Ecodesign and the Digital Product Passport: what applies now
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) lets the EU set durability, repairability and information requirements, including a Digital Product Passport, product group by product group.
Checked against the sources on 7 October 2026
What applies today
Since 19 July 2026, large companies may not destroy unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear. Medium-sized companies follow from 19 July 2030; micro and small companies are exempt.
Product passports come group by group
Requirements, and a passport, apply to a product group only once the Commission adopts a delegated act for it, normally with at least 18 months before it applies. The working plan adopted in April 2025 names among the first groups iron and steel, aluminium, textiles and apparel, furniture, tyres and mattresses.
Batteries
Separately, the Batteries Regulation requires a battery passport from 18 February 2027 for electric vehicle batteries, industrial batteries above 2 kWh and light means of transport batteries.
What to do now
- if you are a large company selling clothing or footwear in the EU, make sure unsold stock is not destroyed;
- follow the delegated act for your product group, and start collecting the material and supplier data a passport will ask for.