Martin Walian
Martin Walian, MBA & Certified Export Control Manager (CECM)
How to Appoint an EU Authorised
Representative for Your Online Store
If you sell physical products to EU customers through your own website, Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, or any other online channel — and your business is not based in the EU — you are legally required to appoint an EU Authorised Representative. This guide walks you through the full appointment process step by step.
Table of Contents
- Why Your Online Store Needs an EU Authorised Representative
- What the Legal Requirements Are
- What to Prepare Before Appointing a Representative
- Documents You Will Need
- The Step-by-Step Appointment Process
- What to Look for When Choosing a Provider
- Common Mistakes Online Sellers Make
- What Happens After You Appoint a Representative
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why Your Online Store Needs an EU Authorised Representative
Under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which took full effect in December 2024, every non-EU manufacturer or seller placing physical products on the EU market must have a named EU Authorised Representative. This applies whether you sell through Amazon, your own Shopify store, WooCommerce, Etsy, or any other channel that delivers goods to EU consumers.
An EU Authorised Representative is a legal entity registered in an EU member state that acts as your official compliance contact for EU market surveillance authorities. Their name and address must appear on your product, packaging, or accompanying documentation — and on your marketplace listings.
Without a named EU Authorised Representative, you cannot legally sell physical products in the EU. Amazon, eBay, and other platforms are actively removing listings that do not include this information. This is not optional — it is a hard legal requirement.
2. What the Legal Requirements Are
The requirement for an EU Authorised Representative comes from several EU regulations depending on your product type. The most broadly applicable is GPSR (EU) 2023/988, which covers virtually all consumer products. Depending on what you sell, additional directives may also apply — such as the Radio Equipment Directive for wireless products or the Toy Safety Directive for children's products.
Key legal obligations when appointing a representative:
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Named on product labelling The representative's name, registered address, and contact details must appear on the product itself, its packaging, or the accompanying documentation. This is a legal requirement, not a recommendation. -
Named on marketplace listings Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and other EU marketplaces require the representative's details in your product listing. Listings without this information are being removed.
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Formal written mandate The appointment must be documented in a written mandate signed by both parties. This mandate defines the scope of the representative's authority and the product categories covered.
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10-year document retention Your representative must hold your technical documentation — including Declarations of Conformity, test reports, and technical files — for a minimum of 10 years after the last product is placed on the market.
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Regulatory response obligation The representative must respond to enquiries from EU market surveillance authorities on your behalf and cooperate with them if a product safety issue arises.
3. What to Prepare Before Appointing a Representative
Before contacting a representative service, you should have the following information and documents ready. Having these prepared will speed up onboarding significantly — most providers can have you operational within 24-48 hours if your documentation is in order.
The exact documents required depend on your product type. Not every product needs CE marking or a full technical file. Your representative provider will advise you on what applies to your specific situation during onboarding.
4. Documents You Will Need
Your representative will need certain documents depending on the regulations that apply to your products. Here is what to prepare:
A clear description of each product or product line, including model numbers, intended use, materials, and target market. This helps the representative determine which regulations apply and what documentation is required.
If your product requires CE marking, you should already have a Declaration of Conformity (DoC). This document declares which EU directives and harmonised standards your product complies with. If you do not have one, your representative can help you prepare it.
Laboratory test reports demonstrating compliance with applicable safety, EMC, or other standards. These must be from accredited testing laboratories. If your products are simple consumer goods not requiring CE marking, these may not be needed.
Photos or specifications of your current product labelling, packaging, and any accompanying documentation such as user manuals. The representative's details will need to be added to these materials.
Your company name, registered address, country of incorporation, and contact details. These are needed for the formal mandate document and for listing on your Declaration of Conformity.
Note for UK-based sellers: a UK Responsible Person is a separate legal requirement for the British market. It does not substitute for an EU Authorised Representative. If you sell in both markets, you need both.
5. The Step-by-Step Appointment Process
The appointment process is straightforward if you have your documents ready:
Contact a reputable EU Authorised Representative service and confirm they cover your product categories and target EU markets. Discuss whether you need EU-only or combined EU + UK representation. A good provider will review your situation and tell you exactly what is needed before you commit.
Fill in the onboarding form with your company details, product information, and existing documentation. The provider will prepare a formal written mandate — the legal document that officially appoints them as your EU Authorised Representative. Both parties sign. This typically takes 1-2 business days.
Once appointed, you receive the representative's official name, registered EU address, and contact details. Add these to your product labelling or packaging, your Declaration of Conformity (if applicable), your online store product pages, and your marketplace listings on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, etc.
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Get Started — Apply Now6. What to Look for When Choosing a Provider
Not all EU Authorised Representative services are equal. The cheapest option is often just an address on paper with no real compliance support behind it. Here is what actually matters:
Essential qualities to evaluate:
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Active compliance support Choose a provider that actively responds to regulators, manages your documentation, and monitors regulatory changes — not one that simply provides a name and address on paper. If a market surveillance authority contacts your representative and gets no response, the consequences fall on you.
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Proper document management system Your representative must store your technical documentation for 10 years. They need a proper system for filing and retrieving your Declaration of Conformity, test reports, and technical files. Ask how they handle document storage before signing up.
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Fast onboarding If your listing has already been removed or you have an urgent market access deadline, you need credentials fast. A legitimate provider should have you operational within 24-48 hours of signup.
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Dual-market coverage (EU + UK) If you sell in both the EU and UK — which most online sellers do — look for a provider that covers both jurisdictions. Managing separate providers for EU Authorised Representative and UK Responsible Person adds unnecessary complexity and cost.
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Regulatory monitoring and alerts EU product regulations change frequently. A capable representative monitors changes to relevant regulations and alerts you before they affect your products, rather than leaving you to discover compliance gaps after enforcement action.
7. Common Mistakes Online Sellers Make
Many online sellers make avoidable errors when appointing a representative or setting up their compliance. Understanding these mistakes upfront can save you from listing removals, delays, and unnecessary costs.
The most common mistakes include assuming your freight forwarder or fulfilment centre counts as your representative (it does not), confusing the EU Authorised Representative with a UK Responsible Person (they are separate legal roles for separate markets), failing to update product labelling after appointment, and choosing the cheapest provider without checking whether they actually respond to regulatory enquiries.
8. What Happens After You Appoint a Representative
Once your representative is formally appointed, there are several ongoing responsibilities on both sides:
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Update all product labelling Add the representative's name and EU address to your product labels, packaging, and user documentation. For existing stock, adhesive labels or inserts are an acceptable short-term solution while you update your main packaging.
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Update marketplace listings Add the representative's details to all your EU marketplace listings — Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and any other platforms. Include the company name, registered address, and contact email in the compliance information section.
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Submit documentation to your representative Provide copies of all relevant compliance documents: Declarations of Conformity, test reports, technical files, and user manuals. Your representative must hold these and make them available to authorities on request.
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Keep your representative informed of changes Notify your representative whenever you launch new products, modify existing ones, change packaging, or update firmware. Any change that could affect compliance needs to be documented and communicated.
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Maintain an active relationship Your representative is not a set-and-forget service. They need to be responsive to regulatory enquiries, and you need to respond promptly when they contact you about compliance matters. Treat them as a key compliance partner.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
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How much does an EU Authorised Representative cost? Costs vary depending on the provider, the number of product lines, and whether you need EU-only or combined EU + UK coverage. Most reputable services charge an annual subscription. Be cautious of extremely low prices — they often indicate a name-on-paper service with no real compliance support.
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Can I use the same representative for all my products? Yes. One EU Authorised Representative can cover all your product lines and categories. You do not need a separate representative for each product.
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How quickly can I get set up? With a legitimate provider, you can have your credentials — the representative's name, registered address, and contact details — within 24-48 hours. The onboarding process is typically a short form plus submission of your existing documentation.
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I sell on Shopify / WooCommerce — does this apply to me? Yes. GPSR applies to all products sold in the EU regardless of the sales channel. Whether you sell through your own website, Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or direct to retailers — if your products reach EU consumers, you need a representative.
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My listing was removed — can a representative help me get reinstated? Yes. Once you appoint a representative and add their details to your listing, you can apply for reinstatement. With a legitimate provider, credentials arrive within 24-48 hours and reinstatement typically takes a few business days after updating your listing.
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What is the difference between an EU Authorised Representative and a UK Responsible Person? They are separate legal roles for separate markets. The EU Authorised Representative covers all 27 EU member states under GPSR and related EU directives. The UK Responsible Person covers Great Britain under UK product safety legislation. If you sell in both markets, you need both.
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Can my EU distributor or fulfilment centre act as my representative? Only if they have explicitly agreed to take on the legal role and accept the associated GPSR responsibilities. Most distributors and fulfilment centres will not accept this liability. If yours has not formally agreed in writing, you still need a dedicated representative.
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What happens if I sell without a representative? Your listings can be removed by marketplaces (Amazon is actively enforcing this). EU market surveillance authorities can order product recalls, impose market bans, and issue fines. Distributors and retailers in the EU may also refuse to work with you.
Ready to Get Compliant?
Appoint your EU Authorised Representative today and sell with confidence across Europe.
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