What Is ESPR and Who Does It Cover?

ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) is the European Union's Regulation 2024/1781, designed to make products placed on the EU market more durable, repairable, recyclable and energy-efficient. It replaces the earlier Ecodesign Directive and extends its scope far beyond energy-related products.

What does ESPR regulate?

The regulation grants power to set "ecodesign requirements" for product groups. These requirements can cover:

• Durability, reliability and upgradability.
• Ease of repair and reuse.
• Recycled content and recyclability.
• Carbon and environmental footprint.
• And, most importantly, a mandatory Digital Product Passport.

Concrete rules arrive through "delegated acts" issued separately for each product group. In other words, ESPR sets up the framework; the details are shaped per product group. You can follow which products need a DPP from there.

Who does it cover?

ESPR concerns not only manufacturers but every economic operator in the supply chain:

• Manufacturers are responsible for designing the product and creating the passport.
• Importers and authorised representatives are responsible for the compliance of goods placed on the EU market.
• Distributors must not make non-compliant products available.

For a manufacturer exporting into the EU, the critical point is this: your EU importer will demand compliance, because legal responsibility is shared along the chain. Starting early is therefore a competitive advantage. Our EU exporter compliance checklist offers a practical starting point.

Why it matters

ESPR ties "green claims" to measurable, verifiable data. The cost of failing to comply — including loss of market access — keeps rising; we cover this in the cost of non-compliance. For the next step, look at the DPP timeline.

Frequently asked questions