All insightsRepresenta GmbH
GPSR compliance: five practical steps for non-EU manufacturers
Appoint a Responsible Person, digitise documentation, keep the supply chain traceable, localise labels, watch the regulations. Five steps that hold up.
Since the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 applies, manufacturers outside the EU face stricter requirements on safety, documentation and traceability. For small and mid-sized companies the following five steps cover most of what an authority or marketplace will ask for.
1. Appoint a Responsible Person in the EU
The Responsible Person is your face towards EU authorities and consumers. It holds the documentation, monitors regulatory updates and answers inquiries. Choose a provider that reviews your files rather than one that only lends an address.
2. Digitise the documentation
A central archive for Declarations of Conformity, risk assessments and test reports makes inspections and customer inquiries a matter of minutes instead of days.
3. Keep the supply chain traceable
Batch or serial numbers on the product and records of suppliers and distributors let you locate affected products quickly if a safety issue occurs.
4. Localise labels and instructions
Labels and instructions in the languages of your target markets, with the warnings GPSR requires. Review them whenever the product or the packaging changes.
5. Watch the regulations
EU product law changes. Regular reviews of your documentation and training for the people who handle it keep you ahead of the next inquiry.