The EU's Digital Product Passport Infrastructure is Taking a Major Step Forward
The European Union has reached an important milestone in its journey towards a more transparent and circular economy. Under Article 13 of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the European Commission was required to establish the central Digital Product Passport (DPP) Registry by 19 July 2026. The Commission's implementation roadmap now confirms that the DPP Registry becomes operational in July 2026, creating the core infrastructure that will support Digital Product Passports across multiple product groups.
For the battery industry, this is particularly significant. Batteries are the first major product category to adopt Digital Product Passports under dedicated EU legislation. From 18 February 2027, Battery Passports will become mandatory for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, light means of transport (LMT) batteries, and relevant industrial batteries placed on the EU market.
While the Registry going live does not immediately introduce new compliance obligations for battery manufacturers, it represents the transition from regulatory planning to operational implementation. The digital infrastructure underpinning Battery Passports is now becoming a reality.
What Is the EU DPP Registry?
One of the most common misconceptions is that the DPP Registry will contain every product's Digital Product Passport. In practice, its role is much more focused.
The Registry acts as a central indexing service managed by the European Commission. Rather than storing complete product information, it securely records unique identifiers and registration data for Digital Product Passports. Depending on future delegated acts or other EU legislation, additional information may also be stored where justified, but the detailed passport itself remains decentralised.
This decentralised approach is equally important for Battery Passports. Manufacturers or their authorised service providers remain responsible for hosting and maintaining the detailed battery information throughout the product's lifecycle. The Registry simply enables trusted discovery and verification of registered passports.
During its May 2026 webinar on the Digital Product Passport for the battery industry, the European Commission explained that the Registry works alongside the DPP Web Portal and decentralised storage. Once a battery passport has been created and registered, stakeholders can access the appropriate information through the passport's unique identifier and data carrier, with access governed by defined permissions.
Why This Matters for the Battery Industry
The Registry becoming operational marks the first tangible piece of the EU's Digital Product Passport ecosystem.
Battery manufacturers, importers, recyclers, and other economic operators now have greater certainty about how the future compliance framework will function. The Registry provides a common European mechanism for registering Digital Product Passports while allowing companies to retain ownership and control of their underlying product data.
This architecture supports several important objectives.
First, it improves traceability across increasingly complex battery value chains. Every Battery Passport will be linked to a unique identifier that remains associated with the battery throughout its lifecycle.
Second, it supports more effective market surveillance. The European Commission has confirmed that the Registry will facilitate access for market surveillance authorities and support customs authorities in electronically verifying registered Digital Product Passports where required under the applicable legislation.
Third, it strengthens interoperability. Rather than creating isolated national systems, the Registry provides a common European framework capable of supporting multiple product sectors while allowing businesses to manage their own data in decentralised environments.
What Happens Next?
Although the Registry is now becoming operational, the Battery Passport requirements themselves do not begin until 18 February 2027.
Between now and then, the European Commission continues to develop a wider implementation framework. This includes implementing acts covering the Registry, battery access rights, digital credentials, and additional harmonised standards supporting interoperability, unique identifiers, APIs, data exchange, and data storage.
For battery companies, the coming months provide an opportunity to prepare rather than wait.
Many organisations are already reviewing how they manage battery lifecycle data, supplier information, technical documentation, sustainability metrics, and QR code implementation. Since Battery Passports will rely on accurate, accessible, and up-to-date information throughout the battery's lifecycle, establishing robust data governance processes now can significantly reduce future compliance challenges.
What Information Will Battery Passports Provide?
While the Registry itself stores only limited registration information, the Battery Passport linked to it provides access to a much richer dataset defined under the EU Battery Regulation.
Depending on the battery category and applicable requirements, this information may include battery identification, manufacturer details, technical characteristics, performance and durability information, sustainability indicators, repair and recycling guidance, and other lifecycle data relevant to circular economy objectives. The detailed information remains under the responsibility of the economic operator rather than being centrally stored by the Commission.
The European Commission has also clarified that access to Battery Passport information will be role-based. Consumers, repairers, recyclers, market surveillance authorities, and other authorised stakeholders will receive access to different categories of information according to the applicable legal framework, helping balance transparency with the protection of commercially sensitive data.
Why This Matters for BASE
The launch of the DPP Registry reinforces the importance of collaborative initiatives that are helping industry prepare for the Battery Passport era.
The BASE project is developing and validating interoperable Digital Battery Passport solutions that support secure data exchange, lifecycle traceability, sustainability reporting, and circular value chains. By bringing together industrial partners, technology providers, and research organisations, BASE is helping demonstrate how Battery Passports can operate effectively in real-world environments before they become mandatory across the EU.
As the supporting infrastructure for Digital Product Passports continues to mature, projects such as BASE provide valuable practical experience that complements the evolving regulatory framework and helps accelerate industry readiness.
Looking Ahead
The operational launch of the EU DPP Registry is a crucial step in the Digital Product Passport journey, marking the beginning of the implementation phase.
For the battery sector, the countdown to February 2027 is now firmly underway. Companies that begin strengthening their data management, traceability, and interoperability capabilities today will be better positioned as Battery Passports move from regulatory requirement to everyday business practice.
For the wider European battery ecosystem, the Registry represents another important step towards greater transparency, circularity, and digital trust throughout the battery lifecycle.
The BASE project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) Research and Innovation Actions under grant agreement No. 101157200.
References
European Commission. Digital Product Passport: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/digital-product-passport_en
European Commission. The DPP Registry: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/dpp-registry_en
EUR-Lex. Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj
European Commission. Battery Passport: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/batteries_en
EUR-Lex. Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 concerning Batteries and Waste Batteries: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj
European Commission. Digital Product Passport Webinar for the Battery Industry, 27 May 2026: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/events/digital-product-passport-batteries-2026-05-27_en
DigiProd Pass - The EU DPP Registry Goes Live in July: Here's What Changes: https://digiprodpass.com/blogs/the-eu-dpp-registry-goes-live-in-july-heres-what-changes