Digital Product Passport for Iron & Steel

Iron & Steel fall under the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR 2024/1781). Iron and steel are in the first ESPR working plan, expected to phase in from around 2027–2028. Steel is also in scope of CBAM, whose definitive regime began in January 2026, so embedded-carbon data is already being collected. This page covers what that means in practice: the timeline, the data a passport must carry, who is legally responsible, and how to get ready.

Bottom line: Iron and steel are ESPR priority groups; the delegated act will fix the data set and date. The passport must stay reachable for up to 15 years through an independent backup provider, and every registered version must carry a qualified electronic seal.

When it applies

Iron and steel are in the first ESPR working plan, expected to phase in from around 2027–2028. Steel is also in scope of CBAM, whose definitive regime began in January 2026, so embedded-carbon data is already being collected. The precise data set for iron and steel is fixed by a delegated act under ESPR — the framework is law since July 2024; the sector detail arrives act by act. The central EU DPP Registry opened for registration on 19 July 2026, so identifiers can be filed as each group's rules take effect.

What the passport must carry

Across product groups the passport draws from the same families of data. For iron and steel, expect:

product identity, grade and dimensions
material composition and recycled content
embedded carbon and carbon footprint (aligned with CBAM reporting)
substances of concern
durability and recyclability
production-route and origin data

Each claim needs its evidence — a certificate or test report with traceable provenance, not just a stated value. Market-surveillance and customs authorities can inspect the record.

Who is responsible

The producer, or the EU importer for steel brought in from outside the EU, carries the obligation. The duty cannot be delegated: if a platform registers the passport on your behalf, you — the economic operator placing the product on the EU market — remain accountable.

How to prepare

The CBAM overlap is an advantage: the embedded-carbon evidence you already gather for CBAM feeds directly into the passport's footprint fields. PassPer builds the passport from the documents you already hold — spec sheets, certificates, supplier declarations — with AI extraction and human review, then handles the GS1 Digital Link carrier, the registry filing and the long-term hosting. Pricing starts at €79/month with a free 30-day pilot.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Digital Product Passport mandatory for iron and steel?

Iron and steel are in the first ESPR working plan, expected to phase in from around 2027–2028. Steel is also in scope of CBAM, whose definitive regime began in January 2026, so embedded-carbon data is already being collected. It becomes mandatory when the ESPR delegated act for the group takes effect; the framework regulation is already in force and the EU registry is open.

Who needs the passport — the manufacturer or the importer?

The economic operator that places the product on the EU market. For goods made outside the EU, that is normally the importer or an appointed authorised representative.

How long must the passport stay available?

Up to 15 years, via an independent backup provider — the passport must outlive the product and, if necessary, the vendor that issued it.

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