GPSR in Northern Ireland, not in Great Britain
Since December 2024 the GPSR applies in Northern Ireland, while Great Britain keeps its 2005 rules. Who you need in each market and why GB is not enough.
Your UK Responsible Person
UK law requires a responsible person in the UK for cosmetics and a UK Responsible Person for medical devices from manufacturers outside the UK; other products rely on UK importers and authorized representatives. We provide your UK Responsible Person or UK authorized representative, established in the UK as the law requires, within the agreed mandate.
You sell into Great Britain from abroad
You make products outside the UK and want to sell in England, Scotland and Wales, and perhaps Northern Ireland. Buyers and platforms ask for a UK Responsible Person, but the role you need depends on your product and where you sell.
What applies in the UK
Great Britain and Northern Ireland follow different product rules.
Cosmetics need a UK responsible person
A cosmetic product may only be placed on the market in Great Britain if a responsible person established in the UK exists for it.
Medical devices: a UK Responsible Person
Manufacturers outside the UK appoint a sole UK Responsible Person before their devices are placed on the market in Great Britain.
Other products: importer or representative
For CE or UKCA products and other consumer goods, the local roles are your UK importer and, where you appoint one, a UK authorized representative.
Product Compliance & DocumentationNorthern Ireland follows EU rules
Under the Windsor Framework, an economic operator established in Northern Ireland or the EU is needed; a company only in Great Britain does not qualify.
GPSR Responsible Person
What we do within the agreed scope
We act under a written mandate for the tasks it names and the duties UK law gives the role, while responsibility for your product, its design, conformity assessment and Declaration of Conformity stays with you.
Talk to our teamYour UK-based representative
We provide your UK Responsible Person or UK authorized representative, established in the UK as the law requires, for the products in your mandate.
The right role per product
We check which UK role each product needs in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and who carries it in each sales channel.
Details for your labels
We tell you whose name and address goes on the product, packaging or accompanying document for Great Britain and for Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland with your EU setup
If we are your EU Authorized Representative or Responsible Person, the same appointment can also cover Northern Ireland.
Contact for UK authorities
Your UK representative answers requests from UK authorities and cooperates with them on your products, in close contact with you.
What we need from you
- Product list with your planned UK sales channels
- Declaration of Conformity, EU or UK
- Technical documentation and test reports
- Labels, packaging artwork and English instructions
- Details of your UK importer or distributor, if any
How it works
01
Map your UK sales
You tell us what you sell, where and through which channels. We name the UK role each product needs.
02
Documents and mandate
You send your documents. We review them, and you sign the written mandate for the UK role.
03
Labels for both markets
We give you the details for your labels in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland.
04
Ongoing contact
We stay your contact for UK authorities and tell you about UK rule changes that affect your products.
Questions about the UK Responsible Person
Do I need a UK Responsible Person?
UK law uses the term for cosmetics, which need a responsible person established in the UK, and for medical devices from manufacturers outside the UK, which need a sole UK Responsible Person. For other products, the UK roles are the importer and, where appointed, a UK authorized representative.
Is CE marking still accepted in Great Britain?
For most product types, yes. Since 1 October 2024, many UK product regulations accept CE marking without an end date, alongside UKCA (SI 2024/696). UKCA is needed where a UK conformity assessment body certifies your product. Some sectors, such as medical devices and construction products, have their own rules.
Can my EU representative also act for Great Britain?
Not where UK law requires a person established in the UK, as for the cosmetics responsible person, the UK Responsible Person for medical devices or a UK authorized representative. For Northern Ireland, an operator established in the EU can take the role.
Does a company in Great Britain cover Northern Ireland?
No. Northern Ireland applies EU product rules under the Windsor Framework, so the operator must be established in Northern Ireland or the EU. Goods shipped from Great Britain to Northern Ireland count as imported (Blue Guide, section 2.9.6).
Will the UK require a Responsible Person for all products?
Not under current law. A 2026 government consultation considered a UK-based responsible person only for some high-risk products. On 5 October 2026, no government response had been published, and the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 still apply in Great Britain.
Insights on this topic
EU and UK market entry checklist for makers outside Europe
EU and UK market entry checklist: CE or UKCA marking, local roles, labels, documents and listings for the EU, Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Plan your UK market entry with us
Tell us what you sell and where, and we show you which UK role you need and how we set it up with you.
Get in touch with our team of experts
Tell us what you manufacture and where you want to sell. We identify the requirements for EU and UK market access and come back to you with the next steps.