One of the biggest changes GPSR brought is this: no product can be placed on the EU market unless there is a responsible economic operator established in the EU behind it. For sellers whose goods are manufactured outside the EU and who have no EU importer, that operator is the EU Responsible Person.
Who needs an EU Responsible Person?
You need one if both of these are true: your product's manufacturer is established outside the EU, and there is no EU-based importerin your supply chain. This is the typical situation for direct-to-consumer brands shipping into the EU from the UK, US, or Asia. If you already sell through an EU importer, that importer is the responsible operator and a separate Responsible Person usually isn't required.
What is the EU Responsible Person responsible for?
- Checking that the required technical documentation has been drawn up and keeping it available for authorities.
- Making sure the product carries the necessary safety and identification information.
- Providing authorities with information and documentation on request, in an official language they can understand.
- Cooperating on corrective actions — including recalls — if a product is found to be unsafe.
- Informing authorities if they have reason to believe a product presents a risk.
Their name and address must be on the product, its packaging, the parcel, or an accompanying document — and, for online sales, visible on the listing before purchase.
Where must the Responsible Person be based?
Anywhere in the EU. The role requires establishment in the Union, but a single Responsible Person in any one member state covers sales across the entire EU — you don't need one per country.
How do you appoint one?
You can use an EU-based importer or distributor who agrees to take the role, an authorised representative, or a third-party Responsible Person service. Whichever you choose, you need a written mandate, and their details must be published on each product.
Showing the Responsible Person on your store
Holding the appointment isn't enough — the details have to be visible to buyers. Conformica stores your EU Responsible Person (and manufacturer and importer) as reusable profiles, assigns them to products automatically by rule, and displays them on every product page through the storefront safety widget — in all 24 official EU languages. See GPSR for Shopify for setup.