Interoperability
Definition
Interoperability in the DPP context means that product passport data can be accessed, exchanged, and understood by different software systems, platforms, and stakeholders — regardless of which technology or provider created the DPP. ESPR Article 10 requires DPPs to be built on open, interoperable standards so that a recycler in Poland can read a DPP created by a manufacturer in Japan using a software platform built in Germany.
Why interoperability is non-trivial
The EU expects DPPs to be read by:
- Consumers scanning a QR code with a smartphone
- Recyclers at end-of-life processing facilities
- Market surveillance authorities running compliance checks
- Customs systems at EU borders
- Business-to-business supply chain partners
- Automated regulatory reporting systems
Each of these use cases has different technical requirements. Without mandated standards, each manufacturer would implement DPPs in proprietary formats — creating a fragmented ecosystem where data cannot be verified or compared.
The standards landscape
ESPR Article 10 requires the Commission to adopt implementing acts specifying the technical requirements for DPP interoperability. Key standards being developed or adopted:
Data format and exchange:
- EPCIS (GS1) — Electronic Product Code Information Services; event-based supply chain data exchange standard
- GS1 Digital Link — URI syntax linking GS1 identifiers to DPP data endpoints
- JSON-LD / Linked Data — structured data format enabling machine-readable, context-aware DPP data
- W3C Verifiable Credentials — cryptographic standard for issuing verifiable claims (certifications, compliance declarations)
Semantic interoperability:
- IEC CDD (Common Data Dictionary) — standardised data element definitions to ensure that "recycled content" means the same thing in every DPP
- ESPR Annex III data model — the EU's minimum required data fields, providing baseline semantic alignment
Registry and resolution:
- GS1 Global Data Infrastructure (GDI) — the backbone for identifier resolution globally
- EU DPP Registry — the authoritative EU resolver for ESPR product identifiers
Sector-specific implementations
Different sectors are advancing interoperability at different speeds. The Battery Regulation's digital battery passport has the most developed standards work, driven by the Battery Pass consortium (2022–2025) and the Global Battery Alliance. The technical guidance published by Battery Pass (2024) defines the data model, API specifications, and verification protocols that ESPR product DPPs are expected to follow as a reference implementation.
Related terms
- Digital Product Passport (DPP) — the standard requiring interoperability
- Data Carrier — the physical interface using interoperable identifier standards
- Unique Identifier — the globally unique code enabling cross-system resolution
- DPP Registry — the EU resolution infrastructure