Digital product passport in the circular economy: European Union’s regulations and policy implications for supporting Vietnam’s export

Abstract

The digital product passport (DPP) is a new information and policy instrument introduced by the European Union (EU) to promote the circular economy and establish mandatory requirements for products within the scope of the relevant EU legislation to be placed on the EU market. The study examines the EU regulatory framework for the DPP, with particular emphasis on the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR); analyses the implications for Vietnam’s exports; identifies gaps in Vietnam’s domestic legal framework relative to EU requirements; and proposes policy implications. The study adopts a qualitative approach, combining analysis of legal documents, a structured literature review, and gap analysis using a four-dimensional readiness-gap framework. The results indicate that key export sectors to the EU fall within the scope of the DPP, thereby facing broad and systemic impacts. Although the infrastructure and standards for the DPP have converged towards international standards (ISO, IEC, EN and GS1), compliance obligations are “pulled back” onto suppliers, while significant gaps remain in Vietnam’s current legal framework across all four dimensions. On this basis, the study proposes a proactive, phased roadmap with appropriate resource allocation to transform the DPP from a technical barrier into a driver of enhanced competitiveness for Vietnamese export products.