Restricted Data Tiers and Authorised Access (EN 18239)

The Digital Product Passport champions transparency — but not blindly. Some data should open only to authorised parties: a full material formulation may be necessary for a market-surveillance authority yet must not reach a competitor. This is what restricted data tiers address.

Public vs restricted

The passport can offer two (or more) views of the same product:

• Public layer: the summary a consumer, repairer or curious buyer sees — free and app-free per EN 18220 principles.
• Restricted layer: detail reachable only with verified authorisation — full composition, detailed test data, sensitive supplier information.

This distinction is the practical application of the GDPR/KVKK and trade-secret balance.

How does authorised access work?

Access to restricted data typically rests on an authorisation token: a time-limited, revocable access right granted to a market-surveillance authority, an authorised recycler or a specific business partner. Access is protected by these principles:

• Role-based: each party sees only the data its role requires.
• Time-limited and revocable: access expires or can be cancelled.
• Traceable: who accessed which data, and when, is recorded.

In IDPP this mechanism is implemented with time-limited access links and role-based views; restricted content never falls into a public cache.

Why does EN 18239 matter?

If restricted access is not standardised, every manufacturer builds its own ad-hoc solution and authorities wrestle with hundreds of different systems. A framework like EN 18239 makes authorised access predictable and verifiable — essential for the system to scale.

For exporters

The restricted tier is the answer to the worry "must I open everything?": no. The right design meets your compliance obligation while protecting your competitive information. To layer data from the start, fill in your data-collection checklist with this distinction in mind.

Frequently asked questions