SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, March 2, 2026 — The OPC Foundation is pleased to announce a Liaison Agreement with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), marking an important step forward in the standardization of Digital Product Passport (DPP) solutions in Europe.
Through this liaison, the OPC Foundation will actively contribute to the work of CEN/CENELEC JTC 24 — Digital Product Passport — Framework and System, providing technical expertise and input through direct participation in the relevant working groups. The cooperation focuses on aligning data modeling technologies and fostering interoperable, system-agnostic and open-source DPP solutions that scale seamlessly from embedded devices to cloud and enterprise environments.
The collaboration supports the development of interoperable DPP solutions that ensure trusted, semantic rich data exchange, regulatory compliance and scalable deployments across sector-specific data spaces. By combining the European standardization framework with OPC UA’s proven interoperability technologies, the liaison contributes to a harmonized and future-proof approach to Digital Product Passports.
Although OPC UA is widely known for secure information transport in automation, its true strength lies in its rich, semantic information modeling capabilities. Through the liaison with CEN/CENELEC JTC 24, OPC UA will be used and extended with standardized Digital Product Passport data models and interfaces, supporting system-agnostic and interoperable DPP implementations.
Commenting on the cooperation, Bmstr. Ing. Otto Handle, Convenor of CEN/CENELEC/JTC 24 WG4 — Digital Product Passport — Interoperability, stated:
“One aim of the standardization work of JTC 24 is interoperability beyond all system borders. The standardization request of the European Commission clearly states that the DPP shall be system agnostic and vendor independent. Integration and Interoperability with the full DPP system shall be possible for any software and any system according to these standards. Therefore, we highly appreciate and welcome OPC Foundation in the Liaison and look forward to the modelling of DPPs with OPC UA and integration of the specified JTC24 API and data models, as well as shop floor integration with OPC UA-enabled embedded systems as DPP data sources.”
Erich Barnstedt, Microsoft, liaison officer for the OPC Foundation, said, “This liaison ensures that Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are built on truly open, standardized, and interoperable foundations. By contributing the very successful OPC UA modelling capabilities to DPPs, including an open-source reference implementation, we help enable seamless integration of DPP data across vendors, platforms, and system layers. What is remarkable is the timeline in which this was possible: From initial concepts to finished implementation, the OPC Foundation only took 2 weeks.”
The Liaison Agreement is established for an unlimited period, contingent on the OPC Foundation’s continued participation in the work of JTC 24. It reflects a shared ambition to advance open, interoperable, and internationally aligned standards that support the European Union’s digital transformation and sustainability goals.
By working together, CEN, CENELEC, and the OPC Foundation reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that Digital Product Passports are built on robust, open standards — enabling innovation, interoperability and long-term value across industries.
About CEN
CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, is an association that brings together the National Standardization Bodies of 34 European countries. CEN provides a platform for the development of European Standards and other technical documents in relation to various kinds of products, materials, services and processes. CEN supports standardization activities in relation to a wide range of fields and sectors including: air and space, chemicals, construction, consumer products, defence and security, energy, the environment, food and feed, health and safety, healthcare, ICT, machinery, materials, pressure equipment, services, smart living, transport and packaging.
About CENELEC
CENELEC, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization, is an association that brings together the National Electrotechnical Committees of 34 European countries. CENELEC prepares voluntary standards in the electrotechnical field, which help facilitate trade between countries, create new markets, cut compliance costs and support the development of a Single European Market. CENELEC supports standardization activities in relation to a wide range of fields and sectors including: Electromagnetic compatibility, Accumulators, primary cells and primary batteries, Insulated wire and cable, Electrical equipment and apparatus, Electronic, electromechanical and electrotechnical supplies, Electric motors and transformers, Lighting equipment and electric lamps, Low Voltage electrical installations material, Electric vehicles railways, smart grid, smart metering, solar (photovoltaic) electricity systems, etc.
About the OPC Foundation
Since 1996, the OPC Foundation has facilitated the development and adoption of the OPC information exchange standards. As both advocate and custodian of these specifications, the Foundation’s mission is to help industry vendors, end-users, and software developers maintain interoperability in their manufacturing and automation assets. The OPC Foundation is dedicated providing the best specifications, technology, process and certification to achieve multivendor, multiplatform, secure, reliable interoperability for moving data and information from the embedded world to the enterprise cloud. The Foundation serves over 1010 members worldwide in the Industrial Automation, IT, IoT, IIoT, M2M, Industrie 4.0, Building Automation, machine tools, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and Smart Energy sectors.