Cross-border selling · EU operator · listing blocker
GPSR responsible person
Non-EU sellers of consumer products need an EU-established responsible person, and the details must appear on the product, packaging and listing.
Key facts
| Applies from | 13 December 2024 |
|---|---|
| Who needs one | Non-EU sellers placing consumer products on the EU market |
| Who qualifies | An economic operator established in the EU, such as an importer, authorised representative or fulfilment provider |
| Where it appears | On the product, packaging or accompanying document; online listings must show the name and contact details |
| What the operator does | Checks the technical file, cooperates with authorities and handles incident reporting |
| Penalty | Listing removal, recall and fines set by member states |
| Official source | Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), EUR-Lex |
It is an operator, not a mailbox
The responsible person is an economic operator established in the EU who can be contacted by authorities and can act on the product's compliance. A name and address that cannot answer a safety question is not enough. Importers, authorised representatives and some fulfilment providers offer the service, but the contract has to define who holds the technical file and who responds to incidents.
Marketplaces increasingly ask for the operator's details before a listing can go live, and they may re-check them. A compliant label with an outdated address is a listing risk, not a one-time paperwork task.
Where the details have to appear
The name, registered trade name or trademark and contact address of the responsible person must be on the product, or on the packaging or an accompanying document where the product is too small. For online sales, the listing must display the same details. Putting them only in a PDF attached to a support ticket does not satisfy the listing requirement.
Check the label artwork and the listing fields against the same source of truth. The most common failure is a correct label with a wrong or missing listing field, or a listing that names a service provider whose contract has ended.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a responsible person if I sell through Amazon or another marketplace?
Yes, in general. The marketplace can be the deemed supplier for VAT, but the GPSR responsible-person obligation still applies to the product. The marketplace may require the details before listing.
Can a fulfilment provider be the responsible person?
A fulfilment provider established in the EU can act as the responsible person if it agrees to the role and can perform the obligations. The contract must cover the technical file and incident handling.
Where do I display the details?
On the product, or on the packaging or an accompanying document if the product is too small, and in the online listing. The same details should appear in both places.
What happens if the details are missing?
Marketplaces can block or remove the listing, and authorities can require corrective action, recall or a fine. The exposure is per product and per market, not per shipment.
Ask a compliance question
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