The European register for digital product passports becomes operational before the first obligations for batteries.

The European Commission has activated the Digital Product Passport Register, the central infrastructure through which companies will register the passports associated with products introduced in the European Union market, and authorities will be able to verify their existence and validity.

In short, the Register stores unique identifiers, registration data, and general information necessary to find each digital passport, without centralizing the entire product file. Economic operators will need to register the passport before the product is introduced to the EU market, when the applicable legislation for that category imposes this obligation. Customs authorities will be able to electronically verify whether imported products have a registered passport and whether the necessary customs code was provided before they are released for free circulation. The first mandatory digital passports will apply from February 18, 2027, to certain categories of batteries. The Commission has also opened a testing environment, a support service, and documentation for companies and authorities that need to prepare for the implementation of the system.

The Register functions as a European index of digital passports for products introduced in the EU market. It will keep unique identifiers, registration data, and general metadata associated with each passport. The legislation applicable to a specific category of products may also impose the registration of additional information.

Detailed information about each product is not transferred to a central database managed by the Commission. They remain the responsibility of the economic operator introducing the product to the market and can be hosted by the company or a specialized service provider for digital passports. The Register provides the common point through which the passport can be identified, located, and verified.

The digital passport may include, depending on the rules established for each category, information about the product's origin, usage instructions, possibilities for reuse, and compliance with European requirements. The information will generally be available through a QR code or another digital medium associated with the product.

The content of the passport will not be identical for all goods. Specific requirements, the individuals who can consult certain data, and the moment from which the passport becomes mandatory will be established by the legislation applicable to each product group.

The Register is part of the infrastructure created by the Regulation on the Ecodesign of Sustainable Products. It will host information regarding digital passports for products in areas such as textiles, oils, aluminum, tires, furniture, information and communication technology, and energy-impacting products.

The system will also include passports provided by sectoral legislation for products such as batteries, construction materials, toys, and detergents. The introduction of obligations will occur progressively, depending on the rules adopted for each category.

The economic operator subject to the obligation will need to register the passport before the product is introduced to the EU market. The Register will also include common technical elements, such as data models, structures, and definitions necessary for the information to be used in a harmonized manner.

The system will also support controls carried out by authorities. Customs will be able to electronically confirm whether an imported product has a valid registered digital passport and whether the goods code was provided before the product is released for free circulation. Market surveillance authorities will be able to access registered passports for the verifications within their competence.

The first usage obligations are set for certain categories of batteries starting from February 18, 2027. The Register is intended to provide the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of these requirements and for the subsequent extension of the digital passport to other products.

To prepare for implementation, the Commission has opened a separate environment where companies can test the functions and registration processes without affecting the operational system's data. Instructions for registering organizations, registering and managing passports, as well as a support service for technical issues are also available.

The digital product passport aims to make information about goods marketed in the EU easier to find and verify by companies, authorities, and consumers. The system is designed to support the transparency of supply chains and access to information regarding usage, reuse, and compliance with European requirements.

The Register represents the central indexing component of a decentralized architecture. Detailed data remains with economic operators or their service providers, while the European system retains the information necessary for identifying and accessing the corresponding passport.