The questions, with answers
I ship from China directly to EU customers. Do I need an EU Responsible Person?
Yes. If you sell to EU consumers from outside the EU, the Responsible Person cannot be you and cannot be your Chinese company — it must be an economic operator established in the EU. Most sellers from China appoint a paid Responsible Person service for this.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), Article 16 — applicable since 13 December 2024. Checked: 2 September 2026, per the
main answer.
Why was my Amazon listing suspended when the product is fine?
Most likely because no valid EU Responsible Person is recorded against the listing. Amazon, Kaufland and other marketplaces have been enforcing this since 2025 and suspend listings that lack it — regardless of whether the product itself is safe. What the marketplace checks is the listing data, not your paperwork.
Source: Marketplace enforcement observed since 2025; see the
main answer.
My supplier gave me a CE certificate. Isn't that enough?
No — that is the most common mistake. A CE marking says something about conformity; it says nothing about whether a Responsible Person exists with a reachable EU address. They are two separate requirements, and marketplaces check both.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR) — see the
main answer on the CE mistake.
What has to be on the product or packaging?
The name and contact address of both the manufacturer and the Responsible Person, plus something that identifies the specific product — a type, batch or serial number. Warnings and safety information must be in the language of every country you sell into. A Chinese-only label is not compliant, however good the product is.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), labelling requirements. Checked: 2 September 2026, per the
main answer.
Who keeps the technical documentation, and for how long?
The Responsible Person holds the technical file and it must be kept for ten years. In practice the seller from China provides the documents (from the factory) and the Responsible Person service holds them and answers when an EU authority asks.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR). Checked: 2 September 2026, per the
main answer.
I sell on AliExpress or Temu — same rules?
Yes. Selling to EU consumers through any marketplace is distance selling into the EU, whatever the platform. The responsible-person duty applies and the marketplace checks the listing data — the platform being Chinese changes nothing about the EU side.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), distance selling and marketplace obligations; see the
marketplace answer. Checked: 3 September 2026.
I dropship per order from China. Does that change anything?
No — per-order shipping is still selling to EU consumers from outside the EU. You still need a Responsible Person with a physical EU address, documentation held for ten years, and labelling in the right languages — per product, from every supplier you use. Dropshipping does not create an exception; it multiplies the paperwork.
Source: See the
main answer on dropshipping. Checked: 2 September 2026.
Who can do this for me?
Companies that act as your Responsible Person in the EU for an annual fee, including for sellers who stay outside the EU entirely. The
provider list on the main page says who they are and what each covers — editorial and unpaid. Or ask us to
introduce you to three.
Source: Editorial list, checked 3 September 2026.
Next steps
Appoint a Responsible Person before your listings are suspended, not after — restoring a suspended listing takes longer than setting one up. The full guide covers GPSR, REACH, EPR and CBAM, each with regulation, article and the date it was last verified.
Selling into several EU countries at once? Labelling and warnings must be right per country — that is in the labelling answer.