AC Adapter Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

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AC Adapter Safety Standards in the EU

AC adapters are a type of power supply used to charge phones, laptops, and other electronic devices. These products are subject to several regulations in the European Union, including the Low Voltage Directive, the EMC Directive, and Regulation (EU) 2019/1782, which is an implementing measure under the Ecodesign Directive.

In this guide, we cover requirements of various regulations and directives applicable to AC adapters. We also explain lab testing requirements and risk factors.
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Clothing and Textiles Regulations in the European Union: A Complete Guide

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Clothing and textile products imported and manufactured for sale in the European Union are subject to various regulations and standards. This includes labelling requirements, chemical restrictions, flammability requirements, and safety standards specific to children’s apparel.

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Authorised Representatives under the General Product Safety Regulation

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Authorised Representatives under GSPR

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) affects consumer products sold in the EU markets and is set to replace the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) on 13 December 2024. In comparison to a directive, this is a regulation which means that the GPSR is directly applicable in all EU member states.

One of the major differences between the GPSR and the GPSD, is that the GPSR sets requirements for a responsible person who must be established in the EU.


A product covered by this Regulation shall not be placed on the market unless there is an economic operator established in the Union who is responsible for the tasks set out in Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 in respect to that product. […]


Thus, virtually all consumer products must be connected to economic operators based in the EU. In practice, this would mean that businesses from outside of the EU must approach an authorised representative to comply with the GPSR and place their products in the EU market. In the past, this requirement was only affecting products covered by CE marking directives or regulations, as required by the Market Surveillance Regulation.

In this guide, we address common questions associated with the requirement for an authorised representative.
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General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR): An Essential Guide

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The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is a new regulation that will replace the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD). Its purpose is to set safety and other requirements for all consumer products, regardless of whether product-specific regulations, directives, or standards exist.

This is already the case with the GPSD, but the GPSR goes beyond the GPSD in some aspects. The GPSR also provides more detailed requirements, for example, in terms of product and packaging labelling.

In this guide, we help you better understand the new GPSR and the steps you must take before it finally replaces the GPSD.
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Medical Devices Labelling Requirements in the European Union

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Medical Devices Labelling Requirements EU
Products covered by the Medical Devices Regulation are required to be accompanied by labelling information, such as CE marking, traceability information, notified body information, and instructions.

This guide serves as an introduction to labelling requirements in the context of the Medical Devices Regulation.
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EU Notified Bodies for Medical Devices: An Overview

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EU Notified Bodies for Medical Devices

Certain products covered by the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) require the involvement of a notified body before being placed in the EU market. The extent of the involvement of the notified body is determined based on the classification of the medical device.

In this guide, we explain in which case a notified body should be approached. Additionally, we provide a list of various notified bodies in the EU for medical devices and explain how you can search for a notified body in other EU member states.

Methodology

The list of EU-notified bodies that we provide is retrieved from the notified bodies (NANDO) database. Note that we only provide examples of notified bodies for some countries, not a definitive list.

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Cosmetic Testing Companies in the European Union

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Cosmetic Testing Companies in the European Union

Before a cosmetic product is placed in the EU market, a safety assessment of the cosmetic product must be conducted and a cosmetic product safety report drafted.

Some cosmetics testing companies can help in performing the necessary testing to verify that your product doesn’t contain banned substances – and compiling the documents needed to create the cosmetic product safety report.

In this article, we list companies that claim to have lab testing facilities in the EU and provide testing services for cosmetic products according to the provisions in the Cosmetic Products Regulation.

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Cosmetic Product Safety Reports in the European Union

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Cosmetic Product Safety Reports in the European Union
All cosmetic products must be subject to a safety assessment before being sold in EU markets. A key document that is produced during this stage is the Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) which is required to ultimately place the product in the market.

In this guide, we address common questions concerning the CPSR, unveil the individuals and businesses that are necessarily involved with its production, and provide a list of companies that provide related services.
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Responsible Person for Cosmetic Products in the EU

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Responsible Person for Cosmetic Products in the EU
The key role when placing cosmetic products in EU markets is that of the responsible person. Without the responsible person assigned to the cosmetic product, it would not be possible to legally sell it within the EU.

In this guide, we address common questions associated with this role and explain what importers and manufacturers must know about the duties of the responsible person.
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Hair Care Regulations in the European Union

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Hair Care Regulations in the European Union
This guide covers requirements for hair care products, such as hair sprays and hair lotions. We primarily explain the Cosmetic Products Regulation regulates substances in hair care products. We also explain the relevance of other regulations such as REACH, and the POPs Regulation in the context of hair care products.

Methodology: We provide examples of hair care products mentioned in Annexes II to V of the Cosmetic Products Regulation. Additionally, we list examples of banned and restricted substances from the following sources:

a. Annex II to V of the Cosmetic Products Regulation (only substances for which hair care products are mentioned)

b. Commission Decision (EU) 2021/1870 establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for cosmetic products and animal care products (only substances for which hair care products are mentioned)
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