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GPSR for online sellers in the EU

What the EU's General Product Safety Regulation asks of online sellers since December 2024: an EU responsible person, listings, marketplace duties and recalls.

Updated · 3 official sources

Under the EU's General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which has applied since 13 December 2024, a consumer product can't be placed on the EU market unless an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for it, and every online offer has to show who made the product and, for makers outside the EU, who that EU operator is. A seller outside the EU that ships to EU consumers needs both in place before it sells.

Rules as of 30 October 2026.

Who can be the responsible person in the EU?#

The responsible person under the GPSR is an economic operator established in the EU that answers for a product's safety. In order of precedence it is the manufacturer, if established in the EU; the importer, if the manufacturer isn't; an authorized representative with a written mandate from the manufacturer; or, where none of those exists, a fulfillment service provider established in the EU for the products it handles.

For a brand outside the EU selling direct to consumers, there is usually no importer established in the EU. That leaves an authorized representative or a fulfillment provider in the EU. The responsible person must regularly check that the product matches its technical documentation and carries the required identification, contact and safety information, and show documented evidence of those checks when market surveillance authorities ask.

The responsible person's name, registered trade name or trademark, postal address and electronic address must be on the product or its packaging, the parcel or an accompanying document.

What must an online listing show?#

An online listing of a product sold to EU consumers must show, clearly and visibly, at least four things under Article 19 of the GPSR. They are the manufacturer's name and postal and electronic address, the EU responsible person's name and addresses if the manufacturer is outside the EU, and information identifying the product.

The identifying information must include a picture of the product, its type and any other product identifier. Any warnings or safety information that go on the product or its packaging have to appear in the listing as well, in a language consumers can easily understand, as decided by the member state where the product is sold. The product identifiers guide covers which codes customs and platforms also ask for.

What must the product itself carry?#

A product sold in the EU must carry a type, batch or serial number or another element that identifies it, visible and legible for consumers, with the manufacturer's name, registered trade name or trademark and its postal and electronic address. Where the product is too small, the information can go on the packaging or an accompanying document.

Manufacturers must also supply clear instructions and safety information in a language consumers can easily understand, as set by each member state, unless the product can be used safely without them. Before placing a product on the market, the manufacturer carries out an internal risk analysis and draws up technical documentation describing the product and its safety-relevant characteristics, which the responsible person checks the product against.

What do online marketplaces have to do?#

Online marketplaces have their own GPSR duties under Article 22: they must register with the EU's Safety Gate Portal and give single points of contact for authorities and for consumers. They must also design their sites so that sellers can enter the manufacturer, responsible person, product identification and safety information for every listing, and display it.

When an authority orders a marketplace to remove or block an offer of a dangerous product, it must act within two working days. Notices about product safety from users must be processed within three working days. Expect a marketplace to ask for the responsible person and product details before your listing goes live.

What happens when a product turns out to be unsafe?#

A manufacturer that has reason to believe a product it placed on the EU market is dangerous must immediately take corrective action, including a withdrawal or recall where needed, inform consumers, and notify the market surveillance authorities of the countries where it was sold through the Safety Business Gateway. Accidents involving a product that caused a death or serious harm to health must be reported to the authorities of the country where they happened, through the Safety Business Gateway.

Recalls follow set rules. Every affected consumer who can be identified must be contacted directly, using customer data you already hold. A written recall notice carries the headline "Product safety recall", a picture and identification numbers of the product and a plain description of the hazard. Words such as "voluntary" or "precautionary" that play down the risk aren't allowed. Consumers must be offered an effective, free and timely remedy, a choice of at least two of repair, replacement or a refund of at least the price paid, except where only one is possible or the others are disproportionate. Penalties for breaking the rules are set by each member state.

Product safety sits alongside customs and tax: the EU import guide covers duty and VAT, and border.bot's restricted goods check flags import prohibitions and agency requirements by destination. For the US equivalent of these duties, see the CPSC guide.

Common questions#

Do I need an EU responsible person to sell online into the EU?#

Yes, for consumer products covered by the GPSR. If the manufacturer isn't established in the EU and there is no EU importer, appoint an authorized representative in the EU, or rely on an EU fulfillment provider for the products it handles.

What product identifier does the GPSR require?#

The product must carry a type, batch or serial number or another element that identifies it, and online listings must show the product's type and any other product identifier with a picture. The GPSR doesn't require a specific barcode standard.

When did the GPSR start to apply?#

The GPSR has applied since 13 December 2024. It replaced the General Product Safety Directive and applies directly in every member state.

Sources#