What is an authorised representative?

An EU-established person or company appointed in writing by a manufacturer to perform specified compliance tasks on its behalf. Under EU product rules such as the GPSR, this lets a non-EU manufacturer have an accountable EU-based contact so its products can be sold to EU consumers.

Do I need an authorised representative to sell into the EU?

If you are outside the EU and have no EU importer or entity, you generally need an EU Responsible Person under the GPSR, and an authorised representative is a common way to meet that. If an EU importer or fulfilment provider already takes the role, you may not need a separate representative.

Is an authorised representative the same as a fiscal representative?

No. An authorised representative handles product-compliance duties under rules like the GPSR. A fiscal representative handles VAT obligations on your behalf in a country. They are separate roles and you may need both.

Where do the representative’s details have to appear?

The name and EU contact details of the Responsible Person — which can be your authorised representative — must appear on the product, its packaging, an accompanying document or the parcel, and marketplaces typically require them in the listing.

Glossary

Authorised Representative

EU Responsible Person · Authorized representative · EU rep

An authorised representative is a person or company established in the EU who is appointed in writing by a manufacturer to carry out specified compliance tasks on its behalf. Under the GPSR and other EU product rules, non-EU sellers often need to appoint one to act as the EU-based "Responsible Person" so their products can be sold legally to EU consumers.

Last updated: June 2026

Key facts

An authorised representative must be established in the EU and is appointed by a written mandate from the manufacturer.
Under the GPSR, every consumer product needs a Responsible Person in the EU — an authorised representative is one way a non-EU seller meets this.
Their core duties include holding documentation, cooperating with market-surveillance authorities, and acting on unsafe products.
Their name and EU contact details must accompany the product, which is what marketplaces ask non-EU sellers to provide.

What an authorised representative does

An authorised representative is the EU-based party that a non-EU manufacturer formally appoints to handle certain regulatory responsibilities inside the EU. The appointment is made through a written mandate that defines exactly which tasks the representative will perform. The representative does not design or make the product; it acts as the manufacturer’s accountable contact point within the EU.

Typical duties include keeping the EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation available to authorities, providing information and cooperation on request, and taking action — including informing authorities — if a product presents a risk. Across several EU product regimes, including the GPSR, this role is what makes a non-EU manufacturer’s products lawfully sellable to EU consumers.

When non-EU sellers need one

The need arises most sharply for sellers based outside the EU. Under the GPSR, no consumer product may be placed on the EU market unless there is an economic operator established in the EU who is responsible for safety tasks — the Responsible Person. If you manufacture or ship from outside the EU and have no EU importer or branch, appointing an authorised representative is a common way to fill that role.

There are usually a few routes to having an EU Responsible Person: an EU-based importer takes on the role, a fulfilment service provider established in the EU does, or the manufacturer appoints an authorised representative under a mandate. Which route fits depends on how you operate. A seller dropshipping or fulfilling directly from outside the EU often has no importer in the chain, which is exactly when an authorised representative becomes the practical answer.

Once appointed, the representative’s name, address and an electronic contact must appear on the product, its packaging, an accompanying document, or the parcel. Marketplaces increasingly require these Responsible Person details to be entered and verified before a listing can go live.

Example

A US-based brand sells homeware directly to EU consumers with no EU importer in the chain. To comply with the GPSR it appoints an EU-based authorised representative under a written mandate. The representative holds the product documentation and acts as the contact for market-surveillance authorities, and its name and EU address are shown on the packaging and in the marketplace listing as the Responsible Person.

Why it matters for marketplace sellers

If you sell into the EU from outside it and have no EU importer or entity, an authorised representative is a common way to obtain the GPSR-required EU Responsible Person.
The representative’s EU contact details must appear on or with the product, and marketplaces ask you to enter and prove them before listings go live.
Appointment is by written mandate that sets out the tasks — it is a formal arrangement, not just naming a contact.
An authorised representative covers product-compliance duties; it is separate from VAT representation, customs representation and packaging registration, which you may also need.