Ecodesign (ESPR) and Digital Product Passport (DPP)

The European Union has launched a profound transformation in the way products are designed, placed on the market, and managed throughout their entire life cycle. At the core of this change is the ESPR – Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU Regulation 2024/1781), which establishes a framework for introducing Ecodesign requirements and information obligations across a wide range of products, going beyond the scope of the former Ecodesign Directive. One of the most significant innovations introduced by the ESPR is the Digital Product Passport (DPP): a digital product identity that makes key information about products, components, and materials accessible, supporting sustainability, circularity, and regulatory compliance.

What changes for companies 

1) From declarations to structured and verifiable data

The ESPR drives the transition toward durable, repairable, upgradable, and recyclable products, supported by transparent and comparable information throughout the supply chain. Sustainability is no longer a marketing claim—it is becoming a design requirement backed by structured technical data. 

2) Requirements introduced by product groups

Compliance requirements will be rolled out progressively through product group–specific Delegated Acts, each establishing detailed technical and information obligations. Early preparation is critical: companies that act now minimize regulatory risk, control adaptation costs, and avoid time pressure when the rules become binding.

3) DPP: not just a file, but an ecosystem

The DPP is a multi-stakeholder tool, accessible to companies, supply chain actors, customers, repair operators, recyclers, and public authorities. Its implementation involves differentiated access rights and technical requirements—interoperability, availability, and data integrity—making effective product data governance essential.

Preparing for compliance: what’s coming and why timing matters

When your product falls within the scope of the relevant sector-specific Delegated Acts, companies will typically be required to:

• Integrate Ecodesign requirements at the design stage, including design for durability, repairability, and recyclability, supported by measurable performance criteria.

• Collect and manage product and supply chain data, covering materials, components, processes, technical documentation, environmental information, user instructions, and end-of-life considerations.

• Implement and maintain the Digital Product Passport (DPP), ensuring that information is up to date and accessible to authorized stakeholders.

• Prepare for compliance checks, where data quality (completeness, consistency, version control, and traceability of changes) becomes a key compliance factor.

A concrete opportunity: by acting early, companies can transform compliance into a driver of operational efficiency and innovation, minimizing rework, optimizing spare parts management, strengthening after-sales performance, enabling second-life strategies, and unlocking new business models. 

Business opportunities enabled by the DPP

The DPP goes beyond compliance: it unlocks new business models and market opportunities. 

New service models 

• Product-as-a-Service (PaaS): shifting from product ownership to outcome-based contracts, supported by predictive maintenance, upgrade paths, and performance guarantees.

• Enhanced after-sales services: optimized spare parts logistics, streamlined repair processes, and always up-to-date technical documentation accessible across the lifecycle.

• Second-life and refurbishment models: structured return flows, certified reconditioning, secondary market resale, and full visibility of residual product value.

An efficient, audit-ready value chain

• Reduced supplier qualification timelines thanks to structured and standardized data.

• Improved access to international supply chains and public tenders, where sustainability and traceability data are increasingly decisive selection criteria.

Transparency as a competitive advantage (without greenwashing)

With solid, data-backed evidence, such as Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and carbon footprint calculations, companies are able to:

• Prove continuous product improvement.

• Benchmark and differentiate product variants.

• Strengthen their position in discussions with B2B clients, partners, and regulatory stakeholders.

How ECOLYBRA supports you

ECOLYBRA works alongside companies with a technical and hands-on approach, providing practical support throughout their Ecodesign and Digital Product Passport journey.