DPP Registry
Definition
The DPP Registry is a central EU infrastructure system, operated by the European Commission, that stores the unique identifiers of Digital Product Passports placed on the EU market. It is mandated by Article 13 of the ESPR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1781), which required the Commission to set it up by 19 July 2026.
The registry is live. The Commission launched it, together with a testing environment, on 20 July 2026. Its detailed operating rules are set by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778 of 16 July 2026, adopted under Article 13(5) ESPR and published in the Official Journal on 17 July 2026.
A common citation error: the registry is Article 13. Article 12 ESPR covers unique identifiers; Article 14 covers the public web portal. Sources citing "Article 12" for the registry are misreading the regulation.
What the registry does
The DPP Registry does not store the full DPP data. Instead, it operates as a resolution and validation layer:
- Stores unique identifiers for products covered by DPP obligations — ensuring each product has a verifiable identity registered before it is placed on the market
- Resolves identifiers to data endpoints — when a QR code is scanned, the registry can confirm the identifier is legitimate and point to where the DPP data is hosted
- Enables market surveillance — customs authorities and market surveillance bodies can query the registry to verify that a product's DPP exists and was registered before the product was placed on the EU market
- Prevents duplicate or fraudulent DPPs — the registry ensures no two products share the same identifier
The actual DPP data (composition, carbon footprint, repairability scores, etc.) is hosted by the economic operator responsible for the product — the registry acts as the authoritative index, not the data warehouse.
Article 14 ESPR separately requires the Commission to run a public web portal allowing stakeholders to search and compare DPP data consistent with their access rights. That is a distinct system from the registry.
Proposed, not law: the Commission's energy and tyre labelling simplification proposal of 24 June 2026, COM(2026) 565, would interlink the registry with EPREL, the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling. Products for which EPREL already holds information equivalent to that required by an ESPR delegated act would not have to be registered again in the DPP registry.
Why this architecture matters
By separating identifier management (registry) from data hosting (economic operators), ESPR avoids creating a single point of failure for all EU product data. It also allows role-based access: the registry confirms a DPP exists, while the economic operator controls access to different data tiers for consumers, recyclers, and regulators.
The interoperability rules are no longer theoretical. On 14 July 2026 the Commission adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1736, citing six harmonised standards in the Official Journal — including EN 18219:2026 on unique identifiers and EN 18223:2026 on system interoperability. A DPP conforming to these standards is presumed to comply with the corresponding requirements of ESPR Articles 10 and 11.
Operational timeline
| Date | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 19 July 2026 | Commission deadline to set up the registry (ESPR Article 13(1)) | Met |
| 20 July 2026 | Registry and testing environment go live | Live |
| 18 February 2027 | First mandatory registrations — EV, LMT and industrial batteries above 2 kWh | Upcoming |
| From Q4 2026 onward | Further ESPR delegated acts trigger registration for more product categories, beginning with iron and steel | Indicative |
Related terms
- Digital Product Passport (DPP) — what the registry indexes
- Unique Identifier — what the registry stores and validates
- Data Carrier — how the unique identifier is attached to the product
- ESPR — the regulation mandating the registry
Sources
- ESPR Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, Article 13 — EUR-Lex
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778 — EUR-Lex
- Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1736 on harmonised DPP standards — EUR-Lex
- The Digital Product Passport Registry is now live — European Commission, 20 July 2026
- Proposal on energy and tyre labelling simplification, COM(2026) 565, EUR-Lex