Responsible person (EU)

Under the GPSR, a product may not be placed on the EU market unless there is a responsible person — an economic operator established in the European Union — whose name and contact details are available. The concept aligns with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance.

The responsible person may be an EU-based manufacturer, an importer, an authorised representative appointed by the manufacturer, or, where none of these exists, a fulfilment service provider. Their tasks include verifying that the technical documentation and any required declaration have been drawn up and keeping them available to authorities, providing information demonstrating conformity, cooperating with market surveillance authorities, and taking action if the product presents a risk.

For merchants outside the EU, appointing a responsible person is effectively a precondition of selling in-scope products to EU consumers. Their details must appear on the product or its packaging and on your online listings. See also the economic operator entry.