GPSR · Responsible Person
EU Responsible Person: the 2026 guide for non-EU sellers
If you run a Shopify store outside the EU and ship to EU customers, you almost certainly need an EU Responsible Person, an EU-based contact accountable for your products' safety. Since 13 December 2024, most consumer products can't legally be placed on the EU market without one.
What is an EU Responsible Person?
An EU Responsible Person (sometimes called an economic operator or, for some rules, an authorised representative) is a person or company established in the EU that takes responsibility for a product's compliance and safety. They are the point of contact for EU market-surveillance authorities, hold basic technical and safety documentation, and act if there is a safety problem.
The requirement comes from the EU's General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which has applied since 13 December 2024. On your product page, EU shoppers must be able to see the Responsible Person's name, postal address, and a contact method before they buy.
Do you need one?
You need an EU Responsible Person if all of these are true:
- You sell physical consumer products (not purely digital goods);
- to consumers in the EU, including through your own Shopify store; and
- your manufacturer is not established in the EU.
What happens without one
Marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy remove non-compliant listings from their EU stores, and EU customs can block or seize shipments at the border. For a Shopify-only seller, the practical risk is returns, chargebacks, and an authority notice.
How to appoint a Responsible Person
There is no single right answer. It depends on your setup. The common routes:
- A third-party RP service. The usual route for small non-EU sellers. Specialist firms act as your Responsible Person across the EU, often from around €199/year.
- An EU-based importer or distributor. If you already sell through one, they may be able to take the role.
- An EU fulfilment provider. If you hold stock in an EU warehouse, your fulfilment partner can sometimes serve as the responsible operator.
- Your own EU entity. Only if you have, or plan, a legal presence in the EU.
Responsible Person vs Authorised Representative
These two get confused constantly. The GPSR Responsible Person covers product safety and one can often cover the whole EU. The EPR Authorised Representative is a different role for packaging, electronics, and batteries, and you usually need one per country.
Don't forget EPR
GPSR is only one layer. If your packaging, electronics (WEEE), or batteries reach the EU, you also owe Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which means registering and reporting per country (Germany's LUCID, France's Citeo, and others), each with its own fees and deadlines. Read more in GPSR for US sellers.
A deadline to diarise: 12 August 2026
Under the EU's Packaging Regulation (PPWR), non-EU sellers will need a packaging authorised representative in each member state they sell into from 12 August 2026.
How to know which of your products need what
The hard part isn't any single rule. It's seeing, across a whole catalogue, which products are missing a Responsible Person, which need EPR, and in which countries. That's exactly what Assuro does: connect your Shopify store and it flags every gap, country by country, and tracks the deadlines. It won't be your Responsible Person or file for you, but it makes sure nothing slips.
- Confirm GPSR applies to your products
- Appoint an EU Responsible Person and show their details on every product page
- Check EPR (packaging / WEEE / batteries) for each EU country you ship to
- Note the 12 August 2026 packaging-representative deadline
- Keep a single, living view of which SKUs are covered, and which aren't
Frequently asked questions
Does a US or UK seller really need an EU Responsible Person?
Yes. GPSR is destination-based: if you place physical consumer products on the EU market and your manufacturer isn't in the EU, you must appoint an EU-based Responsible Person, regardless of where your business is.
How much does an EU Responsible Person cost?
Third-party RP services commonly start around €199 per year for GPSR. EPR is separate and priced per country and per stream (for example, German packaging and WEEE registration each carry their own annual fees).
Can one Responsible Person cover the whole EU?
For GPSR, often yes. A single Responsible Person can serve as your EU contact. EPR is different: you usually need an authorised representative in each country where you place goods on the market.
Does Assuro act as my Responsible Person?
No. Assuro organizes and flags. It shows which products are missing GPSR and EPR data and tracks deadlines, but it does not act as your Responsible Person, certify products, or file with authorities.
See where your store actually stands
Connect your Shopify store and Assuro flags which products are missing GPSR and EPR data, country by country, and tracks every deadline. Free to scan, no credit card.
Check your store for free