On 20 July 2026, quietly but as a landmark step, the EU's central Digital Product Passport Registry went live. The system is governed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778, within the ESPR ((EU) 2024/1781) framework. This is the missing infrastructure without which the DPP had, until now, existed only "on paper". Let's look at exactly what it is, what it stores, how you register — and most importantly, what is mandatory now and what only from 2027.
What is the EU DPP Registry?
The Registry is a central registration system where economic operators must register every product passport — but note: the product data itself does not go here. The Registry is a federated index: it stores the unique product identifier and its associated metadata, plus where the full passport can be reached. The content stays with you (the economic operator) or your DPP provider.
Simply put, the Registry is like a phone book — it knows you exist and where to find you, but the "conversation" (the data) doesn't happen there. This federated model is deliberate: control over your sensitive data stays with you.
What exactly went live on 20 July 2026 — and what did NOT?
An important reality check: nothing became mandatory for companies on launch day. What happened is that the Commission met its own obligation — it built and launched the infrastructure (with a testing environment, documentation, webinars and a helpdesk).
- ✅ The system is live: you can register, test and get familiar with it — without touching live data.
- ✅ Testing environment + helpdesk on the new official DPP website.
- ❌ You have no registration obligation yet — that arrives with your category's delegated act, or for batteries with the regulation's date (see below).
So 20 July is not a "deadline" but the starting line: from now on there is somewhere to register, once your category is in scope.
How do you register? (eIDAS, interface or API)
Before registering you must become a verified economic operator — you prove this with eIDAS electronic identification, and the verification is valid for up to 3 years. Then you register each passport in one of two ways:
Important: you must obtain the eIDAS verification yourself — your DPP service provider (including Veridyn) cannot do it on your behalf. What can be delegated: once you are a verified economic operator, you may transfer registry access rights to a third party acting on your behalf — your DPP service provider, for instance (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778, Article 6(1)). Liability does not transfer with it: the regulation states that the economic operator remains responsible even when a third party registers on their behalf. The qualified electronic signature (sole trader) or seal (company) is tied to your legal identity, and it is the entry ticket for any registration.
Because you request it from a trust service provider, it has lead time — start well before your applicable deadline (for batteries, 18 February 2027).
- A secure web interface — manual, for small volumes.
- An API — integrated into your own systems (ERP, PIM, DPP platform) for bulk/automated registration.
You can also request a secure electronic proof of registration — useful in B2B situations when your buyer asks for evidence of compliance.
Current status (summer 2026): the registry infrastructure is live, and the test environment lets you walk through enrolment, eIDAS verification and submission end to end. However, actual battery registration is not yet functional — the Commission is still developing the semantic catalogue for the battery product group (per the official user guide, it is currently not possible to successfully register a battery DPP). This does not move the first mandatory date: 18 February 2027 — so there is plenty of time to prepare. We describe the verification process step by step in the eIDAS verification guide.
What exactly does the implementing regulation require?
The text also fixes a few details that matter immediately in practice — and that introductory articles usually skip.
The level of granularity is fixed, and it binds upwards too. Registration happens at model, batch or item level, according to what the Union law applicable to you prescribes. The twist: if you register at item level (an individual unit), you must also register the corresponding batch and model identifiers alongside it — provided the product has batch and model levels at all (recital 14). For inherently unique goods such as craft items, they are not needed. And if several Union rules apply to the same product with different levels, the most granular one governs. If the difference between levels isn't clear yet, read this: model, batch or item.
The registry also checks the backup copy. The automated validation of submitted data extends — where applicable — to the link to the backup copy stored by the DPP service provider (recital 16). So it is not enough that your passport is reachable: there has to be a fallback behind it. That is exactly the continuity question our provider switching article is about.
Passports can be transferred. Registered digital product passports may be handed over to another verified economic operator, who takes on the associated obligations (Article 6a). The regulation explicitly mentions mergers, splits and ceasing operations — and that this route is open to anyone who could not complete verification by the deadline. This is the strongest legal guarantee against lock-in: your registrations do not get stuck.
The proof of registration is downloadable for 90 days — but it doesn't expire. The proof is a secure electronic document that remains accessible for 90 calendar days from creation and can be regenerated if needed (recital 17). So it is not the evidence that lapses, but the download window — worth knowing in a B2B conversation.
Ten years, then deletion. Where Union law does not set a specific period, the registry automatically deletes the passport's registry data 10 years after registration (recital 18). Note: that is the registry entry, not your passport — the content stays with you throughout.
There will be a provider list. The registry includes a reference list of verified DPP service providers (Article 3(f)). If you are choosing a DPP platform, that will be the first place to check who you are dealing with.
Which products, and from when is it mandatory for YOU?
The Registry already supports a range of product laws: ESPR (textiles, steel, aluminium, tyres, furniture, ICT, energy-related products) plus separate legislation (large batteries, construction products, toys, detergents). But the obligation arrives category by category, at different times:
| Area | Registration obligation (earliest) |
|---|---|
| Large batteries (2023/1542) | 18 February 2027 — the first hard deadline! |
| Iron and steel (ESPR) | ~2028 (~18 months after the delegated act) |
| Textiles, aluminium (ESPR) | ~2028–2029 |
| Furniture and more | around 2030 |
You'll find the exact, category-by-category timeline in our ESPR deadlines article. The takeaway: batteries come first, where the Registry starts to matter in practice.
Why the federated model is good for you
Because your competitively sensitive data (suppliers, formulations, supply chain) does not go into a central EU database — only a pointer (the identifier + the web address). You still control access: the public sees one set of data, an authority or recycler another. More on this: DPP and business secrets.
What should you do now?
- Check when the obligation hits you — batteries 2027, other categories later (timeline).
- Obtain eIDAS identification for your company — it's the entry ticket for registration.
- Ensure a stable, unique product identifier (GTIN + serial/batch where needed) and a durable web address — this is what the Registry indexes. See: QR and GS1 Digital Link, model–batch–item.
- Choose an API-capable DPP system that can automate registration when the time comes.
If you're still at the basics, start here: DPP readiness checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register now? No — unless you make large batteries (there, 18 February 2027 is the first deadline). For other categories your delegated act sets the date.
Does my product data go onto an EU server? No. The Registry stores only the identifier + metadata + the where-to-find-it pointer; the full passport stays with you or your provider.
Do I need eIDAS? Yes — verified economic operator status is eIDAS-based and valid for ~3 years.
What does an authority check in the Registry? Market surveillance uses the Registry to verify that a product on the market has a compliant, accessible passport — see DPP penalties and market surveillance.
How does Veridyn help?
In Veridyn, every passport gets a stable, unique identifier (GTIN + optional serial/batch) and a durable, scannable QR URL — exactly what the Registry indexes. We also have a developer REST API, so when your category comes into scope, registration can be automated while the content stays in Veridyn, under your control — which is the whole point of the federated model. Try it for free and be ready before the deadline arrives.