The EU product safety regulation 2025 landscape looks fundamentally different from what it did just two years ago. On December 13, 2024, the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) became fully enforceable across all 27 EU member states, replacing the decades-old General Product Safety Directive (GPSD). For sellers, manufacturers, and importers who trade in the European market, the GPSR regulation changes represent the most significant overhaul of product safety law in over 20 years. This article breaks down exactly what changed, who is affected, and what you need to do now to stay compliant.
What is GPSR (Regulation 2023/988)?
GPSR stands for the General Product Safety Regulation, formally published as Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council. It was adopted on May 10, 2023, and after an 18-month transition period, it became fully applicable on December 13, 2024.
The regulation establishes a comprehensive framework for ensuring that all consumer products placed on the EU market are safe. Unlike its predecessor, the General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC), the GPSR is a regulation rather than a directive. This distinction is critical: a regulation applies directly and uniformly across all EU member states without requiring national transposition.
The GPSR covers virtually all non-food consumer products that are not already subject to sector-specific EU harmonisation legislation. If you sell physical products to EU consumers, whether you are based in Berlin or Beijing, this regulation almost certainly applies to you. For a deeper understanding of the core requirements, including the Responsible Person mandate, read our guide on what an EU Responsible Person is and why you need one.
Why the EU Replaced the Old Directive
The previous General Product Safety Directive dated back to 2001. In the two decades since, online shopping became the dominant way consumers buy products, and cross-border e-commerce exploded through marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress. The old directive was not designed for this reality -- it did not address online marketplaces, lacked clear rules for non-EU sellers, and left enforcement fragmented because each member state transposed it differently.
The result was GPSR 2023/988 -- a regulation built for the digital age, with explicit provisions for online sales, platform obligations, and a mandatory requirement for non-EU businesses to have an EU-based representative.
Key GPSR Regulation Changes That Took Effect
The GPSR 2025 enforcement brought several major changes compared to the previous regime. Here are the most impactful ones for sellers and manufacturers.
1. Mandatory EU Responsible Person for Non-EU Sellers
This is the single most consequential change for businesses outside the European Union. Under the old directive, non-EU manufacturers and sellers had no explicit obligation to appoint an EU-based representative for general consumer products. Under the GPSR, every non-EU economic operator who places products on the EU market must designate an EU Responsible Person (also called an Authorized Representative) established within the Union.
The Responsible Person must be named on the product or its packaging, and their contact details must be available to market surveillance authorities at all times. Without one, your products cannot legally be sold in the EU, regardless of whether you sell through your own website, marketplaces, or wholesale channels.
Critical Requirement
If you are a non-EU seller without an appointed EU Responsible Person, your products are non-compliant as of December 13, 2024. Marketplaces are actively removing listings that lack this information. Learn more about the penalties for non-compliance.
2. Explicit Obligations for Online Marketplaces
For the first time, EU product safety law directly addresses the role and responsibilities of online marketplaces. Under the GPSR, platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and AliExpress are classified as economic operators with specific duties. They must:
- Ensure that sellers provide the name, registered trade name or trademark, and contact details of the manufacturer or Responsible Person before a product is listed
- Cooperate with market surveillance authorities and remove unsafe or non-compliant products promptly upon request
- Establish internal processes to detect and prevent the sale of non-compliant products
- Notify authorities when they become aware that a dangerous product has been sold through their platform
This is a significant shift. Under the old framework, marketplaces had no clearly defined legal obligations regarding product safety. Now they are legally accountable, and they are passing that accountability down to sellers by requiring GPSR compliance data before allowing listings. If you sell on Amazon EU, our detailed guide on GPSR requirements for Amazon sellers explains exactly what the platform now demands.
3. Enhanced Traceability Requirements
The GPSR introduced stricter traceability rules for all products. Every consumer product placed on the EU market must carry:
- The name, registered trade name or trademark, and postal address of the manufacturer
- The name, registered trade name or trademark, and postal address of the EU Responsible Person (if the manufacturer is outside the EU)
- A product identifier (type, batch, serial number, or other element allowing identification)
- Clear warnings or safety information in the language(s) of the member state(s) where the product is sold
These details must appear on the product itself, on its packaging, or in an accompanying document. For products where size or nature makes this impossible, the information must be provided through other accessible means, such as a website or QR code. The goal is straightforward: if a product turns out to be dangerous, authorities must be able to trace it back to the manufacturer and the responsible party quickly.
4. Strengthened Risk Assessment and Internal Processes
Manufacturers must now carry out and document an internal risk analysis before placing a product on the market. This analysis must consider the product's characteristics, the categories of consumers likely to use it (with special attention to vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly), and foreseeable conditions of use. This documented risk assessment must be available to authorities upon request -- a stronger requirement than under the old directive.
5. Modernized Product Recall and Safety Alert Systems
The GPSR overhauled the EU's rapid alert system for dangerous products. The Safety Gate (formerly RAPEX) now serves as the central hub for reporting unsafe products across all member states. When a product is recalled, manufacturers must directly notify consumers and offer a repair, replacement, or refund. Recall notices must be clear, accessible, and written in the consumer's language.
6. Specific Provisions for Online Sales
Products sold online must meet the same safety and labelling requirements as products sold in physical stores. But the GPSR goes further: it requires that product listings on websites and marketplaces include the manufacturer's name and address, the EU Responsible Person's contact information, product identification data, and any relevant safety warnings -- all visible before the consumer completes the purchase.
This means your product listings themselves must contain compliance information. It is not sufficient to include this data only on the physical product or its packaging.
Transition Timeline: From Adoption to Enforcement
Understanding the timeline is essential for appreciating where we are now and what obligations are fully in force.
- May 10, 2023: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 was adopted and published in the Official Journal of the European Union
- May 2023 -- December 2024: 18-month transition period during which businesses were expected to prepare for the new requirements
- December 13, 2024: The GPSR became fully applicable. The old General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) was repealed. All GPSR obligations are now enforceable
- 2025 and beyond: Market surveillance authorities across EU member states actively enforce the regulation. Marketplaces require GPSR compliance data. Non-compliant products are removed and seized
If you have not yet taken action, the time for preparation has passed. The regulation is fully in force, and enforcement is active.
Who is Affected by the GPSR Changes?
The GPSR regulation changes affect a wide range of businesses and individuals. Here is a breakdown of the main groups.
Non-EU Manufacturers and Brands
If you manufacture consumer products outside the EU and sell them to EU customers -- whether directly or through distributors -- you must appoint an EU Responsible Person and ensure your products meet all GPSR requirements. This includes manufacturers in China, the United States, the United Kingdom (post-Brexit), Turkey, India, and every other non-EU country.
Amazon, eBay, and Marketplace Sellers
Third-party sellers on EU marketplaces are directly impacted. Platforms now require GPSR compliance data during the listing process, and they actively suspend or remove listings that do not include valid EU Responsible Person information. If you sell on any EU marketplace, compliance is not optional -- it is a prerequisite for maintaining your listings.
EU Importers and Distributors
Businesses that import non-EU products into the EU for resale also carry obligations under the GPSR. They must verify that the manufacturer has carried out a risk assessment, that the product meets safety requirements, and that all traceability information is present on the product or its packaging.
Online Marketplaces Themselves
As discussed above, platforms have their own new set of legal obligations. They must implement systems to verify seller compliance and cooperate with authorities to remove dangerous or non-compliant products.
EU-Based Manufacturers
While EU-based manufacturers were already subject to the old directive, the GPSR introduces additional requirements including more detailed risk assessments, updated labelling rules, and new recall procedures. EU manufacturers do not need a Responsible Person but must comply with all other GPSR provisions.
What Sellers Need to Do Now
If you sell consumer products in the EU market, here are the concrete steps you should take to ensure full GPSR compliance.
Step 1: Appoint an EU Responsible Person
If you are based outside the EU, this is your first and most urgent priority. Your EU Responsible Person will serve as the official contact point for market surveillance authorities and must be named on your products and listings. Services like EU GPSR can set this up within 24 hours, with plans starting at EUR 199 per year. For a full breakdown of what this costs, see our GPSR cost and pricing guide.
Step 2: Update Product Labels and Packaging
Ensure that every product you sell in the EU carries the required traceability information: manufacturer name and address, EU Responsible Person name and address (if applicable), product identifier, and any necessary safety warnings in the appropriate languages.
Step 3: Update Online Listings
All product listings on marketplaces and your own website must display the manufacturer and Responsible Person contact information. On Amazon, this means entering the data in Seller Central. On other platforms, check the specific fields or sections where compliance data should be entered.
Step 4: Prepare Technical Documentation
Compile and organize your product's technical documentation, including risk assessments, test reports, certificates, and compliance declarations. Your EU Responsible Person must be able to provide these documents to authorities upon request.
Step 5: Establish a Recall and Complaint Process
Have a plan in place for how you would handle a product recall or safety complaint. Under the GPSR, you must be able to notify consumers directly and offer remedies if a product is found to be dangerous.
For a detailed walkthrough of every compliance step, use our GPSR compliance checklist for non-EU sellers.
Do Not Delay
Enforcement is already active. Market surveillance authorities across the EU are conducting inspections, and marketplaces are removing non-compliant listings daily. The cost of compliance is modest -- especially compared to the cost of losing access to 450 million EU consumers.
Looking Ahead: GPSR Enforcement in 2026 and Beyond
Now that the GPSR 2025 enforcement period has established the baseline, EU market surveillance authorities are ramping up. Cross-border cooperation between national authorities is improving, and the Safety Gate system is processing more product alerts than ever before. GPSR compliance is not a one-time task but an ongoing obligation.
The GPSR regulation changes were designed to make the EU market safer for consumers and fairer for compliant businesses. The regulation is here, it is being enforced, and every day of non-compliance carries real risk. The good news is that getting compliant is straightforward: appoint an EU Responsible Person, update your documentation and listings, and establish the right internal processes. For most sellers, this can be done in days, not months.