What is GPSR? A Guide for Sellers

Imagine this: you import a batch of LED lights from China, list them on Allegro, and sales take off. Two weeks later you get a notice that your listing has been restricted because it's missing "information required by product safety regulations". No one enforced this before, so your first thought is: what on earth is this? The answer is one word — GPSR.

This guide explains in plain language what GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation, EU 2023/988) is, where it came from, exactly what you need to have as a seller importing from China, and why platforms like Allegro have started enforcing it.

Key points at a glance

• GPSR stands for General Product Safety Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and Council on general product safety.

• It has applied directly in all EU countries since 13 December 2024 — with no need for national implementation.

• It replaced the old Directive 2001/95/EC and added hard information obligations plus a requirement for a responsible person in the EU.

• It covers practically all consumer products that don't have their own detailed regulations.

What exactly GPSR is

GPSR is an EU regulation establishing general safety rules for non-food products sold to consumers. Its aim is simple: a product reaching a consumer in the EU must be safe, and if it turns out to be dangerous, there must be a chain of people who can be held accountable and who can quickly withdraw the goods from the market.

The key word is "regulation". Unlike a directive, a regulation applies directly and identically in all 27 member states. There is no Polish "version" of GPSR — there is one legal act, (EU) 2023/988, the same in Warsaw, Berlin and Madrid.

GPSR acts as a safety net. If your product has its own detailed rules (e.g. toys, cosmetics, electrical equipment subject to CE marking), you apply those first. GPSR closes the gap for everything else — from candles and textiles to small household accessories.

Why it replaced the old directive

GPSR's predecessor was the General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC) from 2001. It was created before e-commerce and imports from Asia became an everyday reality for small sellers. It didn't answer questions like: who is responsible for a product brought in from China by an individual? How is a consumer supposed to contact a "manufacturer" on the other side of the world?

GPSR answers this directly. It introduces a requirement that every product must have a responsible entity in the EU, with an address and contact details. It also adds obligations for online platforms and distance selling — exactly the model you operate under on Allegro.

What GPSR requires from you as a seller

If you import goods from outside the EU and place them on the market under your own name, or you're the first to bring them into the Union, under GPSR you're most likely acting as an importer — one of the most heavily burdened roles. Your basic obligations:

• ensuring the product is safe and has undergone an internal risk assessment;

• including safety warnings and instructions in Polish (the language of the country where the product is made available);

• including the manufacturer's details and — where the manufacturer is outside the EU — the details of the responsible person in the EU (Article 16 of the regulation);

• ensuring traceability: a batch number, type or model that allows the product to be identified;

• providing this information in the distance-selling listing too — before the consumer buys.

Which products it covers

Category	Does GPSR apply
Household accessories, decorations, candles, textiles	Yes — directly under GPSR
Small electronics with no separate directives	Yes
Toys, cosmetics, electrical equipment with CE	Specific rules first, GPSR applies additionally
Food, medicines, medical devices	No — they have their own separate regimes
Products for B2B use only (not for consumers)	Generally out of scope

If you're not sure whether your product "has its own rules", start by comparing GPSR with CE marking — we cover this in GPSR vs CE marking — differences and what you need.

Safety Gate — why this isn't a dead-letter rule

GPSR works alongside the Safety Gate system (formerly RAPEX) — the EU's rapid alert system for dangerous products. When a market surveillance authority (in Poland, among others UOKiK and the Trade Inspectorate) detects a dangerous product, it's entered into the public Safety Gate database, and the information spreads across the whole EU. This is a real tool: new notifications are published every week, and sales platforms are required to react and remove such listings.

The requirement for a responsible person in the EU (Article 16)

One of the most important innovations of GPSR is the requirement that, for a product whose manufacturer is outside the EU, there must be a responsible entity in the Union. This answers a real problem: when a product imported from China turns out to be dangerous, neither the consumer nor the authority has any way of reaching the factory on the other side of the world. GPSR therefore requires an "anchor" in the EU — an entity with an address and contact details, shown on the product or its packaging.

The responsible person can be a manufacturer established in the EU, an importer, an authorised representative, or a designated service provider. For a small seller in Poland who imports goods themselves, this role is usually filled by their own company. Its duties include: verifying that technical documentation has been prepared, providing it to authorities on request, cooperating in the event of corrective action, and reporting products that pose a risk.

Warnings, instructions and traceability

GPSR requires that a product reach the consumer with information enabling safe use. In practice this means three pillars:

• Warnings — about hazards specific to the product (small parts, overheating risk, irritant substances), formulated in Polish.

• Instructions — how to safely use, assemble, charge or store the product.

• Traceability — a batch number, type or model that allows the product to be unambiguously identified and, if necessary, recalled.

These requirements make practical sense: without traceability you can't target a recall of a single faulty batch, and without warnings the consumer doesn't know what to avoid. This isn't bureaucracy for its own sake — these are conditions that, if a problem arises, protect you as a seller too.

Since when and who it applies to in practice

The cut-off date is 13 December 2024 — from that day, any product placed on the EU market must meet GPSR's requirements. What matters is the moment the product is made available, not the date you bought it, so even older stock sold today falls under the new rules. For details on exactly who is covered and how to calculate "placing on the market", see GPSR — since when it applies and who it covers.

Frequently asked questions

What does GPSR stand for?

GPSR stands for General Product Safety Regulation, i.e. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety. It has applied directly in all European Union countries since 13 December 2024 and replaced the earlier Directive 2001/95/EC.

Does GPSR apply to me if I only resell goods from China on Allegro?

Yes. If you're the first to bring a product from outside the EU into the market and make it available to consumers, you're most likely acting as an importer. This means you're responsible for ensuring safety, warnings and instructions in Polish, manufacturer details, an EU responsible person, and product traceability.

How does GPSR differ from CE marking?

CE confirms compliance with specific directives for selected categories (e.g. toys, electronics). GPSR is a general safety net covering practically all consumer products. Many products need both CE and compliance with GPSR's information obligations.

What are the consequences of not complying with GPSR?

Consequences range from a restricted or removed listing on the platform, through an entry in the Safety Gate system, to administrative fines imposed by national market surveillance authorities. We cover this in detail in a separate article on penalties.