As the European market rapidly prepares for the mandatory introduction of Digital Product Passports (DPPs), it is crucial to understand not only how this data is technically transmitted, but also how it becomes meaningful and usable across the entire digital ecosystem.
One of the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of this process is semantic interoperability.
In this blog, we provide an overview of key guidelines and best practices being developed within the European CIRPASS-2 project — a community in which NOS is actively involved — to help Croatian businesses get ready for the new era of Digital Product Passports.
CIRPASS and CIRPASS-2 are European projects funded under the Digital Europe Programme. Their purpose is to create a common framework and standards for the implementation of DPPs across various sectors of the European economy.
The first phase of the project, CIRPASS-1, defined the initial technical standards. CIRPASS-2, in which NOS is an active community member, is now driving the practical implementation and piloting of DPPs through concrete sectoral projects and collaboration with industry stakeholders.
Being part of CIRPASS-2 enables us to stay up to date with the latest guidelines, understand upcoming regulatory requirements, and offer our clients solutions aligned with European best practices.
Semantic interoperability means that when different systems exchange data, they all clearly understand what each piece of data actually represents.
It is not enough for data to be technically transmitted from one place to another; it must also be accurately and unambiguously interpreted.
Imagine a digital product passport stating: battery life: 5. Without a clear definition, this information could mean 5 hours, 5 days, 5% capacity, or something entirely different.
Semantic interoperability ensures that all terms within a DPP are clearly defined and agreed upon in advance, so that anyone accessing this data — whether a regulator, business partner, or end user — knows exactly what the data means.
As the number of DPPs and related standards continues to grow across European and global markets, it is becoming essential to ensure that your DPPs are universally understandable and usable.
Today, DPP data is organized using various models — from simple spreadsheet formats, through relational and hierarchical models, to advanced systems based on RDF (Resource Description Framework), which enables data to be linked in rich and flexible structures.
Equally important as how data is organized is how its meaning is defined. The greatest success is achieved by combining standardized web vocabularies and ontologies, such as schema.org or EU Core Vocabularies, with industry dictionaries like IEC CDD or ECLASS.
The CIRPASS community is actively developing guidelines and tools to ensure that DPP data is interoperable — not just within a single country or sector, but across Europe and globally.
For Croatian manufacturers and brands aiming to remain competitive in the European market, implementing DPPs will no longer be optional — it will be a regulatory requirement, starting in 2027 for certain product categories.
More importantly, a well-implemented DPP is an opportunity to showcase products as transparent, sustainable, and ready for the new circular economy.
To achieve this, it is essential that your DPPs are designed to ensure semantic interoperability — without it, your data may not be recognized by regulators, supply chain partners, or end users.
As an active member of the CIRPASS community and a partner in numerous DPP projects, NOS is ideally positioned to help you understand and apply the latest European standards in the field of Digital Product Passports.
We support you in:
properly organizing and structuring data within your DPP,
selecting optimal models and vocabularies to ensure interoperability,
ensuring that your DPPs comply with regulatory requirements and are ready for European and global markets.
Our goal is to help you view the introduction of DPPs not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to strengthen your market position and create additional value for your products.
If you are considering starting or enhancing your DPP project, feel free to contact us — we would be happy to assist you.
Semantic interoperability is not just a technical requirement — it is the foundation of successful and effective Digital Product Passports.
Only clearly defined and universally understandable data will enable DPPs to fulfil their purpose and become a key tool in Europe’s sustainable, transparent, and competitive economy.
With its expertise, experience, and active involvement in European initiatives, NOS can help you seize this opportunity and ensure that your products are ready for the future.
What’s next?
If you are considering implementing Digital Product Passports or want to ensure that your DPPs comply with the latest European standards, we are here to help.
Contact us at info@nos.hr — we would be happy to share our experience and show you how we can help you unlock the full potential of DPPs for your business.
