General Product Safety Regulation
Since 13 December 2024 consumer products may only be placed on the EU market if an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for them — plus traceability, safety documentation and accident reporting.
- Reference
- Regulation (EU) 2023/988
- Status
- Applies
- Sources last checked
What it is
The GPSR is the safety net for all consumer products, including those not covered by specific EU legislation. It covers risks including cybersecurity aspects that affect safety, requires internal risk analysis and technical documentation, and sets rules for online sales and marketplaces.
Who is affected
Manufacturers, importers, distributors, fulfilment service providers and online marketplaces of products intended for — or likely to be used by — consumers.
What you have to do
- Name a responsible economic operator established in the EU on the product, packaging or accompanying document.
- Product identification (type, batch or serial number) plus manufacturer and importer name, postal and electronic address.
- Manufacturers: internal risk analysis and technical documentation, kept 10 years.
- Manufacturers: report accidents caused by the product that result in death or serious adverse effects on health or safety without undue delay via the Safety Business Gateway (importers and distributors inform the manufacturer); organise recalls.
- Online offers must show manufacturer, EU operator, product identification, picture and warnings.
Fact check
Partly correct “Industrial parts are never affected by the GPSR.”
Purely professional products are outside scope. But products likely to be used by consumers — e.g. smart meters, sensors, tools, chargers sold openly online — are covered.
Not correct “Buying through a marketplace makes the platform responsible.”
Marketplaces have their own duties, but they do not replace the manufacturer, importer or EU responsible person. If your company is established in the EU and places goods from a non-EU country on the EU market, you are the importer.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR) — Official Journal text (opens external website) ↗
- Product safety — GPSR, Safety Gate, obligations for businesses (opens external website) ↗
General information, not legal advice. Authentic are only the texts published in the Official Journal of the EU and the Austrian Federal Law Gazette.
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