GPSR Obligations for eCommerce

What Online Sellers Need to Know

Understanding the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is the European Union’s latest framework designed to strengthen consumer product safety rules. Replacing the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), GPSR was fully enforced on 13 December 2024, imposing stricter compliance requirements on eCommerce businesses selling to EU consumers.

For online sellers—especially those outside the EU—non-compliance with GPSR can result in product bans, penalties, and removal from marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify. In this guide, we break down the key GPSR obligations for eCommerce businesses and how you can ensure compliance.Why Is GPSR Important for eCommerce?

Unlike the previous directive, GPSR applies more rigorously to cross-border eCommerce and online marketplaces. The regulation introduces:

Stronger safety and traceability requirements for all consumer products

Mandatory EU-based economic operators / Authorised Representative for non-EU sellers

Increased liability for online platforms like Amazon and Etsy

Stricter compliance documentation

If your business sells products to EU consumers, GPSR applies to you—whether you are based in the EU or not.

 

Key GPSR Obligations for eCommerce Businesses

1. Appointment of an EU-Based Economic Operator / Authorised Representative

Non-EU sellers must designate an Authorised Representative (AR) or Importer within the EU to take legal responsibility for the communication of product safety compliance.

If you do not appoint an economic operator, your products may be blocked from entering the EU or removed from marketplaces.

2. Product Safety and Traceability Requirements

GPSR requires eCommerce businesses to ensure their products:

• Are safe for consumers, following EU product safety standards.

• Have required documentation

• Contain required details on labels and packaging.

• Recommended: Include batch or serial numbers for traceability.

3. Marketplace and Digital Compliance

If you sell through Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Etsy, or other platforms, GPSR introduces new rules for online listings:

• Product safety information must be clearly visible to buyers.

• Marketplaces will remove non-compliant listings if sellers fail to provide compliance details.

• If a product safety issue arises, online sellers must act within two working days to resolve it.

4. Incident Reporting and Corrective Actions

If a product presents safety risks or causes harm, sellers must:

• Notify EU authorities within two working days via the EU Safety Gate portal.

• Take immediate corrective actions, such as recalls or warnings.

• Cooperate with regulators and the representative and provide compliance documentation on request.

5. Compliance Documentation and Audits

GPSR mandates that businesses keep detailed product documentation for up to 10 years, including:

Required documentation

Safety Instructions

Failure to present documentation during an audit could result in fines, product bans, or forced recalls.

 

How to Ensure GPSR Compliance for Your eCommerce Business

Step 1: Appoint your Authorised Representative

If you are outside the EU, appoint an Authorised Representative (AR) or work with an EU-based Importer to handle compliance.

Step 2: Review and Update Product Documentation

Ensure all products have:

📌 A Declaration of Conformity or Certificate of Conformity for CE-marked products

📌 Other required documents (your GPSR partner will help you with this

Step 3: Label Your Products Correctly

All consumer products must display:

The name and address of the responsible economic operator

Safety instructions where necessary

Step 4: Monitor and Report Safety Issues

• Set up a monitoring system to track product safety concerns.

• Be prepared to report safety incidents within two working days.

OR, forget the steps and Automate Compliance With EAS

EAS Project offers an automated GPSR compliance solution to simplify your obligations, ensuring:

🚀 Hassle-free EU representation

🚀 Automated documentation

🚀 Dedicated GPSR Support Person

🚀 Seamless marketplace compliance

 

What Happens if You Don’t Comply?

Failure to meet GPSR compliance can result in:

Product bans and removals from EU marketplaces

Fines and legal penalties

Increased customs scrutiny and delays

Loss of consumer trust and reputation damage

 

Stay Compliant With EAS GPSR Solutions

At EAS Project, we help eCommerce sellers meet GPSR obligations with:

EAS acts as your Authorised Representative

Complete product compliance solutions

Automated compliance with required documentation

Dedicated GPSR Support Manager for compliance requests

GPSR Dashboard for data storage and management

Automated Marketplace-ready, and other platforms-ready compliance documentation

EAS GPSR starts at 199€ a year, and to become complaint takes on average 1 to 2 business days.
To get started register at easproject.com/reg

Read more on easproject.com/gpsr

 

Useful Links

1 EAS GPSR HelpCenter Articles:

🔗 https://help.easproject.com/gpsr

2. Official EU GPSR Regulation Text (European Commission) – Provides the full legal text of the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR):

🔗 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32023R0988

3. EU Product Safety Portal – Offers guidance and updates on product safety laws and compliance requirements:

🔗 https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate Automated Authorised Representative (AR) services