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Reform Support
Circular economy transition through standardization of product data in automated processes in Denmark banner

Supporting reforms that help unlock digital growth potential and deploy innovative solutions for citizens and businesses

Funding Programme
Technical Support Instrument (TSI)
Year
2022

Circular economy transition through standardization of product data in automated processes in Denmark

The European Commission provides support for the development of standardized, digital and automated processes with regard to handling and sharing of product data in Denmark.

Context

Enterprises experience an increasing demand for product data from various parties who want to access documentation on the environmental and climate footprint of products, including information on how products can benefit the circular economy e.g., in terms of reuse, recycling, repair, remanufacturing etc. Currently, it is generally not possible to document the environmental and climate footprint and the circular economy characteristics of products in a consistent and digital way, since product data are typically not handled in a standardized digital way. Handling and sharing of product data can be characterized as time-consuming manual processes resulting in an inherent high risk of mistakes and low data quality. This places a burden on enterprises, as it is a barrier for them to share product data with business partners within their value chains. Likewise, it is a barrier for public authorities to efficiently conduct green public procurement and perform market surveillance and control as required through product regulation, which in turn makes it difficult for them to promote the transition of enterprises and society towards a green and circular economy. The private market finds it difficult to drive the digitization of green product information alone, e.g. because it requires digital standards and a common digital network infrastructure that can create the basis for better competition and new innovative digital solutions that strengthen the EU’s internal market and the green transition.

Support delivered

The project is providing support for:

  • The mapping of the current situation. This is firstly needed in order to have a better understanding of the problem related to the handling and sharing of product data. In particular, knowledge-gathering should focus on how enterprises deal with product data today and how public authorities (e.g. those responsible for conducting market surveillance per product regulation) acquire and handle product data.
  • The preparation of business case studies. Targeted business case studies should focus on how digital product data can create value for enterprises and public authorities in various use cases, including green and circular procurement, reporting on compliance with product regulation, public regulatory market surveillance and control processes, tracking and tracing of product data through value chains, and innovation of green and circular business models.
  • The preparation of a To-be report. The overall aim of the To-Be report is to shed light into how the principles of the eDelivery network can create the basis for an infrastructure that supports the sharing of product data and propose an IT architecture for sharing product data.

Expected results

The support measures delivered by the project are expected to aid the introduction of standardized, digital and automated processes with regard to handling and sharing of product data, which would improve digital government services by fostering the development of agile, resilient, and innovative public organizations. This would in turn lower the costs for governments and enterprises, reduce the administrative burdens, implement the “once-only” principle for key services as well as consolidate the national frameworks into a true interoperable EU-wide (and beyond) network, thus improving data sharing across borders, actors, and sectors. Over the longer-term, standardized, digital and automated processes with regard to handling and sharing of product data would contribute towards economic growth, reduced negative impacts on climate and environment, development of innovative green and circular business models, as well as informed consumer choices.

More about the project

You can read the documents related to the project here: