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~ Wijnand Jongen ~

COLUMN

A DIGITAL PASSPORT FOR ALL PRODUCTS? THE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S TRUMP CARD FOR THE
CIRCULAR ECONOMY

lthough the EU elections are approaching products under the same category – for example, polo shirts,
and the EU legislative work is significantly vests under ‘t-shirt’ category. To make sure that they do not
Aslowing down, preparations for the roll-out “reinvent the wheel”, the Commission relies on avenues for
of the so-called Digital Product Passport give no businesses and other interested parties to become involved
sign of slowing down. And for a good reason. The in the project. Notably, thanks to the so-called “Sevilla
tool is expected to upend the way information on process”, where the Commission consults companies and
products flows across the value chain and is even- organisations to establish environmental standards in the
tually communicated to consumers. By beginning EU. The Commission is also behind a pilot project for the
2027, batteries should already feature a data carrier DPP, CIRPASS, steered by a consortium of 31 partners
containing information such as their raw material representing thousands of industrial, research, digital, and
content or their appropriate end-of-life treatment. international standards organisations.
Textiles, small electronics, mattresses and other
product components like iron and steel should One tool, many uses
closely follow. On top of being product-centric and an enabler of
digitalisation of product information, the DPP will have
Regardless of the products it applies to, the product other groundbreaking features. For example, its application
passport is meant to increase product traceability and is foreseen for proper end-of-life management of complex
overall transparency, so that consumers can make informed, products, such as batteries and small electronics, and
sustainable choices. But more reliable information also even for product safety, as legislators are discussing in the
serves the interests of businesses, who can develop more context of toys. All in all, the DPP seems, for now, to be
circular solutions and demonstrate compliance with legal the Commission’s trump card for the circular economy.
requirements. So, how can companies make sure they are Transitioning from a linear into a circular one is only possible
prepared for this digital revolution? if all actors across the value chain have clear instructions on
what to do.
“Let’s not reinvent the wheel!”
In essence, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) will be a The DPP should bring about more transparency on the
collection of information stocked in a decentralised way but value chain of products that reach EU consumers. But
whose only point of entry will be the product itself. More transparency does not only mean more reliable, digitalised
specifically, the data carrier, which will be placed preferably consumer information – it also represents an opportunity
on the product or on its packaging. Access rights to the for businesses to experiment with sustainable and circular
information will be granted on a need-to-know basis. For solutions. However, there is no transparency without the
instance, consumers might want to know if there is recycled right data, which, today still, is harvested differently and is
material in the t-shirt they are considering buying. This will little comparable form one supplier to another. With the
be possible through the DPP, because the manufacturer will DPP, the Commission is embarking on the difficult journey
have previously indicated the share of recycled material they of data harmonisation, meaning imposing same data (quality)
used in the production. These business arrangements already requirements for all players regardless of where they are
exist, and in certain cases, this information already flows based.
across the value chain.
That the DPP is being considered as a potential tool to
So, what is the big news? First, information meant for many centralise environment-related product information is not at
stakeholders, featuring different level of detail and serving all trivial. It hints to the fact that the EU wishes to become a
multiple purposes throughout the lifecycle of a product will worldwide standard-setter for environmental data and wider
all be accessible via the same data carrier. That could take product information. Millions of products being offered in
the form of QR code, among other technologies. Second, the EU, including via e-commerce, will have to bear a DPP
practices for better traceability will be expanded to all (or a digital copy of it) to be compliant. And information part

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