Every date that matters, and how sure anyone is about it

Only a handful of these dates are set in law. The rest depend on rules the EU hasn't finished writing, so we label each one honestly.

Fixed Set in law Expected The EU's current plan Estimate Depends on rules not yet adopted
2026
20 July The EU DPP Registry goes live for businesses to enrol. Passport registration opens as each product group's catalogue is defined. Fixed
19 July Large companies can no longer destroy unsold clothing and footwear. Fixed
June to July CEN and CENELEC publish the first six European standards for passports, cited in the Official Journal on 15 July. Fixed
Late 2026 Rules for iron and steel are adopted. Expected
2027
20 January The Machinery Regulation applies. It allows digital instructions, but it is not a passport. Fixed
18 February Battery passports become mandatory for EV batteries, industrial batteries over 2 kWh, and light means of transport batteries such as e-bikes and e-scooters. Fixed
During 2027 Rules for textiles, tyres and aluminium are adopted. Expected
During 2027 Rules on repairability scoring across products. Expected
2028
During 2028 Iron and steel passports start to apply. Estimate
During 2028 Rules for furniture are adopted. Expected
From 12 August 2028 Packaging labelling rules can start to apply, at the earliest. A separate regime, but it touches the same data. Expected
2029
Late 2028 to 2029 Passports for textiles, tyres and aluminium start to apply. Estimate
During 2029 Rules for mattresses are adopted. Expected
2030
19 July The ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear extends to medium-sized companies. Fixed
Ongoing Construction product passports phase in, one product family at a time. Estimate

Common timeline questions

When does the EU Digital Product Passport become mandatory?

There is no single date, and only one category deadline is actually fixed: batteries, from 18 February 2027 under the EU Battery Regulation. The rest follow ESPR delegated acts still being adopted, so they are projections rather than fixed dates. On current plans, the acts for textiles, tyres and aluminium are adopted together in 2027, and their passports apply around 2029, roughly eighteen months later. Construction products run on a separate CPR track that phases in per product family, with no single cliff date.

When did the EU DPP Registry go live?

The DPP Registry went live on 20 July 2026 (its ESPR Article 13 set-up deadline was 19 July), with its operating rules set by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778. It is the central registry every in-scope passport is recorded against, alongside the brand's own publication.

When do batteries need a Digital Product Passport?

The battery DPP becomes mandatory on 18 February 2027. Batteries are governed by the EU Battery Regulation rather than ESPR, which is why they lead the timeline.

When is the ESPR textiles delegated act expected?

The ESPR delegated acts for textiles, tyres and aluminium are expected during 2027, adopted together. Compliance is set in each act, typically eighteen to twenty-four months later, so those passports are expected to apply around 2029. The date is not yet fixed.

How do I know when my product category needs a DPP?

Find your category on the timeline above, or use the category check on the DPP guide. Each line is labelled Fixed, Expected or Estimate, so you can see which dates are legally set and which are planning estimates that still depend on delegated acts being adopted. If your category is not listed yet, its delegated act has not been scheduled.

New to this? Start with what a Digital Product Passport is, or browse the A to Z of DPP terms.

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