For the purpose of ensuring the security of products with digital elements after their placing on the market, manufacturers should determine the support period, which should reflect the time the product with digital elements is expected to be in use. In determining a support period, a manufacturer should take into account in particular reasonable user expectations, the nature of the product, as well as relevant Union law determining the lifetime of products with digital elements. Manufacturers should also be able to take into account other relevant factors. Criteria should be applied in a manner that ensures proportionality in the determination of the support period. Upon request, a manufacturer should provide market surveillance authorities with the information that was taken into account to determine the support period of a product with digital elements.