Since 13 December 2024, the new General Product Safety Regulation — GPSR for short — applies in all EU member states. The regulation replaces the outdated General Product Safety Directive of 2001 and applies directly and uniformly in all 27 EU countries. For non-European sellers offering their products on European marketplaces, the GPSR has one particularly significant requirement: the obligation to appoint an EU Responsible Person.
⚠️ Without a designated EU Responsible Person, your products may not be offered on European marketplaces — including bol.com, Amazon.de, Zalando and eBay.
What exactly is the GPSR?
The GPSR is an EU regulation governing the safety of consumer products. Unlike a directive, a regulation does not need to be transposed into national law — it applies directly and uniformly in every EU country. The core of the law: every product offered to European consumers must demonstrably be safe, and there must always be a point of contact within the EU.
The GPSR applies to virtually all consumer products not already covered by sector-specific EU legislation — think toys, electronics, household goods, clothing, cosmetics, furniture and sporting goods.
The Responsible Person: what is it?
The EU Responsible Person (also: EU authorised representative) is a natural or legal person established within the European Union who accepts legal responsibility for product safety on behalf of the manufacturer or importer.
The Responsible Person must:
- Be established in the EU — a P.O. box or virtual office is not sufficient
- Maintain product documentation — including technical files and declarations of conformity
- Be able to inform market surveillance authorities — in the event of incidents or recalls
- Be stated on the product packaging — name, address and contact details
For non-European brands, this means in practice that you need a European party to formally take on this role. That can be a specialised service provider, a local partner, or — where applicable — your Merchant of Record.
What are the risks if you do not appoint a Responsible Person?
Marketplaces are required under the GPSR to remove listings where the Responsible Person is absent or not correctly stated. In practice this means:
- Listings are blocked by bol.com, Amazon and other platforms
- Customs can hold shipments upon entry into the EU
- Fines from national supervisory authorities — in the Netherlands the NVWA is the enforcing body
- Liability if a product causes injury or damage to a consumer
📋 Amazon updated its seller policy in December 2024 and requires third-party sellers to provide a GPSR-compliant Responsible Person in Seller Central.
What product information must appear on the packaging?
In addition to stating the Responsible Person, the GPSR sets additional labelling requirements:
- Country of origin (e.g. "Made in China")
- Unique product ID — type, batch or serial number
- Contact details of the manufacturer or importer
- Warnings and safety instructions in the language of the country of sale
For many non-European brands this means their current product packaging must be updated before products may be offered on European marketplaces.
GPSR and your marketplace strategy
The GPSR directly affects how you organise your European sales. A few practical considerations:
Fulfilment from Europe helps, but does not fully solve it. Storing in a European warehouse shortens delivery times and reduces customs costs — but the GPSR requirement for a Responsible Person applies regardless of where your stock is located.
A Merchant of Record can combine the Responsible Person role. Many MoR service providers include GPSR compliance as part of their service. For non-European brands this is often the most efficient arrangement: one European party handles VAT, customs, marketplace accounts and product safety.
Actively monitor your existing listings. Platforms such as Amazon automatically send warnings when GPSR information is missing. If you do not respond in time, listings are taken down without further notice.
Step-by-step: becoming GPSR compliant
Not sure whether your products are already GPSR compliant? Work through this checklist:
- Map your product portfolio — which categories are you selling in Europe?
- Check whether sector-specific EU legislation applies (e.g. CE marking for electronics, EN standards for toys)
- Appoint an EU Responsible Person — and formalise this contractually
- Update your product packaging — add all mandatory information
- Update your listings on European platforms — include the Responsible Person details
- Set up an internal reporting process — so you can act quickly in the event of incidents
💡 Crossello helps non-European brands set up a GPSR-compliant sales structure in Europe — from Responsible Person to correct marketplace listings. Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation.
Conclusion
The GPSR is not a temporary measure — it is the new standard for product safety in the EU, and enforcement will be tightened further in the coming years. For non-European brands that want to take the European market seriously, GPSR compliance is not optional but mandatory. The core message: before your first European sale, appoint a designated EU Responsible Person and make sure your product labelling is in order.