Austria starts lighthouse project: Digital product pass for sustainable future!

Austria starts lighthouse project: Digital product pass for sustainable future!

Wien, Österreich - at the end of February 2025 The Austrian lighthouse project for the digital product pass (DPP) called Passat starts in Vienna. This project includes the cooperation between 21 companies, research institutions and networks, including the Industry 4.0 platform. The aim of the project is to implement the DPP in Austria to support companies in the transformation to the circular economy and sustainable production. The focus is on two reference sectors: textiles and electronics.

The early examination of the topic DPP is classified as crucial. In order to prepare the industry comprehensively, measures such as training, training and networking are part of the project. The results should also be transferable to the skiing industry and applications such as product identification in textiles and data space approaches to use material recycling during recycling. The DPP is also part of the new ecodesign regulation (ESPR), which aims to collect important product data for waste reduction and to extend the lifespan of products.

Support for SMEs and project partners

Small and medium -sized companies (SME) receive support in implementing the DPP. The project management is located at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, with 19 Austrian and two German partners being involved. The partners include Fraunhofer Austria Research GmbH and the University of Krems. The project is also funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology as well as the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Protection.

The platform Industry 4.0 Austria, which was founded in 2015, pursues the goal of promoting the dynamic development of the production sector and promoting innovation and qualifications. The integration of the DPP into the "Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI)" of the EU is an important element to support the circular economy in Europe

European context and future developments

The digital product pass is viewed in the context of the EU Green Deal as a central instrument for promoting the circular economy. An expected introduction of the DPP in 2027 will be sought to be binding for products traded in Europe, including imported goods. Exceptions should apply to food and feed as well as medical products. The aim is to improve the availability of information about the circulatory capacity of products and increase transparency along the supply chain.

The DPP includes a data record that provides information on components, materials, chemical substances, repairability and disposal. This information should be available via technologies such as QR codes and blockchain. The advantages of the DPP range from an improvement in supply chain management to the support of sustainable business models and the promotion of innovative approaches. The DPP can create new markets for repaired or recycled products and the transformation to a circular economy can be promoted.