The EU Digital Product Passport (DPP): Data Readiness and Product Traceability for Indonesian Exporters

For years, Indonesian exporters selling to Europe have worked with documents such as certificates of origin, laboratory test results, and third-party sustainability certificates. The European Union is now adding a new layer that is more digital and far more detailed: the Digital Product Passport. In short, every product in certain categories must carry a structured set of data about its materials, origin, environmental impact, repairability, and recyclability, accessible through a QR code or another data carrier.

For manufacturers and suppliers in Indonesia, the legal obligation sits with whoever places the product on the European market, usually the importer or the brand. In practice, though, the requested data has to come from the supply chain, including factories and material suppliers in Indonesia. European buyers will start asking for this data in contracts and supplier questionnaires. Exporters whose data is scattered across spreadsheets will struggle; those whose data is already structured in an ERP will have an advantage at the negotiating table.

Summary

• The Digital Product Passport is part of the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the EU Batteries Regulation
• Batteries are the first mandatory category from 18 February 2027, covering electric vehicle batteries, light means of transport batteries, and industrial batteries above 2 kWh
• Other categories such as textiles, tyres, aluminium, and furniture follow through delegated acts with a transition period of at least 18 months
• Indonesian suppliers need to prepare data on materials, origin, processes, and product identity per batch or per unit
• An ERP with clean master data and lot tracking is the most important foundation, not blockchain or fancy labels
• Start by mapping the products you sell to Europe and asking your buyers directly what data they need

What is the Digital Product Passport?

A Digital Product Passport is a digital record linked to a product that contains the information required by the rules for that product category. It can be accessed by consumers, recyclers, repairers, customs officers, and market surveillance authorities, each with different levels of access. A consumer might see only the main materials and care instructions, while an authority can view more complete compliance documents.

It has three goals. First, to make environmental claims verifiable rather than mere marketing labels. Second, to support the circular economy by providing information for repair, reuse, and recycling. Third, to make market surveillance easier so that non-compliant products are detected more readily.

The passport does not have to sit in a single central government database. Data can be hosted by companies or service providers, while the EU sets up a registry that stores the product's unique identifier and a link to its passport. That is why data format standards, unique identifiers, and access security are key parts of the technical rules.

The rollout schedule to watch

The official schedule is indicative and may change, so exporters should monitor the European Commission's official pages and the delegated acts for their product category. The current big picture:

• Batteries: passports are mandatory from 18 February 2027 for electric vehicle batteries, light means of transport batteries, and industrial batteries above 2 kWh
• Textiles, tyres, and aluminium: ESPR delegated acts are scheduled for adoption around 2027, then apply after a transition period of at least 18 months
• Furniture and other categories: scheduled to follow in later years
• Other products such as electronics, detergents, and construction products are also part of the phased plan

For most textile, furniture, or component exporters, the formal obligation may only bite between 2028 and 2030. But large buyers usually start asking for data much earlier because they need time to collect information from hundreds of suppliers. Data requests could arrive next year, well ahead of the legal deadline.

What data suppliers are usually asked for

The exact contents of a passport are set per product category. Even so, a few types of data appear almost every time:

• Product identity: a unique code, model, variant, batch or serial number, and production date
• Operator identity: the manufacturer's name and address, production facility location, and key suppliers
• Material composition: the share of main materials, recycled content, and substances of concern
• Origin: the country or region of origin of important raw materials
• Environmental impact: for example carbon footprint or energy use, following the prescribed method
• Use and repair information: care instructions, spare part availability, and disassembly guidance
• End-of-life information: how to recycle and separate materials
• Compliance documents: test results, certificates, and declarations of conformity

Exporters do not have to produce all of this themselves. Some comes from material suppliers, some from laboratories, and some from the buyer. The exporter's role is to make sure the data it is responsible for is available, consistent, and linked to the goods that were actually shipped.

Why traceability is the heart of the problem

The biggest difficulty is not generating a QR code but connecting data to physical goods. If a container holds products from three production batches made with materials from two different suppliers, then composition and material origin must be traceable per batch. Without that, passport data is just an average that nobody can stand behind.

Traceability needs three things. First, every raw material receipt is recorded with the supplier's lot number. Second, every production order records the material lots used. Third, every shipment records which finished goods batches went to which buyer. Once these three links are recorded in the system, compiling data per batch is simply a matter of reporting. This is covered in more depth in lot, batch, and expiry tracking with ERP.

A simple example from a furniture factory

A furniture factory in Jepara receives timber from three suppliers with different legality documents, plus foam and fabric from other suppliers. When a buyer in the Netherlands asks for the timber origin and material content of each chair model, the factory that records timber lots on every production order can answer per batch. The factory that only records total material usage per month has to guess, and guesses like that are risky when the buyer runs an audit.

The ERP as the source of passport data

Many vendors offer dedicated Digital Product Passport platforms. These are useful for displaying and sharing passports according to the standards. But they still need data from the company's operational systems. If the underlying data is messy, even the most expensive platform just moves the mess somewhere new.

The most relevant ERP capabilities:

• Product master data with consistent codes, material attributes, weights, and variants, as discussed in [ERP master data for item, customer, and supplier codes](/blog/master-data-erp-kode-barang-pelanggan-pemasok)
• A bill of materials that records the composition and material shares of each product
• Lot recording at receipt, production, and shipment
• Complete supplier data including locations, certificates, and certificate expiry dates
• Storage of test documents and certificates linked to products and batches
• Energy and fuel data per facility if environmental impact must be calculated, which also supports [ESG reporting and carbon footprints](/blog/pelaporan-esg-dan-jejak-karbon-dengan-data-erp)

Integration with passport platforms and buyers

Once the data exists, the next step is sending it to whoever issues the passport. There are several patterns. The buyer may provide a supplier portal where exporters upload data. The exporter may send data through an API to the buyer's platform. Or the exporter may publish its own product data pages that the passport links to. The choice should follow the buyer's request, but having an API and structured data exports from the ERP makes every pattern easier. Supplier portals are explained in B2B customer and supplier portals.

Preparation steps for Indonesian exporters

1. Map products and markets

List the products sold to Europe, the relevant ESPR category or regulation, and the main buyers. Not every product is affected soon, so priorities can be set clearly.

2. Ask your buyers directly

Contact buyers and ask what data they need, in what format, and by when. Many buyers already have questionnaires or data standards. It is better to know their needs now than to build something on assumptions.

3. Audit internal data quality

Check whether product codes are consistent, whether the bill of materials matches what really happens on the shop floor, and whether lot numbers are actually recorded or filled in afterwards. A guide to assessing your data is in data quality and data governance for mid-sized businesses.

4. Involve material suppliers

Origin and composition data often depend on suppliers. Start requesting their documents and data in a consistent format, and add data-supply obligations to purchase contracts.

5. Close traceability gaps

If lots are currently recorded only up to material receipt, extend this to production orders and shipments. This is usually the biggest process and system change, but also the most valuable.

6. Prepare a way to share data

Decide how data will be sent: periodic exports, an API, or uploads to a portal. Make sure there are access controls, because some data such as suppliers and formulas is commercially sensitive.

Benefits beyond compliance

This investment is not only about meeting rules. Exporters with clean product data answer buyer questionnaires faster, face fewer quality disputes because problems can be traced to a specific batch, and can recall products more easily if a defect appears. The same data can feed credible marketing content on an export website, as discussed in B2B websites for exporters and manufacturers.

In an increasingly demanding market, the ability to provide complete and trustworthy data can be the deciding factor when buyers choose suppliers. European buyers tend to consolidate their supplier base and keep the ones that are easiest to work with on data.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for the legal deadline and only acting once buyers have asked for data
• Buying a passport platform before the underlying ERP data is clean
• Assuming averages are enough when buyers ask for data per batch
• Recording lots manually after production is finished, which makes them inaccurate
• Leaving data obligations out of contracts with material suppliers
• Sharing sensitive data without clear access controls

Frequently asked questions

Do Indonesian exporters have to create the Digital Product Passport themselves?

The legal obligation generally sits with whoever places the product on the EU market, such as the manufacturer of record, the importer, or the brand. But suppliers in Indonesia will almost certainly be asked to provide the required data, so preparation is still needed.

Is blockchain required?

No. The rules emphasise accurate data, unique identifiers, and secure access. Blockchain is just one technical option, not a requirement. What matters more is operational data you can stand behind.

What if our ERP does not support lot tracking yet?

This is the time to add a module or develop lot tracking features. A phased approach can start with material receipt and shipment, then extend to production.

When should we start?

Now, especially if you sell batteries, textiles, furniture, or components to large European brands. Data preparation and process changes usually take months.

Conclusion

The Digital Product Passport turns product data from a supporting document into part of the product itself. For Indonesian exporters, readiness is not decided by the most advanced technology, but by consistent master data, an accurate bill of materials, and lot tracking from receipt to shipment. Start by mapping products, talking to buyers, and closing traceability gaps in your ERP. These steps also strengthen operational quality and your bargaining position with international buyers.