Reference
Digital Product Passport Glossary
One-line definitions of the terms that appear across EU digital product passport rules, from ESPR and delegated acts to data carriers, GS1 Digital Link and the registry.
Last reviewed:
- Digital product passport (DPP)
- A structured, machine-readable record of a product's identity, materials, compliance and lifecycle data, reachable through a data carrier such as a QR code.
- ESPR
- The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, the framework law that lets the EU require digital product passports by product group.
- Delegated act
- A binding EU measure the Commission adopts under a framework law such as the ESPR to set the detailed rules, data points and dates for a specific product group.
- Economic operator
- The manufacturer, importer, authorised representative or distributor that holds legal responsibility for a product placed on the EU market.
- Data carrier
- A physical link to the passport, such as a QR code, DataMatrix or NFC tag, printed on or attached to the product or its packaging.
- Unique product identifier (UPI)
- A persistent identifier that uniquely names a product model, batch or item and resolves to its passport.
- GS1 Digital Link
- A GS1 standard that turns a product's GTIN into a web address, so a single QR code can lead to the passport and other services.
- EPCIS
- A GS1 standard for sharing supply-chain event data — what, when, where and why — about products and their movements.
- EU DPP Registry
- The European Commission's central index of passport identifiers and required metadata, operational since 20 July 2026.
- Commodity code
- The customs classification (CN code) of a product, required in the registry for goods entering free circulation in the EU.
- Substance of very high concern (SVHC)
- A hazardous substance on the REACH candidate list; presence above 0.1% by weight in an article triggers information duties.
- EPREL
- The European Product Registry for Energy Labelling, where energy-labelled products and tyres must be registered before sale.
- Notified body
- An independent organisation designated to assess product conformity where an EU law requires third-party involvement.