GPSR - new regulations for manufacturers and importers - including the obligation to provide instructions in the language of the country to which we sell

GPSR, or General Product Safety Regulation , is the new European Union regulation on general product safety. It replaces the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) and introduces a number of significant changes to better adapt the regulations to modern challenges, such as the growth of e-commerce and connected products (IoT).

One of the key new requirements is that instructions and other product information must be provided in the language of the country where the product is sold. This means that:

• The manufacturer or importer must ensure that all materials, such as operating instructions, warnings and information on use, are available in the language of the country to which the product is supplied.
• In practice, this means that translations must be prepared for each market where the product is introduced, which may involve additional costs for companies.

Other key changes to GPSR:

1. Enhanced obligations for manufacturers and importers : More stringent requirements have been introduced for product tracking and risk reporting.
2. IoT product security : Requirement to address cybersecurity risks.
3. New rules for e-commerce platforms : E-commerce platforms must cooperate with regulators and remove products that do not meet security requirements.
4. Incident Reporting System : Improved mechanisms for reporting threats and product recalls.

The new rules were adopted in April 2023 and their full entry into force requires adaptation by Member States and companies operating in the EU.

If you need more details or support in implementing these requirements in your business, I can help you understand the regulations or find appropriate resources.