General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) – Strengthening Consumer Protection in the EU

🧾 Introduction

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) (EU) 2023/988 is the European Union’s updated legal framework for consumer product safety.

It entered into force on 12 June 2023 and becomes fully applicable on 13 December 2024 after an 18‑month transition period.

Replacing the General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC, this regulation responds to new technologies, evolving online commerce, and emerging risks such as cybersecurity.

The GPSR sets a unified safety standard across the EU, ensuring that all consumer products placed on the market are safe and traceable throughout the supply chain.

⚙️ Scope and Key Principles

The GPSR mainly covers non‑harmonized consumer products, but it can also apply to harmonized sectors when specific product legislation does not address certain risks.

It applies to new, used, repaired, or reconditioned products, except those clearly marked as awaiting repair or processing.

A central feature of the regulation is the precautionary principle, which ensures that consumer health and safety remain the top priority even when scientific data are limited or uncertain.

👥 Responsibilities of Economic Operators

🏭 Manufacturers

Manufacturers must design and manufacture products that are safe under normal and foreseeable conditions of use.

Under the GPSR, manufacturers are required to:

• Conduct thorough risk assessments.
• Maintain technical documentation for at least ten years
• Provide clear safety and user instructions.
• Take immediate corrective actions if a product is found unsafe.
• Notify authorities without delay of any product‑related accidents or serious risks.

🧳 Importers and Distributors

Importers and distributors must ensure that products entering the EU comply with all applicable safety and labeling requirements.

They must also cooperate with authorities and take action if a product is found to be unsafe.

🧾 The Responsible Person

Every product placed on the EU market must have a Responsible Person established within the European Union.

This individual or entity ensures compliance documentation is available and serves as the official contact for authorities.

The Responsible Person may be:

• The EU‑based manufacturer or brand owner.
• An importer or authorized representative established in the EU.
• A fulfilment service provider located in the EU, if no other operator is established in the Union.

Their duties include maintaining technical documentation, ensuring labeling accuracy, cooperating with market surveillance authorities, and displaying their postal and electronic contact information on the product, packaging, or accompanying documentation.

💻 Online Sales and Marketplace Requirements

🛒 Online Sellers

For online sales, the GPSR requires sellers to provide complete and transparent product information at the time of the offer.

Details must include:

• The manufacturer’s name, postal address, and electronic contact information.
• The Responsible Person’s contact details, when applicable.
• A product identifier such as type, image, serial, or batch number.
• Any required safety or warning information in the relevant languages.

🌐 Online Marketplaces

Platforms must act swiftly to remove listings of dangerous products upon notification.

They must also ensure traders provide correct contact and safety information and maintain communication channels with authorities for rapid response.

🛡️ Risk Management and Product Recalls

⚠️ Accident and Risk Reporting

Manufacturers must inform authorities immediately of any accident connected with their product that results in death or serious injury.

This requirement is broader than earlier rules, moving beyond mere risk‑based notification.

🔁 Consumer Remedies

When a recall is necessary, consumers must be offered free and effective remedies, such as repair, replacement, or refund.

The European Commission will provide a standardized recall notice format to ensure all communications are clear and consistent.

🏷️ Product Labeling and Traceability

The GPSR reinforces labeling obligations to ensure product traceability and transparency.

Labels must include:

• The manufacturer’s name or brand, postal, and electronic address,
• The contact details of the Responsible Person (where applicable),
• A product identifier such as type or batch number, and
• All required safety warnings in the official language(s) of the market country.

If direct labeling on the product is not possible, the information may appear on the packaging or accompanying documentation.

Printed text is mandatory; digital means like QR codes may complement but cannot replace it.

🔎 Market Surveillance and Enforcement

Member States must maintain effective market surveillance through systems such as the Safety Gate Rapid Alert System.

They are also required to impose proportionate and dissuasive penalties for non‑compliance.

The GPSR introduces a mechanism for collective consumer actions, allowing authorized organizations to bring claims where safety rules are violated.

🤝 How ComplyMarket Supports Compliance

Adapting to the GPSR requires a clear understanding of documentation, labeling, and safety obligations.

ComplyMarket supports manufacturers, importers, and online sellers by:

• Assisting in the appointment or verification of a Responsible Person.
• Reviewing labeling and documentation for GPSR alignment.
• Advising on recall procedures and reporting obligations.
• Guiding companies through EU market surveillance and safety requirements.

With the right support, businesses can maintain consumer confidence and ensure consistent access to the European market under the new regulation.