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ARTICLE · 16 OCTOBER 2026

Navigating The EU’s Ecodesign For Sustainable Products Regulation

A&O Shearman
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The EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) fundamentally transforms how physical goods are manufactured, tracked, and sold across the European single market by introducing binding performance standards, mandatory sustainability disclosures, and Digital Product Passports.

European UnionEnvironment
Matthew Townsend
Matthew Townsend
Jochem Spaans
Jochem Spaans
Danae Wheeler
Danae Wheeler
Ming Zee Tee
Ming Zee Tee
Lise Mitsinga
Lise Mitsinga
Ken Rivlin
Ken Rivlin
Goran Galic
Goran Galic
Arthur Sauzay
Arthur Sauzay
Romaric Lazerges
Romaric Lazerges
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The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which entered into force on July 18, 2024, significantly expands the scope of the original Ecodesign Directive1 beyond energy-related products to cover nearly all physical goods placed on the EU market and will ultimately replace the Ecodesign Directive in full.

The ESPR is a cornerstone of the European Green Deal and the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), reflecting the EU’s push to ensure greener, more sustainable products are produced and sold across the single market. Through delegated acts, the ESPR will introduce binding performance standards, mandatory information disclosures and a new Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirement that will reshape how products are tracked and sold. 

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