product-specific Digital Product Passport requirements are introduced through future delegated acts, these standards will help ensure Digital Product Passports can be created, exchanged and accessed using a common European framework.
We’ll continue to follow developments closely and reflect them in the ongoing evolution of the Buyerdock platform.
