In the face of accelerating global demand for transparency, traceability, and sustainability, the UNECE and ISO/TC 154 have partnered to advance international standardization through the Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiative. At the core of this effort is ISO/PWI 25534-1, the international project jointly launched to define foundational principles for interoperable DPP systems.

Digital Product Passport: Building Global Interoperability for a Circular Economy

The global transition toward a circular and sustainable economy is reshaping how products are designed, manufactured, and consumed. At the heart of this transformation lies a critical need: enhanced transparency, traceability, and accessibility of product-related information across the entire lifecycle.

Enter the Digital Product Passport (DPP) — a product-specific, electronically accessible set of data designed to support sustainability, compliance, and innovation. By embedding trusted information directly into products, the DPP empowers businesses, regulators, and consumers to make informed decisions that drive circularity.

Why the Digital Product Passport Matters

The DPP is more than a technical tool; it is a strategic enabler of the circular economy. Its benefits include:

1. Transparency: Clear visibility into materials, processes, and environmental impact.
2. Traceability: Tracking products from design to recycling, ensuring accountability.
3. Accessibility: Providing stakeholders — from regulators to SMEs — with usable, standardized data.

Yet, as promising as the DPP is, the current landscape is fragmented. Numerous regulatory initiatives, industry pilots, and standardization efforts are underway across regions and sectors. While they share common goals, divergent technical approaches risk undermining the very interoperability the DPP seeks to achieve.

Risks of Fragmentation

Without coordination, fragmentation could:

1. Create barriers to international trade by locking systems into regional silos.
2. Increase complexity and costs for businesses, especially SMEs with limited resources.
3. Undermine global interoperability, reducing the effectiveness of DPP systems.

This makes harmonization not just desirable, but essential.

ISO & UNECE Joint Initiative

To address these challenges, a joint initiative has been launched between ISO/TC 154 and UNECE, under the framework of the ebMoU. As expert, I am a member of the Joint Working Group 9. This collaboration ensures that both organizations’ procedures guide the development of a unified approach. On the ISO side, the initiative begins with ISO/PWI 25534-1 (Digital Product Passport — Part 1: Overview and Fundamental Principles). This foundational standard sets the stage for the ISO 25534 series, providing a coherent overview of the DPP concept, objectives, architecture, and guidelines.

Objectives of ISO/PWI 25534-1

The standard aims to:

• Provide a standardized overview of the DPP concept, architecture, and principles.
• Establish common terminology and core principles to support global interoperability and inclusivity.
• Create a framework for coordination with existing and future DPP-related standards and regulatory requirements.

By laying this groundwork, ISO and UNECE are ensuring that future DPP standards are consistent, coordinated, and stakeholder-inclusive.

Looking Ahead

The Digital Product Passport represents a cornerstone of the circular economy. Its success depends on global collaboration and the avoidance of fragmented approaches. The ISO/UNECE initiative is a critical step toward ensuring that DPP systems are interoperable, scalable, and accessible to all — from multinational corporations to SMEs. As the world moves toward sustainability, the DPP will serve as a bridge between innovation and regulation, enabling a future where products are not just consumed, but continuously valued and reused.

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