As the European battery industry prepares for the full implementation of the Digital Battery Passport under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the way compliance information is issued, shared and verified is undergoing a fundamental transformation. For decades, certificates, conformity declarations and safety reports have been distributed as static PDFs or paper documents. While familiar, these formats are poorly suited to a digital, cross-border and highly regulated ecosystem.
The transition towards machine-readable, interoperable and secure data exchange requires more than digitising existing documents. It requires cryptographically verifiable data structures that enable automated trust. Verifiable Credentials (VCs) offer precisely this capability. For the EU Battery Passport ecosystem and wider digital product regulation, they represent a practical and scalable trust infrastructure.
The Limits of Static Compliance Documentation
Compliance documentation in battery value chains often includes test certificates, transport safety declarations, sustainability claims and conformity assessments. In traditional PDF format, these documents are human-readable but not inherently machine-verifiable.
A PDF can be edited, duplicated or redistributed without built-in mechanisms to confirm authenticity. Verifiers frequently rely on manual processes such as visual inspection, email confirmation or cross-checking against issuer databases. These methods are time-consuming and introduce room for human error.
As battery supply chains become more complex and data volumes increase, static documents create friction. Automated workflows, lifecycle tracking and cross-border regulatory oversight require structured data that can be validated programmatically.
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 explicitly mandates that battery data be machine-readable and interoperable, forming the basis of the Digital Battery Passport. These requirements signal a move away from document-based compliance towards structured digital trust systems.
What Are Verifiable Credentials?
Verifiable Credentials are digitally signed, tamper-evident data records that allow independent verification of authenticity without direct contact with the issuer. The concept is defined in the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Verifiable Credentials Data Model, an open standard designed to support interoperable digital trust across systems and jurisdictions.
The W3C specification outlines a model involving three core roles:
- The issuer, who creates and signs the credential
- The holder, who stores and presents it
- The verifier, who checks its authenticity
Unlike static documents, a Verifiable Credential contains a cryptographic signature generated using the issuer’s private key. A verifier can use the corresponding public key to mathematically confirm two things: that the credential was issued by the stated authority, and that the data has not been altered since issuance.
If even a single field within the credential is modified, the cryptographic verification fails. This tamper-evident property creates a high level of integrity and legal certainty.
From Document Validation to Cryptographic Proof
In practical terms, moving from PDFs to verifiable credentials transforms how compliance checks are conducted.
Consider a battery test certificate issued by an accredited laboratory. In a traditional model, a downstream manufacturer or regulator might manually inspect the PDF and potentially contact the laboratory to confirm its authenticity. With a verifiable credential, the laboratory issues a digitally signed credential containing structured test results. A market surveillance authority or OEM can instantly verify the credential’s authenticity through cryptographic validation without contacting the issuer.
This approach reduces administrative burden, accelerates compliance processes and lowers fraud risk. It also supports non-repudiation. Because only the issuer controls the private key used for signing, they cannot plausibly deny having issued the credential.
In regulated industries where traceability and accountability are central, cryptographic integrity strengthens confidence across the value chain.
Interoperability and Open Standards in the EU Battery Ecosystem
One of the key advantages of Verifiable Credentials is their reliance on open standards. The W3C data model ensures that structured claims can be interpreted consistently across systems. This is particularly important for cross-border value chains in which manufacturers, battery producers, laboratories, regulators and recyclers operate across multiple jurisdictions.
The EU Battery Regulation emphasises interoperability and machine-readability. Although it does not prescribe a specific technical solution for trust assurance, its digital design aligns closely with the principles underpinning Verifiable Credentials.
The broader European digital identity landscape also supports this direction. The Regulation (EU) 2024/1183, which updates the eIDAS framework and establishes the European Digital Identity Wallet, promotes secure and interoperable digital credentials across the Union.
Addressing Governance and Implementation Challenges
Adopting verifiable credentials is not solely a technical upgrade. It requires governance structures that define trusted issuers, public key management, credential revocation mechanisms and liability frameworks.
Key management is critical. Issuers must protect private keys, rotate them securely and publish corresponding public keys in trusted registries. Revocation mechanisms must allow verifiers to determine whether a credential has been withdrawn or superseded. These governance elements are essential for maintaining long-term trust.
Integration with existing enterprise systems also presents challenges. Legacy IT infrastructures may require adaptation to support structured credential issuance and verification workflows. Small and medium-sized enterprises may need guidance to implement digital trust infrastructure effectively.
However, these challenges are solvable within open standards ecosystems. The benefit is a scalable compliance architecture that supports automated verification, audit readiness and cross-system interoperability.
Verifiable Credentials in the Digital Battery Passport Context
Within the EU Battery Passport framework, multiple stakeholders rely on shared compliance data. These include battery manufacturers, component suppliers, accredited testing bodies, market surveillance authorities and recyclers.
Structured and cryptographically signed credentials can be used to represent:
- Carbon footprint declarations
- Due diligence compliance statements
- Performance test results
- Recycled content certifications
- Safety and transport documentation
When embedded within a Digital Battery Passport, such credentials enable authorised verifiers to validate claims instantly. This supports regulatory enforcement, accelerates market access and enhances confidence in sustainability data.
As the 2027 compliance milestone approaches for EV, light means of transport and industrial batteries above 2 kWh, robust trust mechanisms will become increasingly important.
How Base Integrates Verifiable Credentials into its Digital Battery Passport
At BASE, we recognise that compliance data must evolve beyond static documents to support a fully digital lifecycle ecosystem. Our Digital Battery Passport framework incorporates cryptographically signed data models aligned with Verifiable Credential principles.
BASE focuses on structured, machine-readable compliance claims that can be securely issued, stored and verified within the passport architecture. By supporting authenticated issuance and independent verification, we help reduce administrative friction while strengthening trust across the battery value chain.
Our approach also prioritises interoperability. By aligning with open standards and EU regulatory objectives, BASE ensures that passport data can be exchanged across systems and jurisdictions without proprietary lock-in. This design supports regulators, manufacturers and recyclers alike as they prepare for mandatory passport implementation under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.
Through pilot implementations and ecosystem collaboration, BASE demonstrates how verifiable credentials can enhance integrity, transparency and accountability in digital battery compliance.
Making the Future of Compliance Cryptographically Verifiable
As Europe builds a circular and digitally enabled battery ecosystem, trust infrastructure becomes foundational. Static PDFs cannot provide the automated integrity, interoperability and scalability required for a cross-border Digital Battery Passport system.
Verifiable Credentials provide mathematically provable authenticity, structured machine-readable data and compatibility with emerging European digital identity frameworks. For regulated industries such as batteries, adopting cryptographically signed compliance data supports efficiency, reduces fraud risk and strengthens accountability.
The transition to verifiable digital credentials marks a decisive step towards a secure, interoperable and future-ready compliance ecosystem for Europe’s battery value chain.
The BASE project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) Research and Innovation Actions under grant agreement No. 101157200.
References:
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 – Official text: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj
World Wide Web Consortium – Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.0: https://www.w3.org/TR/vc-data-model/
Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 – European Digital Identity Framework: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32024R1183
European Commission – European Digital Identity (EUDI) Regulation: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eudi-regulation