Tyre
The EU Tyre Label (2020/740) and the DPP
How the EU tyre label (2020/740) classes, EPREL registration and QR code become the core of a tyre Digital Product Passport, with a label-to-passport field map
Tyres are among the product groups most ready for the Digital Product Passport: the EU tyre labelling regulation ((EU) 2020/740) already requires structured performance data and an EPREL registration for every model. The ESPR tyre delegated act (indicative 2027) is expected to add durability, retreadability and end-of-life data on top of that base.
Our article on tyre DPP requirements focused on carrier durability and rubber origin. Here the question is narrower: where does the data on the label and in EPREL sit in the passport, and what comes on top?
Label field, passport field
| Label / EPREL field | Passport field | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel efficiency class (rolling resistance, A–E) | Performance: rolling resistance class and coefficient | Model |
| Wet grip class (A–E) | Performance: wet grip class | Model |
| External rolling noise class (A–C) and dB value | Performance: noise class and measurement | Model |
| Snow (3PMSF) and ice grip pictograms | Performance: winter suitability | Model |
| Tyre class (C1/C2/C3), size, load and speed index | Identity: type and size | Model |
| EPREL registration number and QR | Identity: model record reference | Model |
| DOT code, production week and plant | Identity: batch and production | Batch/item |
The label cannot be printed without an EPREL registration: the supplier registers the model before placing it on the market, and the QR on the label goes to the product page in EPREL. In other words, model-level performance and identity data already sit structured in a central register today.
From EPREL to the passport: what is missing?
EPREL is a model record; the passport is a record followed through the product's life. The difference lies in three layers:
- Item and batch identity. The DOT code gives the production week and plant; the passport identifier ties to it. Choosing the granularity for tyres will probably go down to batch or item level; the delegated act will decide.
- Materials and circularity. Rubber types, fillers, recycled content and end-of-life information are not on the label.
- Lifecycle events. Retreading, repair and end-of-life handover are the passport's dynamic side; event-based traceability with EPCIS 2.0 is the standard language of that layer.
The fields the delegated act is thought likely to add — abrasion and durability, retreadability, end of life — spread across these three layers. None is settled today; when the draft appears, scan the information-requirements annex using the method in how to read a draft delegated act.
Two records, two QRs?
Tyre makers already print a QR: the EPREL code on the label. Will the passport need a second one? The label's QR is printed on the label, not on the tyre, and the label comes off at the point of sale; the passport carrier must stay permanently on the sidewall. So in practice there will be two carriers, but they need not be two separate identities. A single GS1 Digital Link identifier can route by link type to the EPREL page, the passport or the retread record.
The division of labour between EPREL and the EU DPP Registry is also becoming clear: EPREL remains the model record, the Registry indexes the passport identifier, and customs checks that identity. Once the tyre delegated act applies, the two records will run side by side.
For tyre manufacturers in Türkiye
Türkiye is among the EU market's significant tyre suppliers, and manufacturers have run the label and EPREL process for years. That changes the starting point of a passport project:
- Declare the EPREL record the master model record and feed the passport's model fields from it; do not double-enter.
- Map the DOT code to the batch identity in your ERP; generate the passport identifier from that mapping.
- Start trials of a moulded Data Matrix or QR for the sidewall now; our article on Data Matrix and direct part marking covers the options.
- Attach EUDR evidence for rubber origin to the same record.
On timing: the delegated act is indicatively 2027, with the obligation around 2028–2029 after a typical transition. The comparison with other groups is on the timeline guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tyre label replace the DPP?
No. The label shows model-level performance classes and comes off at the point of sale; the passport is an item/batch-level, lifetime, machine-readable record. Label data forms the passport's core.
Will a tyre registered in EPREL also need a Registry entry?
Once the tyre delegated act applies, the passport identifier will have to be registered in the EU DPP Registry; the EPREL registration continues separately. See the EU DPP Registry guide.
How is the passport updated for a retreaded tyre?
Retreading is a lifecycle event: the original passport is kept, and the retread event and new tread information are appended. Passports are versioned, never overwritten.
