New Methodology Outlines Data Requirements for the Digital Product Passport

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published on March 19, 2026 a practical methodology outlining which data should be included in Digital Product Passports (DPPs) under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) framework and how requirements should be prioritised. Registered under reference number JRC145830, the report focuses on the semantic definition and prioritisation of DPP information requirements, while also systematically investigating current industry data collection and data-sharing practices across product value chains.

The methodology translates policy objectives and use cases into structured data needs, distinguishing essential, strongly recommended, and voluntary elements through a transparent value-effort and feasibility assessment. Technical aspects of the DPP system are addressed only to the extent necessary to inform decisions on data access rights, data governance, and data granularity.

With its modular structure, the methodology is primarily designed to support ESPR delegated acts and impact assessments but can also be applied beyond the ESPR framework where equivalent contextual and feasibility analyses are carried out. As the DPP moves toward implementation across the textile sector, data readiness is becoming a strategic priority for actors at every level of the supply chain.