The European Union is moving closer to the introduction of mandatory digital battery passports, a system designed to make key information about certain batteries easier to access throughout their lifecycle.

Updated guidance published on 21 August 2026 is intended to help companies and other organisations prepare for the requirements under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries and waste batteries. The passport rules will begin to apply in February 2027.

Which Batteries Are Covered?

From 18 February 2027, every electric vehicle battery, every battery used in light means of transport and every industrial battery with a capacity above 2 kWh that is placed on the EU market or put into service must have a digital battery passport.

Light means of transport, often shortened to LMT, include vehicles such as electric bicycles and e-scooters. The new system is therefore relevant not only to the automotive industry, but also to manufacturers and suppliers operating across a wider range of battery-powered transport and industrial applications.

What Information Is Required?

The updated guidance brings together 71 individual data points associated with battery passports. For each category of battery, it explains whether a particular data point is mandatory, optional, required only in certain circumstances or does not need to be completed or displayed when the passport obligations first take effect in February 2027.

The document also identifies the legal basis for each requirement and shows how individual data points apply to electric vehicle, LMT and industrial batteries.

This structured approach is intended to make it easier for businesses to understand what information they will need to collect and manage before the new system becomes operational.

Who Needs to Prepare?

The guidance is aimed primarily at economic operators throughout the battery value chain. This includes manufacturers, importers and other organisations responsible for ensuring that required information is available through the digital passport.

It may also be useful for conformity assessment bodies, market surveillance authorities and other organisations involved in implementing and enforcing the EU Batteries Regulation.

For businesses, preparation is likely to involve more than simply gathering technical information. Companies may need to review internal processes, reporting practices and data systems so that relevant information can be collected, assessed and made accessible in a consistent format.

Why the Passport Matters

One of the main objectives is to create a more consistent approach to battery information across the European market. Bringing important data together in a standardised digital format could make it easier for manufacturers, regulators and other stakeholders to understand the characteristics of a battery throughout its lifecycle.

The system also forms part of the EU's broader effort to improve transparency and circularity in products placed on the single market.

Guidance May Evolve

The current guidance does not create new legal obligations. Instead, it is intended to support preparation for requirements that already exist under EU battery legislation.

Companies are expected to use it alongside Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and any relevant delegated or implementing acts. The document may also be updated as implementation progresses.

Future versions could provide additional clarification on individual data points and suggest possible measurement units or reporting formats, helping improve consistency and comparability across the sector.

With 18 February 2027 approaching, the focus is now shifting from legislation to practical implementation. For battery manufacturers, importers and other affected businesses, preparing data systems early could make the transition to mandatory digital passports considerably smoother.