Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
Regulation (EU) 2024/1781
ESPR is a framework law: durability, repairability, recycled content, carbon footprint and a Digital Product Passport become mandatory for a product group only when the Commission adopts a delegated act for it, with at least 18 months to prepare. Two parts apply directly today: large companies may not destroy unsold clothing and footwear, and must disclose the unsold goods they discard.
Who is covered
Manufacturers, and importers for products from outside the EU; distributors, online marketplaces and fulfilment providers have supporting duties. Covers all physical goods except food, feed, medicines, living organisms and vehicles; the actual duties come with each delegated act. Micro and small enterprises are exempt from the destruction ban and disclosure duty; medium-sized enterprises are covered from 19 July 2030.
Your duties
- Large companies: do not destroy unsold clothing, clothing accessories or footwear (unless a listed derogation applies)
- Large companies: publish once a year the number and weight of unsold products discarded, why, and where they went
- Take reasonable steps to avoid having to destroy unsold products
- Once your product group's delegated act applies: meet its requirements, declaration of conformity and CE marking
- Once it applies: create a Digital Product Passport per model, batch or item, attach the data carrier, register the identifiers in the EU registry, keep a back-up copy with a passport service provider
- Importers: make sure the passport exists; customs check the registry before release
Product data it needs
- Unique product identifier (model, batch or item) and GTIN
- Commodity code (TARIC / CN)
- Declaration of conformity, technical documentation, certificates
- Manuals, instructions, warnings and safety information
- Manufacturer, importer (with EORI) and EU responsible operator details
- Unique operator and facility identifiers
- Product-group information set by the delegated act (durability, repairability, recycled content, carbon footprint, substances of concern)
- Unsold goods discarded: units, weight, reasons and destination
How xProduct helps
- Digital Product Passports with QR and NFC data carriers
- Passport seal (signed, tamper-evident data)
- Declarations and certificates on the passport
- EU registry export file
Does this rule apply to you?
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