The ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, formally (EU) 2024/1781) is one of the most far-reaching pieces of EU product legislation in a decade. It builds on the legacy of the earlier ErP / ecodesign directive (2009/125/EC) but goes much further: it can be extended to almost every physical product, and it introduces the Digital Product Passport.
What does the ESPR regulate?
The ESPR is a framework that sets concrete requirements through delegated acts per product group. The main areas are:
- Durability, reparability, reusability.
- Energy and resource efficiency.
- Recycled content share.
- Restriction and traceability of hazardous substances.
- Carbon and environmental footprint.
- The Digital Product Passport (DPP) as an information tool.
- Restrictions on the destruction of unsold consumer goods.
Which products does it cover?
The ESPR itself is horizontal — the specific scope follows from the delegated acts. The priority groups in the working plan include textiles, iron/steel and aluminium, furniture, tyres and electronics, among others. Batteries fall under a separate regulation, but follow the same logic.
Important: "I'm not a battery manufacturer, so this doesn't affect me" is a dangerous misconception. The ESPR is designed to cover a broad range of products over time.
How does it relate to the DPP?
The DPP is the information backbone of the ESPR: it makes the sustainability and compliance data required by the regulation available in a structured, accessible and trustworthy form. In other words, if the ESPR asks "what", the DPP answers "how we make it accessible".
Who carries the obligation?
- Manufacturers: design and produce the product in line with ESPR requirements.
- Importers: are responsible for ensuring that a product brought into the EU conforms — including its DPP.
- Distributors: ensure that only compliant products reach the shelf (and make no unsubstantiated green claims — see EmpCo).
What does this mean in practice?
1. Data inventory: what product data do you hold, and what is missing for ESPR purposes? 2. Design impact: durability, reparability and recycled content already affect product design. 3. Process: who owns the sustainability data, and how does it reach the DPP?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the ESPR and the ErP?
The ErP (2009/125/EC) focused primarily on energy-related products. The ESPR extends this to almost every product and adds the DPP.
From when must I comply?
The framework already applies; the concrete obligations arrive in stages through the delegated acts, typically from 2027 onward.
Does it affect small companies?
Delegated acts may include SME accommodations, but the trend is clear: demand for sustainability data is growing.
The ESPR is not an option, it is a direction of travel. ReadyPass helps you assess your ESPR/DPP readiness and produce a trustworthy product passport.
Sources: ESPR (EU) 2024/1781; ErP (EU) 2009/125/EC. The ESPR working plan priority groups are indicative.
