EU to Mandate Digital Product Passports from 2027... "Must Prepare for International Standards"

KCCI Presents 'EU DPP Trends and Responses'
DPP Policy Trends, Application Cases, and Countermeasures
"DPP Mandate: A New Challenge and Opportunity"

As the Digital Product Passport (DPP) system is set to be implemented in the European Union (EU) starting in 2027, there are claims that companies exporting major products to Europe need to understand the details in advance and take proactive measures.

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) announced on the 5th the 'EU DPP Trends and GS1 International Standards-Based Response Guidelines.' This guideline includes DPP policy trends, application cases, and response methods for prior preparation.

DPP is a system that stores and shares key data throughout the product lifecycle?such as sustainability information like carbon emissions and durability, as well as supply chain information?allowing verification similar to a person's passport. The EU plans to apply the DPP starting with batteries in February 2027 and then expand the scope to textiles, steel, electronics, tires, and more.

The specific standards and methods for DPP have not yet been decided. However, the EU has established a principle of creating guidelines by utilizing existing international standards rather than developing new ones.

Accordingly, discussions on the DPP identification system are actively underway. Among them, GS1-based QR codes are widely used. These codes include the functions of existing barcodes and can be used similarly for payment and inventory management in stores. They are internationally compatible and web-based, allowing consumers and stakeholders easy access to various product information such as raw material sources, carbon emissions, and recycling information. A representative example is the Swedish National Research Institute collaborating with clothing companies to attach GS1 standard identification code QR codes to more than 3,000 pilot products. These QR codes can be scanned with smartphones to easily check all DPP information.

The KCCI emphasized that when companies prepare for DPP, they must understand legal regulatory requirements, secure data management systems, and prepare for supply chain collaboration. Jang Geun-mu, Director of the Distribution and Logistics Promotion Institute at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "The mandatory implementation of the EU’s DPP is both a new challenge and an opportunity for domestic companies," adding, "The Chamber will support companies to respond effectively through introducing global standard trends and overseas cases related to DPP, seminars, and pilot projects."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.