GPSR & MSR - Product Safety
Product safety has long ceased to be a minor issue in e-commerce. If you sell on Amazon or via other online marketplaces, you are now operating in an environment that is much more heavily regulated than it was just a few years ago. With the GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation) and the MSR (Market Surveillance Regulation), the EU has set clear rules and is now also consistently ensuring that they are complied with.
Many sellers only realize how serious the situation is when Amazon suddenly requests documents or listings are suspended. That is exactly why it is worth taking a closer look now and understanding what GPSR and MSR are about and what they mean specifically for your business.
Why product safety is such a key issue right now
Since the end of 2024, the GPSR has been binding. It replaces earlier rules on general product safety and takes into account the reality of modern e-commerce. Products are now sold across borders, often imported directly from third countries and delivered to end customers within a very short time. This is exactly where the legislator steps in.
You can find detailed information on the General Product Safety Regulation in our blog post.
For you as a seller or quasi-manufacturer, this means: You are an active part of the product safety chain. At the same time, marketplaces and authorities have significantly tightened their checks.
The combination of several developments is currently particularly relevant:
- The GPSR is binding, but many sellers have still not implemented it fully
- Marketplaces such as Amazon are tightening their internal compliance checks
- Market surveillance authorities have been carrying out more intensive checks since 2025 and will do so even more systematically from 2026 onward
- New frameworks such as the Digital Product Passport, Ecodesign, and customs reform are increasingly interconnected
All of this means that product safety can no longer be approached reactively, but must be treated strategically. If you are prepared, you save time, money, and stress.
MSR: Why market surveillance is so relevant for online sellers
The Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 governs how products are checked on the EU internal market, expressly including e-commerce. This is not just about traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, but also about platforms, marketplaces, and cross-border sales.
Among other things, the MSR ensures that:
- online offers are checked in the same way as products sold in brick-and-mortar retail
- imported goods from third countries are monitored in a targeted way
- clear points of contact in the EU must be designated
- unsafe or non-compliant products are removed from the market more quickly
Together with the GPSR, this creates a system in which not only the product itself, but also your processes, documentation, and responsibilities are in focus. This is exactly where many sellers have their biggest weaknesses.
Stricter checks in practice: How authorities and platforms proceed
In practice, these stricter checks are clearly visible. Authorities now work in a data-driven way, often across platforms and increasingly in an automated manner. Amazon, in turn, effectively carries out a preliminary review in order to minimize its own liability risks.
Typical checks focus on the following points:
- Declarations of Conformity and CE marking
- safety information and warnings in the correct language
- details of the manufacturer, importer, or EU Authorized Representative
Important for you: a check does not have to be announced. In many cases, an automated system notice, a complaint, or a random check is enough to set processes in motion. If documents are then missing or unclear, platforms usually react immediately.
What this means specifically for Amazon and FBA sellers
Amazon sellers are feeling the effects of the new regulation particularly strongly. The marketplace now requires significantly more evidence and takes action more quickly when there are uncertainties.
The most common risks include:
- short-notice suspension of individual ASINs or entire accounts
- blocking or destruction of FBA inventory
- recall and notification obligations via the platform
- transfer of information to market surveillance authorities
FBA sellers in particular often underestimate how quickly things can become critical. If Amazon has doubts about product safety, the marketplace decides, not the seller. Imported goods from third countries are under particular scrutiny, because responsibility often lies with the seller.
What you should do now in concrete terms
The most important step is not to postpone the issue. Product safety cannot simply be handled on the side, but requires structure. The starting point is always an honest initial assessment: Which products do you sell, which obligations apply to them, and how well are you currently positioned?
After that, you should review and build up your documentation and processes systematically. The goal is to be able to respond quickly and properly in the event of a check, without having to search frantically for documents.
It helps to focus clearly on the next steps:
- an overview of all relevant products and their risk profile
- a review of existing safety and conformity documents
- identification of gaps and critical issues
- establishment of clear filing structures and responsibilities
Especially with growing product ranges or international sales, manual solutions quickly reach their limits. At that point at the latest, the use of professional tools or external support becomes worthwhile.
Outlook: Why proactive compliance will become your competitive advantage
The regulatory direction of e-commerce is clear: there will be more transparency, more data requirements, and more responsibility for sellers. Topics such as the Digital Product Passport or new sustainability requirements will place product safety even more firmly at the center.
For you, however, this does not only mean more effort, but also a real opportunity. Those who establish clean processes at an early stage can scale faster, launch new products more safely, and appear much more professional to platforms.
Conclusion: Take GPSR & MSR seriously and use them strategically
GPSR and MSR are not a short-term annoyance, but part of a long-term change in e-commerce. If you ignore them, you risk suspensions, loss of revenue, and legal problems. But if you approach them strategically, you can make your business more stable and more future-proof.
Product safety is therefore becoming a fixed component of successful e-commerce strategies.
We at Tradavo can help you
Would you like to know how well your products are currently positioned? Do you want clarity on whether your documentation is GPSR- and MSR-compliant? Do you want to avoid Amazon suspensions before they arise?
Tradavo supports you exactly with that.
With practical compliance checks, structured processes, and solutions specifically for e-commerce and Amazon sellers, Tradavo helps you implement regulatory requirements safely and efficiently.
You need assistance?
Who wrote this article?
As an author, Christina fills the blog section of our website with exciting and informative articles, so that our readers can always take care of product compliance in their company in the most well-informed way.
