The EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR, Regulation (EU) 2023/988) has applied since 13 December 2024. It covers all consumer products sold in the EU – from kitchen bowls to garden chairs. Anyone who brings goods from a non-EU country onto the EU market for the first time is an importer and has obligations of their own.
Which products does the GPSR cover?
The regulation applies to products intended for consumers or likely to be used by them. Pure B2B products are not covered. Food, medicines, live plants and animals are among the exceptions.
What matters is when a product is placed on the market: goods placed on the market before 13 December 2024 are not affected. Everything made available in the EU after that date must meet the new rules.
The importer’s obligations
Importers must make sure that the products they bring in comply with the requirements. In practice this means:
Check that the manufacturer has carried out a risk analysis and prepared technical documentation
Keep a copy of the technical documentation for ten years and show it to the authorities on request
Check the labelling: type, batch or serial number plus the manufacturer’s name and address
Add your own details: name, trade name, postal address and electronic address of the importer – on the product, otherwise on the packaging or an accompanying document, without covering the manufacturer’s details
Provide instructions and safety information in the language of the country of sale; purely digital instructions are not enough
Do not supply dangerous products and inform the manufacturer, consumers and – via the Safety Business Gateway – the authorities
The responsible person in the EU
A product may only be placed on the market if an economic operator established in the EU is named as the responsible person. If the manufacturer is based in China, for example, this role is usually taken by the importer – often the retailer itself. Its contact details belong on the product, the packaging or an accompanying document.
Additional rules for online sales
Anyone selling at a distance must show the contact details of the manufacturer or responsible person in the listing, make the product clearly identifiable (picture, product type, identifiers) and display warnings and safety information.
How to plan for the GPSR when sourcing
Most problems arise when labelling and documents only come up just before shipping. That is why the GPSR belongs in purchasing, not just in sales:
Write the requirements into the purchase order: labelling, language of the instructions, technical documentation and test reports
Request documents before production and review them – not only at final inspection
Approve the labelling on the sample: are details, position and legibility right?
Inspect before shipment with a focus on labelling, warnings and packaging
Organise your files: keep technical documentation and test reports retrievable for ten years
This article is an overview and does not replace legal advice. The binding text is Regulation (EU) 2023/988.
