The DPP Strategist: Expert Q&A

Curated by Daniele Rozzoni

Practical answers to real questions on the Digital Product Passport and ESPR, developed in collaboration with Daniele Rozzoni, DPP Strategist and Advisor. This section helps companies navigate regulatory complexity and translate requirements into concrete actions. Read More

About

Daniele Rozzoni

Advisor Digital Product Passport & ESPR

I have built my career at the intersection of strategy, international markets, and innovation. I hold a degree in Management and Marketing from Bocconi University, followed by decades of experience in leading multinational companies: Reckitt & Colman, Benckiser, Henkel — including direct experience in China, in Beijing — Iveco, with a phase based in Brussels. Finally, I co-founded Customer 1st, a company specialized in customer experience and digital transformation. Read More Hide

This is not just a résumé. It is the context that explains where I come from when I speak about the Digital Product Passport (DPP): not from a regulatory lab, but from inside companies. I understand how strategic decisions are made, how budgets work, and how organizational resistance emerges. I know what it means to receive a European regulation and have to translate it into concrete actions within the next eighteen months.

In 2022, I began to see what many had not yet realized: the ESPR Regulation was about to reshape the rules of trade for the entire European manufacturing sector. I chose to dive deeply into it — developing real DPP prototypes and architectures for industry, exploring blockchain, AI, and interoperability standards, and completing certified courses in circular economy and sustainability.

The turning point came with my involvement in CIRPASS-2, the European Commission’s pilot project for the implementation of the Digital Product Passport ecosystem, where I actively participate in EWG1 (Observatory Board: European and Global Regulatory Context), EWG4 (Electronics Stakeholders Group), and the Community of Practice. This allows me to understand the regulation as it is being shaped — not only once it is officially published.

In 2025, I published When the Product Speaks: The Digital Product Passport with Il Sole 24 ORE (the most important Italian economic and financial newspaper) the first Italian book to approach the DPP as a strategic lever, not just a regulatory obligation. In the same year, I founded dppstrategist.com.

Today, I support C-level executives, entrepreneurs, and managers in manufacturing companies in understanding and strategically adopting the DPP and ESPR. My positioning is clear: I am not a regulatory consultant. I am a business professional who understands the regulation from within as it takes shape — and who helps leaders turn an obligation into a competitive advantage.

I don’t sell software solutions. I bring strategic clarity.

Expert Questions & Answers

Q&A 1

What Is the Digital Product Passport and Why Is It Not Just a Label?

Let me start with a situation I know well. I walk into a company, present the Digital Product Passport, and the first reaction is almost always the same….

Q&A 2

Which Sectors Will Be Required to Adopt the DPP First — and When?

This is the question I hear most often in meetings with C-level executives. And I understand why: it sounds like a simple…

Q&A 3

Is the DPP Just a QR Code — or Is There More to It?

Almost everyone, at least once, has scanned with their smartphone the QR code on a bottle of olive oil or a pack of rice at the supermarket. A webpage opens: perhaps there is the…

Q&A 4

Will the DPP Force Companies to Disclose Trade Secrets and Suppliers?

This is the question every entrepreneur, manufacturer, and supply chain manager asks as soon as they realize the Digital Product Passport…

Q&A 5

Is My ERP Sufficient for the DPP — or Do I Need to Change Everything?

This question hides a trap. Framed this way, it suggests that the answer is technical — and that the problem lies in the software. In reality, the problem is almost always in the data, not in the…

Q&A 6

Do I Need to Create a Separate Digital Passport for Every Single Product, or Is One per Product Type Enough?

This is one of the most practical Digital Product Passport questions I get — and I understand why: it feels like the answer should be a single number. One passport per model? Per batch? Per individual item?

Q&A 7

My Suppliers Are in Asia and Are Not Subject to EU Regulations: How Can I Obtain the Data Required for the DPP?

This is the question asked by anyone operating with a global supply chain — which is most companies. The short answer is: your non-EU suppliers are not required to comply with…

Q&A 8

What Happens to My Product’s Compliance if the QR Code Is Damaged or the Server Hosting the Data Is Shut Down After Five Years?

This is a practical Digital Product Passport question — the kind asked by those thinking in operational terms. And it deserves an equally practical answer: no, product compliance is not…

Q&A 9

Does the DPP Automatically Protect Us from Accusations of Greenwashing — or Is It Just Additional Bureaucracy?

Neither — but the truth requires a distinction that few make, and which is essential to understand what can be expected from this tool and what cannot within the broader framework…

Q&A 10

The Regulation for My Sector Is Not Yet Defined: Is It Better to Act Now or Wait Until Everything Is Clear?

This is the most important question of all — and the one most often postponed by manufacturers, importers, and supply chain decision-makers. The short answer is: it is better to act..

Q&A 11

What Data Should I Include in My Product’s DPP?

Persona: Quality and Compliance Manager, manufacturing company, Europe. The short answer is: it depends on the delegated act applicable to your sector…

Q&A 12

I Supply Multiple Value Chains: How Do I Manage Different DPP Requirements for Each Customer?

Persona: Commercial Director, industrial semi-finished products manufacturer, Europe…

Q&A 13

I Have Heard About ESPR Delegated Acts: What Do They Mean for My Sector?

Persona: Product Development Manager, manufacturing company, Europe. It depends on your sector. The DPP does not have a single…

Q&A 14

Anti-Greenwashing Directive: What Changes for My Environmental Claims From 27 September 2026?

Persona: Sustainability and Communications Manager, manufacturing or consumer goods company, Europe…

Q&A 15

Who Actually Checks Whether I Comply with Digital Product Passport Rules?

There’s one objection I hear all the time, and I understand it: “The rules are all well and good, but in practice, who’s actually going to check?…

Q&A 16

With the New European Packaging Regulation, Will I Face More Bureaucracy than Before?

The short answer is: the opposite is true. In the first few months, it may feel like there is more…

Q&A 17

Is The Digital Product Passport Just Another European Obligation, Or Is There a Logic Behind It?

The short answer is that the driver is economic before environmental, and Once you understand this, the Digital Product..

Q&A 18

Is The Digital Product Passport Just a Cost, Or Can I Turn It into an Advantage?

The short answer is: it depends entirely on how you approach it. The rule will be almost the same for all your competitors, so simply complying…

What You’ll Find Here

This section brings together expert answers to the most relevant questions around DPP and ESPR. Content is designed to be clear, practical, and decision-oriented — helping you understand what the regulation means for your business.

Expect to find:

Core concepts explained simply
Practical implementation insights
Key regulatory implications
Strategic guidance for companies

The Q&A reflects real market questions and evolving regulatory scenarios. Key themes include:

ESPR & DPP requirements
Data and system implications
Supply chain challenges
Compliance and risk areas

Use this section as a starting point to move from understanding to action.