Solution: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

What ESPR is 

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) sets sustainability requirements for a wide range of physical product placed on the EU market. It extends the ecodesign approach, previously applied mainly to energy-related products, to most product categories, addressing aspects such as durability, reparability, recyclability, recycled content, resource and energy efficiency, and material footprint. 

ESPR operates through two types of requirements. Performance requirements set minimum thresholds a product must meet, for example in terms of durability, reparability, or recycled content. Information requirements mandate that specific data about a product’s sustainability profile be made available, often via the Digital Product Passport, where applicable. These requirements are not applied universally at once; instead, they are defined product group by product group through delegated acts adopted by the European Commission. As a result, the specific obligations for each company depend on the product category and the applicable delegated act. 

Which products are affected and when 

ESPR follows a phased rollout by product group, with priority sectors identified by the European Commission. These include iron & steel, textiles & apparel, tyres, furniture, aluminium, and selected electronics and ICT products. The exact timing and requirements for each sector are defined through delegated acts and may progress in parallel rather than in a fixed sequence. The Digital Product Passport (DPP) system infrastructure is expected to be established from July 2026, forming the foundation for future product-specific requirements. 

For first-wave sectors, the time to act is now. For others — such as textiles & apparel, where the delegated act is expected around 2026–2027 with application typically following around two years later — the preparation window is open but narrowing. Whether your requirements are immediate or in an upcoming wave, acting early reduces  risk and avoids last-minute data gaps that are expensive to close under deadline. 

The Digital Product Passport 

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a structured, machine-readable record linked to a product via a data carrier, typically a QR code. For most product groups under ESPR, it is the main mechanism through which information requirements are fulfilled. The DPP doesn’t replace the required product information — it is how the product information  is demonstrated and communicated across the value chain, from supplier to regulator to end customer.