GPSR (the General Product Safety Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/988) sets safety rules for non-food consumer products sold in the EU, including online. It has applied since 13 December 2024. For sellers the key part is Article 19: a listing must show the manufacturer with a postal and electronic address, the responsible person in the EU if the manufacturer is outside the EU, details that identify the product, and warnings and safety information.
These are the fields Amazon, eBay, Etsy, eMAG, OTTO and other marketplaces now ask for, and without them a listing gets stuck in review or taken down. Sellers whose manufacturer is outside the EU, for example in China, the UK or the US, have it hardest: they need a responsible person in the EU. Below: who the regulation covers, what to show the buyer, where to get a responsible person, and a checklist for your catalog.
How sellers usually run into GPSR
A seller lists products on an EU marketplace, and the platform suddenly asks to fill in “GPSR”: manufacturer, “responsible person”, safety information. Some listings are on hold and there is a warning in the seller account. So they search “what is GPSR”, then “who is the GPSR responsible person”, “what if my manufacturer is in China” and “do I need this for every product”.
The most common mistake is looking for a “GPSR certificate”. There is no such document: the regulation requires manufacturer and safety details in the listing and on the product, not a separate certificate.
Who GPSR applies to
Everyone who sells non-food products to consumers in the EU: the manufacturer, the importer, the distributor and the online marketplace. Sellers outside the EU are covered too when they sell online to buyers in the EU. Obligations depend on the role.
| Role | Who it is | Main obligation |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Makes the product or sells it under its own brand | Risk analysis, technical documentation kept for 10 years, labelling and instructions |
| Importer | Brings a non-EU manufacturer’s product into the EU | Checks the manufacturer met its obligations, adds its own contact details on the product or packaging |
| Distributor | Sells a product already on the EU market, including an online store | Checks labelling, contact details and instructions before selling |
| Online marketplace | The platform where others sell | Gives sellers fields for the Article 19 details and acts on orders from market surveillance authorities |
GPSR does not cover medicines, food, feed, live plants and animals, plant protection products or antiques. Second-hand products are covered. If a product has its own EU law, such as toys or CE-marked electronics, GPSR fills the gaps that law leaves, and the online sales requirements apply to those products as well.
What to show in an online listing
Article 19 requires four groups of details in the listing itself, before the purchase:
- Manufacturer: name or trademark, postal address and electronic address, an email or website for contact.
- Responsible person in the EU, if the manufacturer is outside the EU: name, postal and electronic address.
- Product identification: a picture, the type and any other identifier, such as model, item number or batch number.
- Warnings and safety information that go on the product or in the instructions, in a language buyers in the country of sale easily understand.
A quick test: a buyer who sees only the listing can contact the manufacturer and knows how to use the product safely. If they need to open the box for that, the listing is incomplete.
The responsible person in the EU: who it is and how to get one
It is a company established in the EU that answers to market surveillance authorities for the product: it keeps the documentation, responds to requests and takes part in recalls. Without one, the product cannot be placed on the EU market (Article 16 GPSR, referring to Article 4 of Regulation 2019/1020). It can be:
- the manufacturer, if it is established in the EU itself; then no separate person is needed;
- the importer, for example your own company in the EU that brings the goods in;
- an authorised representative, an EU company the manufacturer appoints by written mandate; this is a paid service;
- a fulfilment service provider in the EU that stores, packs and ships the goods, if there is no other operator.
A UK or US seller shipping directly to EU buyers usually has two options: its own EU company acting as importer, or an authorised representative under contract. Whoever it is, their name and address must appear both in the listing and on the product or packaging.
What must be on the product itself
On the product, its packaging or an accompanying document: the same details as in the listing, plus instructions. The manufacturer must make sure there is:
- a type, batch or serial number that lets the product be traced in a recall;
- the name, postal and electronic address of the manufacturer and, for a product from outside the EU, of the responsible person;
- instructions and safety information in the language of the country where the product is sold;
- an internal risk analysis and technical documentation, kept for 10 years after the product is placed on the market.
The details on the box and in the listing must match. A mismatch, such as a different manufacturer address, invites a request from the authority or the marketplace.
How to prepare your catalog for GPSR: 6 steps
- Define your role for each product. Your own brand: you are the manufacturer; you bring goods into the EU: importer; you resell goods already in the EU: distributor. Check: every product in your catalog sheet has a role.
- Collect manufacturer details. Name, postal address, email or website. Check: no product without a manufacturer.
- Appoint an EU responsible person for products from non-EU manufacturers. Check: you have a contract and their name and address.
- Check the labelling. Batch number or model, contact details, instructions in the language of each country of sale. Check: a sample from each batch matches the list in the section above.
- Prepare the warning text for the listing, short, as on the packaging. Check: the text exists in the language of every country you sell to.
- Enter the details in listings on every marketplace and check the buyer can see them. Check: open the listing as a buyer.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Example Lamps Co., Ltd., 1 Example Road, Shenzhen, China, info@example-lamps.com |
| EU responsible person | Example Rep sp. z o.o., ul. Przykładowa 1, 00-001 Warszawa, Poland, gpsr@example-rep.eu |
| Identification | Desk lamp, model DL-20, batch 2411, product photo |
| Warnings | For dry indoor use only. Do not cover while in use. Use a bulb of up to 5 W. |
Names, addresses and model are sample data, shown only to illustrate the format.
How to avoid entering GPSR details in every eMAG and OTTO listing
If you list products on eMAG or OTTO from Elbuz, you fill in the GPSR details once, in the “Product safety (GPSR) — eMAG, OTTO” window of the marketplace connection settings: manufacturer, authorised EU representative and safety information. Elbuz adds them to every new eMAG listing and to OTTO listings by itself, and if the details are missing, the eMAG export log warns that new listings may get stuck in moderation. How the export works is on the eMAG integration page, and manufacturer data and attributes are easiest to keep in one product catalog (PIM).
Where it falls short: the details in this window are one set for the whole catalog. If your products come from many manufacturers with different responsible persons, some listings will need editing in the marketplace’s seller account. On other marketplaces, GPSR details are entered in their own seller account.
Products on eMAG and OTTO with ElbuzGPSR details once for every new listing, 14 days free
What happens if GPSR details are missing
The marketplace reacts first: the listing fails review, is removed, or the account gets a warning. Marketplaces must give sellers fields for the Article 19 details and comply with orders from authorities, so a product without them will not stay listed for long. Next come the market surveillance authorities of the country of sale: they can demand documentation, ban sales or order a recall. Each EU country sets its own penalties.
Frequently asked questions
What is GPSR in simple terms?
It is the EU regulation on general product safety. It requires non-food consumer products to be safe, to carry the contact details of the manufacturer and of a responsible person in the EU, and online listings to show these details and warnings before purchase.
When did GPSR come into force?
It has applied since 13 December 2024. It replaced the earlier General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC.
What is the GPSR EU responsible person?
A company established in the EU that answers to the authorities for the product: the manufacturer, the importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider. If the manufacturer is in the EU, it fills this role itself.
Does GPSR apply to the UK?
In Northern Ireland, yes; in Great Britain, no, which has its own product safety rules. UK sellers shipping to EU buyers must still comply with GPSR.
What products are exempt from GPSR?
Medicines, food, feed, live plants and animals, plant protection products and antiques. Second-hand products are covered.
Is there a GPSR certificate?
No, there is no such document. You need a risk analysis, technical documentation, labelling and the details in the listing; see the checklist.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety (GPSR), Articles 2, 9, 16, 19, 22: eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance, Article 4: eur-lex.europa.eu.
Checked 01.11.2026. Not legal advice.
