What you need to know about the New EU General Product Safety Regulation

Why is it changing?

Shopping and business have evolved, and this regulation is designed to address that. It aims to:

• Protect more products: Covering all non-food consumer goods in the EU and Northern Ireland.
• Adapt to e-commerce: Tackling the growth of online shopping.
• Strengthen enforcement: Giving authorities stronger tools to ensure compliance.
• Improve recalls: Helping businesses act quickly to remove unsafe products.

What’s New with the new EU General Product Safety Regulation?

• Clear Responsibility: If you’re selling products in the EU or Northern Ireland, someone in Europe needs to be responsible for the product’s safety. Every product must have a contact point based in the EU, which may involve you appointing an authorised representative.
• Improved risk assessments: Being proactive about safety is now a must. You need to identify and address risks before your products reach the market. It’s like a safety check-up that keeps your customers and business safe.
• E-commerce Responsibility: Online platforms are now required to work with EU authorities and register with the EU Safety Gate Portal, speeding up the process of identifying and removing unsafe products.
• Reporting Issues: Manufacturers and distributors must inform authorities immediately if there’s any problem.
• Improved Recall Processes: The regulation provides clear guidelines for recalls to protect consumers and businesses alike.

What Does it Cover?

The legislation applies to any product not already covered by its own harmonised standard.  So for example, toys and electrical goods, already have a harmonised standard and must bear a CE Mark as a statement of their compliance.  The General Product Safety Regulation is there to address gaps in product safety and applies to any product which doesn’t have to carry the CE Mark.