The EU Digital Product Passport registry, explained

The EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) registry is the European Commission's central index of products sold in the EU that have a Digital Product Passport. It doesn't hold the passports themselves. It records each product's unique identifier and where its passport is hosted, so customs, market surveillance authorities and the Commission can find and check it. The registry went live on 20 July 2026. Fashion brands won't need to register textiles until the textile rules apply, but the setup steps take time, so it's worth preparing now.

What is the EU DPP registry?

The registry was created under Article 13 of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, which required the Commission to set it up by 19 July 2026. The detailed rules are in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778, adopted on 16 July 2026, published in the Official Journal on 17 July 2026 and in force since 6 August 2026. The Commission launched the registry on 20 July 2026, together with a test environment, a user guide for businesses and a helpdesk. The simplest way to think of it is as a directory: it tells authorities where to find each product's passport, rather than storing the passport itself.

What does the registry store, and what doesn't it?

For each registered product, the registry keeps a small record:

• the unique product identifier, which is a web address (an HTTPS URL) that leads to the product's passport
• a registration identifier issued by the registry
• the product group, and whether the passport covers a model, a batch or an individual item
• for products imported into the EU, the commodity code used when the goods are released for free circulation

It does not store the passport content, such as materials, origin, care, repair or sustainability information. That stays with the brand, or with the DPP service provider the brand uses, and the brand is responsible for keeping it accurate and available for the product's lifetime. The ESPR also requires a backup copy of each passport to be held by an independent third-party DPP service provider. Registration records are kept for 10 years.

Who has to register?

Only verified economic operators can register and manage passports. The ESPR defines economic operators as the manufacturer, authorised representative, importer, distributor, dealer and fulfilment service provider. In practice, it is usually the company placing the product on the EU market: for most fashion brands that is the brand itself, and for brands based outside the EU it may be their EU importer or authorised representative.

To become verified, a business creates an EU Login account, enters its organisation details, and returns a declaration signed by its legal representative using a qualified electronic seal (for companies) or a qualified electronic signature (for individuals) from a qualified trust service provider. Verification lasts up to three years.

How does registration work?

Once verified, a business can register passports one at a time through an online form, in bulk by uploading XML or JSON files of up to 100 passports each, or through an API. Each registration needs the product group, the passport level (model, batch or item) and the product's unique identifier. The Commission also runs a separate test environment where businesses can practise enrolment and registration without affecting live data.

When will fashion brands need to register?

Registration follows the product rules: a product group only needs to be registered once a delegated act sets DPP requirements for it. In the Commission's September 2026 user guide, batteries are the only product group listed, and even battery registrations are not yet open because their data model is still being finalised. Battery passports become mandatory from 18 February 2027 under the EU Battery Regulation. For textiles and fashion, the delegated act setting the DPP requirements is expected in 2027, after which brands will have an 18-month window to comply. Brands selling into the EU from anywhere, including the UK and US, will need to register once those rules apply.

How does the registry connect to customs?

Under the ESPR, customs authorities get access to the registry through the EU Single Window Environment for Customs. For imported products, the registry links each product's unique identifier to the commodity code used at customs, so border authorities can check that a product has a valid, registered passport when it enters the EU market.

What should fashion brands do now?

1. Confirm who your economic operator is for EU sales: the brand itself, or an EU importer or authorised representative.
2. Set up an EU Login account and arrange a qualified electronic seal or signature, which can take time.
3. Try the Commission's test environment so your team understands enrolment and registration.
4. Give every product a persistent, web-based identifier. The registry expects a URL, and GS1 Digital Link is an open global standard built for exactly this that works alongside existing barcodes.
5. Decide what level your passports work at. Model-level passports may meet minimum requirements, but item-level passports are what make authentication, ownership transfer, resale and warranty possible.
6. Decide where your passports will be hosted, and arrange an independent backup copy.

How PATINA fits

PATINA gives every product a GS1 Digital Link identifier and hosts its passport at model, batch or item level, so each product has the web-based identifier and passport the registry will reference. Brands that choose item level can then use the same passport for post-purchase services: authentication, resale, repair, take-back and warranty. Brands remain the economic operator and keep ownership of their data. For more, see our FAQ.

Sources

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR): eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1778/oj/eng
• European Commission, DPP Registry User Guide for Economic Operators, v1.03, 16 September 2026: single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu
• EU DPP Registry: registry.product-passport.ec.europa.eu