Short answer
Under Article 19 of the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988, every online offer to EU consumers must show the manufacturer's details and, for a manufacturer outside the EU, the name and contact details of an EU responsible person. Marketplaces block listings that lack this data. The fix is to appoint an EU-established responsible person by written mandate, put its details on the product or packaging, and enter the same details in the marketplace dashboard.
Many non-EU sellers discover the General Product Safety Regulation the hard way: a message from the marketplace saying their listing is inactive or hidden for EU countries because “responsible person information is missing”. Sales stop overnight, even though the product itself has not changed.
Why marketplaces block listings
Since 13 December 2024, Article 19 of GPSR requires every distance sales offer to EU consumers to display clearly:
- the manufacturer’s name, registered trade name or trade mark, and postal and electronic address;
- where the manufacturer is not established in the EU, the name, postal and electronic address of the EU responsible person;
- information identifying the product, including a picture and its type or batch number;
- any warning or safety information.
GPSR also gives online marketplaces their own obligations: they must design their interfaces so that sellers can provide this information, and they must act when authorities flag non-compliant offers. That is why marketplaces check the data automatically and block listings where it is missing.
What does NOT fix the problem
- Entering your own company address outside the EU as responsible person. The law requires an operator established in the EU.
- Using the address of an EU warehouse or forwarder that has not agreed to take the role. A fulfilment service provider can be the responsible operator, but only for the products it actually handles and only under the rules of Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020; using its address without its agreement is misleading.
- Copying an EU address from another seller’s listing. Authorities can and do contact the named company; if it has never heard of your product, your listing and your shipments are at risk.
The correct fix in four steps
- Appoint an EU responsible person by written mandate. For non-EU sellers without an EU importer, this is usually an Authorized Representative established in the EU.
- Give them your product information. A serious responsible person will check product identification, manufacturer details, warnings and your risk analysis before accepting the mandate.
- Update labels and packaging. The responsible person’s name and contact details must accompany the product: on the product, its packaging, the parcel or an accompanying document.
- Enter the same data in the marketplace dashboard for each listing and each EU marketplace. Use exactly the same company name and address as on the label.
CE-marked products: a different level
If your product needs CE marking, for example electrical products, radio devices, toys or personal protective equipment, the responsible person must also be able to provide the EU Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation to authorities. That requires a full technical file, not only a label check.
How ISOCONSULT helps
For low-risk consumer products without CE marking, our GPSR marketplace package costs 390 EUR per year for up to 20 models. We review each product and label before the mandate starts, keep your documentation for 10 years and give you a data sheet with the exact details to enter in your marketplace dashboards. For CE-marked products, see our EU Authorized Representative service. Request a quote.
This article is general information about EU product legislation and is not legal advice. Requirements depend on the exact product; contact us for an assessment of your case.