Technology · CEN/CENELEC JTC 24
The standards behind the product passport – finally concrete.
On 27 May 2026, CEN and CENELEC published the first European package of standards for the Digital Product Passport. The technical architecture is no longer a matter of interpretation: identifiers, data carriers, interfaces and access rights are now standardised. We translate the standards into system requirements.
- 05/2026First package of standards published
- EN 18219Unique identifiers: product, operator, facility
- M/604Standardisation mandate from the EU Commission (July 2024)
- 09/2026Two further standards expected (incl. FprEN 18239)
01 — The package
The DPP standards package at a glance.
Developed by the joint technical committee CEN/CLC JTC 24 on behalf of the EU Commission (mandate M/604). These standards form the technical foundation for all product-specific legal acts.
| Standard | Covers | Practical relevance for you |
|---|---|---|
| EN 18219 | Unique identifiers for products, economic operators and facilities – uniqueness, persistence, syntax, granularity (model / batch / item) | Your article and batch logic in ERP/PIM must be able to carry these identifiers – the foundational decision of every DPP project |
| EN 18216 | Framework architecture of the DPP system | The reference for every make-or-buy decision |
| EN 18220 | Data carriers on the product (incl. QR code) | Labelling, printing and packaging processes |
| EN 18221 | Data exchange & interoperability | Formats and protocols of your interfaces |
| EN 18222 | APIs of the DPP system | Connection to the registry and customer systems |
| EN 18223 | Data storage, archiving, availability | Hosting concept across the product life cycle |
| Further (expected 09/2026) | Incl. FprEN 18239 | The package is being completed – we keep this page up to date |
Simplified mapping based on the JTC 24 publications (May 2026). For implementation projects we work from the original standard texts.
Read the standard – now what?
We translate EN 18219 & co. into concrete requirements for your ERP, PIM and labelling processes. One call is enough for a first assessment.
02 — Why it matters
Why the standards are a turning point.
Until May 2026, “DPP-ready” was a stretchable term – every software vendor defined it differently. With the standards package there are now verifiable technical references:
- Investment certainty: Anyone setting up identifiers, data carriers and interfaces in line with the standards today is no longer building on assumptions. The delegated acts will build on these standards.
- Comparability: DPP platforms can finally be measured against hard criteria – a central building block of our software selection.
- Interoperability: Passport data must flow between systems along the value chain. The standards define the common language – from the GS1 Digital Link to the API.
For your preparation this means: the familiar excuse “we don’t yet know what it will look like technically” has not held up since May 2026.
03 — FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the DPP standards.
Are the EN standards legally binding?
Standards are formally voluntary – but the delegated acts will reference them, and conformity with harmonised standards establishes a presumption of legal conformity. In practice there is no way around them.
Do we have to buy the standards?
The standard texts are available for a fee from the national standards bodies (in Germany: DIN Media/Beuth). For most companies it is enough that their implementation partner or software vendor knows the standards inside out – exactly what we verify in projects.
What does EN 18219 mean in concrete terms for our ERP?
The standard requires globally unique, persistent identifiers with a defined syntax at the granularity your legal act prescribes (model, batch or item). Your ERP/PIM must carry these identifiers, keep their history and pass them through to labelling and interfaces – we verify this in the readiness check.
Our software vendor says they are “DPP-ready” – is that enough?
Ask follow-up questions: which of the EN standards do they actually meet, how is the connection to the EU registry solved, how are tiered access rights implemented? Since May 2026 these are verifiable questions. We are happy to ask them for you – vendor-neutrally.
Contact
Let’s talk about your DPP readiness.
Just tell us your industry and product group – you’ll get an honest first assessment: applicability, time window, sensible next steps. Free and without obligation.
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Or write to us right here.
Two sentences about your industry and product group are enough – we usually reply within 24 hours on business days.