Make Your Data Interoperable: The DPP Semantic Challenge

In my experience leading Supply Chain projects, one reality has always been clear: data is a prisoner. Most companies still operate in silos—internally across departments and externally within their ecosystems. This fragmentation is no longer just an inefficiency; it is a critical risk under the new European regulations.

The era of silos is ending. As the Digital Product Passport (DPP) moves from concept to mandatory requirement, the focus is shifting from "having data" to achieving Semantic Interoperability.

1. The Core Problem:

Sharing a file is not the same as sharing knowledge. To break silos, we must move beyond raw data to shared understanding through three stages:

• Vocabulary: Agreeing on terms (e.g., What is a "Battery"?).

• Taxonomy: Organizing objects into hierarchies (e.g., A battery is a "Component").

• Ontology: Creating knowledge relationships (e.g., "This specific battery, manufactured in Factory X, is a component of this Laptop Y").

Without context provided by the common ontology, the future DPP will be nothing more than a library of machine-unreadable PDFs, incapable of supporting a true circular economy and transparent Supply Chain.

2. The EU-DPP Framework: Freedom Under Supervision

The ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) mandates a decentralized architecture. Europe will not store your data; it defines the rules of the game. The official future standard, which we can call EU-DPP, is currently being finalized by the JTC 24 committee.

However, current developments (notably through CIRPASS-2) show that this future standard is not starting from scratch. It is moving toward a strategic mix of existing solutions:

• The UNTP Approach (United Nations): Likely the foundation for Manufacturers. Its format is designed for global regulatory compliance and cross-border shipments (EU, China, Canada).

• The GS1 Approach: The indispensable private standard for Retailers. Why? Because they already use GS1 at the Point of Sale. With Project Sunrise 2027, the transition to 2D QR Codes allows for the merger of the sales act and DPP consultation in a single scan via GS1 Digital Link.

3. Convergence: Preparing for Total Interoperability

The logic is implacable: the future EU-DPP standard will act as the universal translator.

• The Manufacturer will prepare data in a "UNTP-like" format for global compliance.

• The Retailer will consume it via a "GS1-like" format for store operations and customers.

Interoperability between these worlds—and other standards like AAS (Asset Administration Shell) for industry—is the only way to avoid an explosion of integration costs. Without a common language, there is no fluid information transfer, no cost reduction, and no new revenue.

Conclusion: Visibility as a Profit Center

We must stop viewing the DPP as a regulatory tax. Total Supply Chain visibility, enabled by a common language, is an immediate profitability lever:

1. Operational Efficiency: Drastic reduction in information transfer costs and automated compliance.

2. New Revenue Streams: Semantic interoperability is the sine qua non for Circular Business Models. Without reliable data on the origin and health of components, repair, second-hand, or recycling models cannot be profitable.

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