EU Label ComplianceA product ready to ship to Germany, France and Italy can still be stopped before it sells. The reason is usually the label, not the goods. Three gaps appear more often than any others: no EU responsible person named anywhere on the product or packaging, safety warnings in English only, and no batch or serial number. Each one is a standalone reason for a marketplace to suspend a listing under the General Product Safety Regulation.
What the GPSR actually requires on the label
Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2023/988 sets out the mandatory information for products placed on the EU market. The manufacturer's name and postal address must appear on the product itself, on its packaging, or on an accompanying document. The same requirement applies to the EU responsible person under article 16 of the same regulation: an economic operator established in the Union, named and reachable. Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 adds a parallel obligation for CE-marked categories.
Beyond the operator blocks, the label must carry:
- A type, batch or serial number that identifies the specific product
- Safety warnings and instructions in the official language of every EU member state where the product is sold
- Country of origin, where the applicable regulation requires it
- Category-specific marks: CE, the crossed-out wheelie bin, age warnings, material and care symbols
A QR code or data carrier can complement this information but cannot replace it. The printed text stays on the label regardless.
Why the label stopped being a packaging question
Since the GPSR came into force, product safety and labelling are treated as a single obligation. Marketplaces enforce this in their listings: Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Temu, Shein and TikTok Shop all ask for the responsible person's details in the listing itself as well as on the product. A listing without a named EU responsible person fails the check before a market surveillance authority ever sees it.
The practical consequence is that a seller shipping to three EU countries needs warnings in every official language used in those countries, an EU-established responsible person named on the label, and a product identifier that links a specific unit back to a production batch.
How fast a compliant label can be produced
EU Label Compliance issues the certificate and the permanent product code immediately on payment, any day of the week. The print-ready artwork — a 300 dpi CMYK PDF with 3 mm bleed, an SVG with live text, and a 1:1 PNG proof — follows the same day for orders placed before 15:00 CET. The artwork covers all 24 EU official languages in the same file set.
Each product receives a permanent code such as EL-7K2F-91QD, printed on the label beside a QR. The code resolves to a public record page holding the current data for that product. If the responsible person's address changes after printing, the record updates and the code already on the label keeps pointing to the right information.
What the service covers and what it does not
The subscription is priced per market, with unlimited products. One market — the EU, which includes all 27 member states plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein — costs €290 per year. Three markets cost €590; every market (EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) costs €990.
The United Kingdom is a separate market. Great Britain left the EU product framework and requires a UK-established importer or authorised representative and UKCA marking for several categories. A label carrying only an EU responsible person does not satisfy British requirements.
The service produces mandatory label artwork and a public record. It does not carry out product testing, issue CE declarations of conformity, or handle national EPR or WEEE registrations. A seven-day free trial with no card required is available, verified by a six-digit code sent to a company email address.
Key points
- Regulation (EU) 2023/988 art. 9 and 16 require the manufacturer's name and address, the EU responsible person's name and address, a product identifier, and safety warnings in every language of the countries where the product is sold.
- A QR code can complement mandatory label information under the GPSR but cannot replace the printed text.
- Amazon, Etsy, eBay and other marketplaces suspend listings that do not name an EU responsible person, independently of any market surveillance action.
- Print-ready artwork in all 24 EU official languages is delivered the same day for orders placed before 15:00 CET; the certificate and permanent product code issue immediately on payment.
- The EU counts as one market (27 member states plus EEA); the UK is a separate market with its own representative and UKCA requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What must appear on a product label to comply with the GPSR?
Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2023/988 requires the manufacturer's name and postal address, the EU responsible person's name and address, a type, batch or serial number, and safety warnings in the official language of every EU country where the product is sold. Regulated categories add CE marking, the crossed-out wheelie bin, age warnings and other category-specific symbols.
Can a QR code replace the printed text on an EU product label?
No. Under the GPSR a data carrier can complement the mandatory information but never replace it. The manufacturer block, the responsible person, the product identifier and the safety warnings must remain printed and legible on the product or its packaging.
Why does Amazon suspend listings that are missing a responsible person?
Marketplaces enforce the GPSR requirement directly in their listing process: Amazon, Etsy and eBay ask for the EU responsible person's details in the product listing as well as on the label. A listing without a named, EU-established responsible person fails the marketplace check before any market surveillance authority becomes involved.
Is the UK included in the EU label pack?
No. Great Britain left the EU product framework and requires a UK-established importer or authorised representative and, for several categories, UKCA marking. A label carrying only an EU responsible person is not compliant in Britain; the UK is a separate market on the subscription.
How long does it take to get a compliant EU label?
The certificate and permanent product code are issued immediately on payment. The print-ready artwork — a 300 dpi CMYK PDF, an SVG with live text and a 1:1 PNG proof — is delivered the same day for orders placed before 15:00 CET, covering all 24 EU official languages.
