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2 minute read
With the launch of ISO/IEC JTC 5, the DPP enters a new phase
The establishment of ISO/IEC JTC 5 on the Digital Product Passport marks a fundamental shift in the terms of the debate. The DPP is no longer confined to European regulation; it is now part of an international standardisation agenda.
This reframes the central question. Whether the DPP will become regulatorily relevant is no longer in doubt—that trajectory is clear. The real issue is whether regulatory requirements can be translated into a technically and organisationally robust infrastructure—one that works across companies, sectors and jurisdictions.
The Digital Product Passport as infrastructure
Much of the current debate still treats the DPP primarily as a compliance tool. That view is too narrow.
What is taking shape is a new form of product data infrastructure. It must support unique identifiers, structure information consistently, maintain interoperable interfaces and enable data to be used across systems. Only under these conditions does regulatory documentation evolve into something that industry can actually deploy at scale.
This is why international standardisation matters. It is not about technical fine-tuning, but about whether the DPP will function beyond regulatory silos.
Between regulation and industrial policy
European regulation has been the primary driver. Under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the Digital Product Passport is set to become a core element of product-related sustainability requirements.
At the same time, other economic regions are developing their own approaches to product data, circularity and digital traceability. These parallel efforts are understandable, but they create a structural challenge: differing regulatory timelines risk hardening into incompatible system logics.
For global value chains, this creates significant friction. Multiple, misaligned identification systems, data models and access regimes increase complexity, complicate integration and add operational overhead.
The key question is therefore not which jurisdiction moves first, but whether an interoperable framework can emerge.
Interoperability as the basis for scale
The effectiveness of the Digital Product Passport does not primarily depend on the volume of data available. What matters is whether that data can be read, referenced and used consistently across actors, systems and markets.
Interoperability is not a downstream requirement; it is the precondition for scale. Without it, isolated solutions will function in silos but break down when connected. With it, product information can flow coherently along global value chains and generate real economic value.
The work of ISO/IEC JTC 5 signals precisely this transition—from regulatory ambition to infrastructural design.
Implications for companies
For companies, this changes the starting point. The DPP is not just another compliance obligation; it is part of an emerging infrastructure.
Those who treat it primarily as a compliance issue will build accordingly: solutions geared to short-term requirements, limited data models and narrow use cases.
Those who recognise it as an infrastructure challenge will make different choices. They will prioritise scalable architectures, consistent data models, interoperable interfaces and robust governance. The difference lies in the long-term viability of the solution.
Conclusion
International standardisation marks the beginning of a new phase for the Digital Product Passport. The regulatory direction is set; the real challenge now lies in building a system that works across borders.
Success will depend on whether divergent regulatory and technical approaches can be brought into an interoperable framework. The value of the DPP will not stem from regulation alone, but from its ability to function under real industrial conditions.
