Understand / Practical guide
Digital Product Passport timeline
DPP timing must be read product by product. The battery-passport date is established for defined battery categories. ESPR working-plan years indicate intended adoption of measures, not the date all companies must start issuing passports.
Confirmed milestones
| Date | Milestone | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 18 July 2024 | ESPR entered into force | The framework became law; not a universal passport start date. |
| 16 April 2025 | Working plan 2025–2030 adopted | Commission priorities and indicative measure-adoption schedule. |
| 20 July 2026 | Commission announced DPP Registry launch | Infrastructure and a testing environment; not a general product mandate. |
| 21 August 2026 | Updated battery guidance announced | Preparation support; guidance does not add legal obligations. |
| 18 February 2027 | Battery passports apply to defined categories | LMT batteries, EV batteries and industrial batteries above 2 kWh placed on the market or put into service. |
Sources: ESPR — Regulation (EU) 2024/1781; Commission working plan 2025–2030 — COM(2025) 187; Commission: DPP Registry launch, 20 July 2026; Commission: battery-passport guidance update, 21 August 2026; Batteries Regulation Article 77.
Indicative adoption schedule—not compliance dates
| Product / measure | 2025 working-plan adoption target | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Iron and steel | 2026 | Monitor measure development and exact scope. |
| Textiles/apparel, tyres, aluminium | 2027 | Plan data discovery; do not label this a 2027 DPP deadline. |
| Furniture | 2028 | Monitor preparatory work and eventual application provisions. |
| Mattresses | 2029 | Treat as a development priority, not an enacted start date. |
| Horizontal repairability | 2027 | Scope must be established in the measure. |
| Electrical/electronic recyclability and recycled content | 2029 | Not a universal electronics-passport date. |
These are the original working-plan targets. They can change. The Commission textile page identifies planned delegated-act adoption in Q4 2027; that is still an adoption plan, not the application date. Check the sector update.
Standards and remaining measures
Six DPP system-standard references were published in the Official Journal through Decision (EU) 2026/1736 of 14 July 2026. That is an established technical milestone, distinct from product-specific data and application requirements.
The Commission iron-and-steel page identifies Q4 2026 as an indicative adoption target. Do not infer that a steel passport obligation applies in Q4 2026. The Commission’s general development timeline also describes future service-provider and battery-access measures; verify adopted instruments and actual dates before placing them in the binding compliance register.
Separate four different dates
- Entry into force: when legislation becomes law.
- Adoption: when an institution adopts a measure.
- Application: when the obligations in that measure begin to apply.
- Internal readiness: your chosen project milestone, allowing time for testing and rollout.
A plan announcement, draft publication or technical standard does not by itself establish the product’s application date. Do not calculate a deadline solely by adding a presumed transition period to a planning year. Read the adopted act and any amendments.
Build a regulatory calendar your project can use
Assign one person to monitor the Commission product page and EUR-Lex. Record instrument identifier, publication date, legal status, scope, application date and next review. When a measure changes, assess the effect on data collection, labels, contracts and testing.
Set a regular review cadence and an event-driven review when an act is published. Before launch, recheck all relevant measures. This page reflects sources reviewed on 4 October 2026; it does not certify that every future act or amendment has been captured.
Your next decision
Identify whether your product is in an established battery category, an ESPR priority category or another legal route. Use the product-category guide and document unresolved scope questions before committing to an implementation date.
Sources for this guide
- ESPR — Regulation (EU) 2024/1781
- Commission working plan 2025–2030 — COM(2025) 187
- Commission: DPP Registry launch, 20 July 2026
- Commission: battery-passport guidance update, 21 August 2026
- Batteries Regulation — current consolidated text
- European Commission: textile apparel
- Official Journal: DPP harmonised standards — Decision (EU) 2026/1736
- European Commission: iron and steel development
Reviewed 4 October 2026. Check the current legal text and applicable product measures before acting.