What is the GPSR?
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is the EU's updated framework for ensuring consumer product safety. It replaces the 2001 General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) and applies from December 13, 2024. Unlike the directive, which required national transposition, the GPSR applies directly and uniformly across all 27 EU member states.
The regulation covers all non-food consumer products, including products sold online, second-hand products, and products not covered by sector-specific EU harmonization legislation. It fills the safety gap for products like smart home devices, fashion items, furniture, and personal care accessories that don't fall under CE marking directives.
Key changes from the old directive
Online marketplace obligations: Platforms like Amazon, Temu, and Shein must now ensure product safety. They must remove dangerous products within 2 business days of a market surveillance authority order and cooperate with traceability requests.
Mandatory accident reporting: Economic operators must report serious accidents to authorities through the Safety Business Gateway. This replaces the previous voluntary reporting with a legal obligation.
Internal risk assessment: Manufacturers must conduct and document a risk assessment before placing products on the market. The assessment must consider foreseeable use and misuse, and be updated when conditions change.
Enhanced traceability: Products must bear the manufacturer's name, postal address, and email on the product or packaging. Importers must add their own contact details. Every product needs a unique identifier.
Product recalls: When a product is recalled, consumers must be offered repair, replacement, or an adequate refund. The "adequate refund" must be at least equal to the price paid. Recall notifications must be clear and in the language of the target market.
Penalties up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover: Member states must set penalties that are "effective, proportionate, and dissuasive." Maximum fines mirror GDPR levels.
Who must comply with GPSR?
GPSR applies to all "economic operators" in the product supply chain: manufacturers, importers, distributors, authorized representatives, fulfilment service providers, and online marketplace providers. Each role has specific obligations:
| Role | Key GPSR obligations |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Risk assessment, technical documentation, traceability info on product, accident reporting, corrective actions |
| Importer | Verify manufacturer compliance, add own contact details, keep technical docs for 10 years |
| Distributor | Verify traceability info present, not sell products they know are non-compliant |
| Online marketplace | Single point of contact for authorities, remove dangerous products in 2 days, cooperate on traceability |
Which products are affected?
The GPSR covers all consumer products that are not already subject to sector-specific EU safety legislation. In practice, this means:
How to automate GPSR compliance monitoring
GPSR compliance is not a one-time task. As member states publish national implementing measures, guidance documents, and enforcement priorities, the compliance landscape evolves. Platforms like Cleo monitor GPSR requirements, member state interpretations, and enforcement actions across all 27 EU markets in real time. Instead of tracking Safety Business Gateway updates manually, compliance teams get risk-scored alerts when requirements change for their product categories.
