Battery Passport 2027: What Craft Businesses Need to Do

From 18 February 2027, every affected battery sold in the EU will require a digital battery passport. Craft business owners should therefore not wait until shortly before the deadline: those who clarify responsibilities, product data and processes now will save time and money later and gain certainty in sales and documentation. For small businesses, the battery passport is less a major IT project than an organisational task.

Battery passport: The key facts

The digital battery passport will be required from 18 February 2027 for affected batteries sold in the European Union. It creates a new link between the physical product and the associated digital information.

Large manufacturers can address this requirement with their own IT departments. Small craft businesses face a more practical question: How can the passport be provided reliably without in-house software development or specialised staff?

The answer does not begin with buying a system. The business must first understand whether and where it is affected. Its own role in the sales process is what matters. Anyone offering batteries or products containing affected batteries should involve suppliers and business partners at an early stage. This makes it possible to establish who will provide the digital information and how it will be made available within the business’s own processes.

The issue resembles other new documentation requirements. As with e-invoicing in the construction industry, simply knowing a new file format is not enough. Responsibilities, data and processes must work together. The new PPWR obligations raise similar questions about practical implementation within businesses.

What does this mean for craft business owners?

The battery passport may affect several areas of the business: purchasing, sales, documentation and cooperation with suppliers. The issue should therefore not be left solely to management or a technically skilled employee.

Data quality is particularly important. If the necessary product information is missing or arrives in an unsuitable format, the business cannot implement the intended process reliably. Suppliers should therefore be asked how they plan to provide the battery passport well before the beginning of 2027.

At the same time, not every small business needs its own technical solution. Existing services from manufacturers, suppliers or software providers could be incorporated into internal processes. The right option depends on the specific role of the business. Before making a decision, the business should establish which data will be imported, who will maintain it and how sales staff will access it.

This approach prevents premature investment. It follows the same principle as a tax assessment of a permanent establishment: first assess the business’s own situation, then determine the required action and responsibilities.

Recommended actions: Four steps to 2027

1. Determine whether you are affected

Create an overview of the batteries and battery-powered products your business sells. Mark any items for which it is still unclear whether a digital battery passport will be required. Record outstanding questions in writing.

2. Involve suppliers and responsible staff

Ask your suppliers how they plan to provide the battery passport and which tasks will remain with your craft business. Appoint someone internally to consolidate information and track decisions.

3. Prepare data and processes

Document where the required product information is received and how it is passed on through purchasing, warehousing or sales. In particular, check whether existing software can work with potential external solutions. Clean interfaces prevent duplicate data entry and unnecessary errors.

4. Test the process before the deadline

Do not wait until February 2027 to conduct a practical test. Run through the process using selected products: Is the information available? Do the responsible employees know what to do? Can they quickly refer uncertainties to suppliers or the responsible staff?

Clear documentation also helps with other business obligations. The article on cash register requirements, financial provision and fraud risks likewise shows why timely organisational preparation matters more than rushed, isolated measures.

Battery passport FAQ

When will the digital battery passport be required?

The deadline is 18 February 2027. From that date, every affected battery sold in the EU will require a digital battery passport.

Does every craft business have to create a battery passport?

Not automatically. The first step is to determine whether the business sells affected batteries and what role it assumes in the process. The division of responsibilities between manufacturers and suppliers must also be clarified.

How can businesses prepare without an in-house IT department?

Start with organisation rather than technology: determine whether the business is affected, assign responsibilities, contact suppliers and document data flows. You can then decide which existing or external solution will best support the business process.