Harmonised Standards and ESPR Compliance

What Are Harmonised Standards?

Harmonised standards are European standards developed by recognised standardisation bodies (CEN, CENELEC, ETSI) at the request of the European Commission. When a manufacturer follows a harmonised standard, there is a presumption of conformity with the corresponding EU regulation, meaning the product is assumed to meet the legal requirements.

For the ESPR, harmonised standards will define the specific technical requirements for product performance, testing methods, data formats, and DPP implementation details.

How Standards Affect DPP Requirements

Harmonised standards under the ESPR will specify:

• Exact data fields required in Digital Product Passports for each product category
• Testing methods for performance metrics like durability, reparability, and energy efficiency
• Data formats and interoperability protocols for DPP systems
• Calculation methods for environmental footprint and recycled content
• Verification and validation procedures for DPP data accuracy

The Standardisation Process

The European Commission issues standardisation requests to CEN/CENELEC, who form technical committees to develop the standards. Industry, consumer groups, and other stakeholders participate in this process. Once published in the Official Journal of the EU, the standards become harmonised and provide the presumption of conformity.

This process takes time, typically 2-3 years from mandate to publication. As a result, some ESPR requirements may initially be implemented without harmonised standards, using the regulation text directly.

Staying Compliant

Monitor the development of harmonised standards relevant to your product categories. CEN and CENELEC publish work programmes showing which standards are in development and their expected publication dates.

MyProductPassport tracks evolving standards and updates DPP templates as harmonised standards are published, ensuring your passports remain compliant with the latest technical requirements.