EN 18221:2026

Digital product passport - Data storage, archiving, and data persistence

This document specifies requirements for data storage, archiving, and data persistence of digital product passports, all based on a decentralized approach. The archiving functionality securely stores historical passport data, preserving a comprehensive record of past information. Persistence ensures that data included in the digital product passport remains available even when the economic operator creating the digital product passport is no longer active.
This document also specifies requirements for the replication between economic operators and back-up operators as well as rules for data lifetime definition.

Digitaler Produktpass - Datenspeicherung, Archivierung und Datenpersistenz

Passeport numérique des produits - Stockage, archivage et persistance des données

Le présent document spécifie les exigences relatives au stockage des données, à l'archivage et à la persistance des données des passeports numériques de produits, selon une approche décentralisée. La fonctionnalité d'archivage stocke de manière sécurisée les données d’historique du passeport, en conservant un enregistrement complet des informations passées. La persistance garantit que les données incluses dans les passeports numériques de produits restent disponibles même lorsque l'opérateur économique à l’origine de la création du passeport numérique de produit n'est plus en activité.
Le présent document spécifie également les exigences relatives à la réplication entre opérateurs économiques et opérateurs de sauvegarde, ainsi que les règles relatives à la définition de la durée de vie des données.

Digitalni potni list izdelka - Shranjevanje podatkov, arhiviranje in trajnost podatkov

Ta dokument določa zahteve za shranjevanje podatkov, arhiviranje in trajnost podatkov digitalnih potnih listov izdelkov, vse na podlagi decentraliziranega pristopa. Funkcionalnost arhiviranja varno shranjuje zgodovinske podatke potnega lista, ohranjajoč celovit zapis preteklih informacij. Trajnost zagotavlja, da podatki, vključeni v digitalni potni list izdelka, ostanejo dostopni tudi, ko gospodarski subjekt, ki je ustvaril digitalni potni list izdelka, ni več aktiven.
Ta dokument prav tako določa zahteve za replikacijo med gospodarskimi subjekti in rezervnimi operaterji ter pravila za določanje življenjske dobe podatkov.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 26-May-2026
• ICS: 13.020.20 - Environmental economics. Sustainability
• ICS: 35.240.63 - IT applications in trade
• Technical Committee: JTC 24 - Digital Product Passport (DPP)
• Drafting Committee: WG 4 - Interoperability framework
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 27-May-2026
• Due Date: 22-May-2026
• Completion Date: 27-May-2026
• Directive: Not Harmonized2024/1781 - Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products, amending Directive (EU) 2020/1828 and Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and repealing Directive 2009/125/ECText with EEA relevance
• Directive:

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  Not Harmonized(EU) 2024/1781 - Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products, amending Directive (EU) 2020/1828 and Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and repealing Directive 2009/125/ECText with EEA relevance
• Mandate: M/604 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 31.7.2024 on a standardisation request to the European Committee for Standardisation, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation, and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute as regards digital product passports in support of Union policy on ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and on batteries and waste batteries
• Mandate: M/604 AMD 1 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) of 28.11.2025 amending Implementing Decision C(2024)5423 as regards the legal basis and the deadlines for the adoption of the standards.
• Ref Project: SIST EN 18221:2026 - Digital product passport - Data storage, archiving, and data persistence

Overview

EN 18221:2026 is a European standard developed by CEN that defines comprehensive requirements for the decentralized data storage, secure archiving, and guaranteed data persistence of digital product passports (DPPs). Digital product passports are digital records tracking a product’s key characteristics, ensuring vital information remains accessible and reliable throughout a product’s lifecycle. This standard plays a crucial role in supporting market surveillance, regulatory compliance, and the long-term accessibility of product data. It is particularly aligned with sustainability, circular economy principles, and conforming to EU ecodesign requirements.

Key Topics

• Decentralized Data Storage: The standard specifies that digital product passport data must be managed using decentralized architecture. Economic operators or qualified service providers are responsible for maintaining accurate, up-to-date, and accessible product data.

• Archiving and Data Lifecycle:

  • All changes to the digital product passport are securely archived, creating a traceable historical record.
  • Archived data is crucial for regulatory oversight, audit trails, and monitoring product compliance.
  • Archived versions must ensure data integrity and remain accessible throughout the legally mandated lifetime.

• Data Persistence:

  • DPP data must remain available even if the original economic operator (manufacturer, importer, etc.) ceases operation.
  • Back-up digital product passport service providers are required to store and make data accessible for the defined product passport lifetime.
  • Replication processes must ensure data redundancy and seamless transition of responsibilities.

• Replication and Back-up Strategies:

  • Continuous and secure replication of DPPs between primary operators and back-up service providers is mandated.
  • Replication must be performed over secure, authenticated channels.
  • Standardized APIs or other mutually agreed secure mechanisms can be used for data replication.

• Additional Digital Documentation:

  • Supporting materials such as instructions or certificates must be accessible through the DPP and be downloadable for users.
  • Both main and back-up providers are responsible for storing and granting access to this documentation.

Applications

EN 18221:2026 has a range of practical applications across industry sectors and regulatory environments:

• Regulatory Compliance: Supports conformance with EU regulations on ecodesign and market surveillance by ensuring data remains accessible and auditable.
• Sustainability and Circular Economy: Facilitates traceability and transparency in product lifecycles, supporting recycling, reuse, and sustainable practices.
• Market Surveillance: Empowers authorities to monitor products in the market with access to historical and current product data.
• Business Continuity: Ensures critical product data is preserved regardless of changes to the status of manufacturers or suppliers.
• Consumer Information: Enhances transparency by providing verifiable product and compliance data throughout the lifecycle.

Related Standards

• Commission Regulation (EU) No 2024/1781: Lays down ecodesign requirements for digital product passports and sustainable products.
• Directive 2009/125/EC: Establishes a framework for setting eco-design requirements for energy-related products.
• ISO Online Browsing Platform & IEC Electropedia: Provide official terminology for standardization.
• IETF RFC 9162 Certificate Transparency: Relevant for secure, authenticated data replication channels.

By adhering to EN 18221:2026, stakeholders ensure long-term data reliability and operational resilience, while supporting the broader goals of digitalization, sustainability, and regulatory conformance for digital product passports in Europe.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2026
Digitalni potni list izdelka - Shranjevanje podatkov, arhiviranje in obstojnost
podatkov
Digital product passport - Data storage, archiving, and data persistence
Digitaler Produktpass - Datenspeicherung, Archivierung und Datenpersistenz
Passeport numérique des produits - Stockage, archivage et persistance des données
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 18221:2026
ICS:
13.020.20 Okoljska ekonomija. Environmental economics.
Trajnostnost Sustainability
35.240.63 Uporabniške rešitve IT v IT applications in trade
trgovini
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 18221
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
May 2026
ICS 35.240.63
English version
Digital product passport - Data storage, archiving, and data
persistence
Passeport numérique des produits - Stockage, Digitaler Produktpass - Datenspeicherung,
archivage et persistance des données Archivierung und Datenpersistenz
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 3 May 2026.
This European Standard was corrected and reissued by the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre on 2 June 2026.

CEN and CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for
giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical
references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to
any CEN and CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN and CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN and CENELEC members are the national standards bodies and national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom.

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre:
Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN/CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means Ref. No. EN 18221:2026 E
reserved worldwide for CEN national Members and for
CENELEC Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 General principles and requirements . 6
4.1 Requirements for storage of the digital product passport data . 6
4.2 Archiving and rules for archiving . 7
4.3 Data persistence and rules for data persistence . 7
4.4 Additional digital documentation attached to digital product passport . 7
4.5 Replication between economic operators and back-up digital product passport
service providers. 8
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the essential
requirements of (EU) Regulation No 2024/1781 aimed to be covered . 9
Bibliography .10
European foreword
This document (EN 18221:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/CLC/JTC 24 “Digital
Product Passport – Framework and System”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2026, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by November 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
For the relationship with EU Legislation, see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this
document.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
A digital product passport (DPP) is a key enabling mechanism to make product information traceable and
accessible across value chains - supporting economic operators, manufacturers, distributors, repairers,
recyclers and consumers to make informed decisions and to support a circular economy. The
implementation of digital product passports will be carried out progressively. Sector-specific initiatives
will determine the precise DPP content and requirements for individual product groups.
To support the implementation of DPPs, 8 standards have been developed so far:
— EN 18219:2026 – Digital product passport – Unique identifiers
— EN 18220:2026 – Digital product passport – Data carriers
— EN 18216:2026 – Digital product passport – Data exchange protocols
— EN 18222:2026 – Digital Product Passport – Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for the
product passport lifecycle management and searchability
— EN 18223:2026 – Digital Product Passport – System interoperability
— EN 18221:2026 – Digital product passport – data storage, archiving, and data persistence (this
document)
— EN 18239:— – Digital Product Passport – access rights management, information system security,
and business confidentiality
— EN 18246:— – Digital Product Passport – Data authentication, reliability and integrity

Under preparation. Stage at the time of publication: prEN 18239:2025.
Under preparation. Stage at the time of publication: prEN 18246:2025.
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements for data storage, archiving, and data persistence of digital product
passports, all based on a decentralized approach. The archiving functionality securely stores historical
passport data, preserving a comprehensive record of past information. Persistence ensures that data
included in the digital product passport remains available even when the economic operator creating the
digital product passport is no longer active.
This document also specifies requirements for the replication between economic operators and back-up
operators as well as rules for data lifetime definition.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 18216:2026, Digital product passport - Data exchange protocols
EN 18220:2026, Digital product passport - Data carriers
EN 18222:2026, Digital Product Passport - Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for the product
passport lifecycle management and searchability
EN 18239:— , Digital Product Passport - access rights management, information system security, and
business confidentiality
EN 18246:— , Digital product passport - Data authentication, reliability and integrity
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
economic operator
manufacturer, a
...