Blog

DPP news without the scare tactics.

Deadlines, delegated acts and honest guidance on the EU Digital Product Passport — written for small brands, checked against the regulations, updated as the rules land.

Batteries · New guidance24 August 2026 · 6 min read

The Commission just published a guidance document mapping every battery-passport data point to what's mandatory, optional or not applicable — by battery type. It isn't new law, but it's the most useful thing to read before February 2027.

A new European Commission guidance document, 'Digital Batteries Passport – data points by category', sets out 71 data points and marks each one mandatory, optional, conditional or not applicable for EV, light-means-of-transport and industrial batteries. It creates no new legal obligation — but it's the clearest scoping tool published so far for the 18 February 2027 deadline.

Batteries · Access rights17 August 2026 · 6 min read

The Commission has an 18 August 2026 deadline for battery-passport access rules. Here's what it covers — and why your February 2027 plan doesn't change.

Article 77(9) of the Battery Regulation gives the European Commission until 18 August 2026 to adopt implementing rules on who can access restricted battery-passport data — repairers, recyclers, second-life operators — and how much they can download, share and reuse. What's already law, what the pending act fills in, and what it means for brands preparing for 18 February 2027.

Explainer · Batteries vs ESPR10 August 2026 · 7 min read

Batteries get a passport deadline in February 2027. Textiles and furniture don't have one yet. Here's why — and it isn't about batteries being more "ready".

The battery passport isn't an ESPR deadline — it comes from a separate law, adopted before ESPR even existed. A plain explanation of why batteries, construction products, toys and detergents all got their Digital Product Passport dates first, and what that does and doesn't tell you about your own category.

Regulation · Registry rules3 August 2026 · 6 min read

The EU DPP registry has a rulebook now. Here's what 'verified economic operator' status actually involves — and who needs it today.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1778 lays down how the EU Digital Product Passport registry actually operates — identity verification, registration and data retention — and enters into force on 6 August 2026. Here's what it covers, and why it still doesn't create a new duty for most small brands.

Practical guide · Suppliers27 July 2026 · 8 min read

Collecting material composition data from suppliers is the slow part of DPP prep. Here's how to do it without losing a season.

The software behind a Digital Product Passport is the easy part. The real bottleneck is getting accurate material composition, origin and certification data out of your suppliers. A practical, non-legal guide to doing that without chasing PDFs for months.

Regulation · Registry live20 July 2026 · 6 min read

The EU DPP registry is live. Here's what actually launched — and what still doesn't apply to you yet.

The European Commission's Article 13 deadline to stand up the central EU DPP registry landed 19 July 2026, and the registry, testing environment and user guidelines followed on 20 July. Here's what launched, how the registry actually works, and why most small brands still have nothing to file.

Greenwashing · 27 Sep 202613 July 2026 · 7 min read

"Eco-friendly" needs proof from 27 September 2026. Here's what small brands should actually do about it.

The ECGT Directive (EU) 2024/825 bans unsubstantiated green claims across the EU from 27 September 2026, with no SME exemption. A practical checklist for small brands: what's banned, what counts as evidence, and how to get your product copy and data in order before the date lands.

Textiles · 19 July 20264 July 2026 · 7 min read

Destroying unsold clothing becomes illegal in the EU on 19 July 2026. Here's what it means if you're small.

From 19 July 2026 the ESPR bans large companies from destroying unsold consumer apparel and footwear. Micro and small brands are exempt from the ban itself — but the disclosure rules, retailer pressure and the coming textile DPP make this worth understanding now.

Regulation · 19 July 20264 July 2026 · 6 min read

The EU DPP registry opens 19 July 2026. Here's what actually changes (and what doesn't).

19 July 2026 is the Commission's deadline to set up the EU Digital Product Passport registry under ESPR Article 13. It's an infrastructure milestone — no product registration becomes mandatory that day. Batteries, in February 2027, are first.

Batteries · Feb 20274 July 2026 · 8 min read

The battery passport is the one hard DPP deadline. Here's your seven-month checklist to February 2027.

From 18 February 2027, EV, light-means-of-transport and industrial batteries over 2 kWh placed on the EU market need a battery passport. A practical checklist: who is covered, what data Annex XIII requires, where it comes from, and a month-by-month plan.

Timeline · updated July 20264 July 2026 · 10 min read

The Digital Product Passport timeline: every confirmed and expected deadline, by category.

The definitive DPP timeline, updated as acts are adopted. Batteries are first (18 February 2027), textiles land around 2028–2029, furniture 2029–2030 — and electronics isn't scheduled at all. Confirmed dates and Working-Plan estimates, clearly separated.

Honest answers · SMEs4 July 2026 · 9 min read

Do small brands need a Digital Product Passport? Not yet, mostly — and no exemption is coming.

The honest answer for small brands: as of July 2026, most categories have no DPP obligation yet — batteries in February 2027 are first, textiles around 2028–2029. But the ESPR has no SME exemption, so the question is when, not if. Here's who should act now and who can safely wait.

Buying guide · 20264 July 2026 · 8 min read

How much does Digital Product Passport software actually cost in 2026? An honest buying guide.

DPP software in 2026 ranges from free tiers to quote-based enterprise contracts. This guide breaks down what drives the price, compares SME tools side by side (including our own pricing, exactly), shows a worked first-year cost for a 40-SKU brand — and tells you when not to buy from us.