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EU REPRESENTATIVES

Every non-EU supplier needs someone accountable inside Europe

EU law requires a business established in the Union to take responsibility for products made outside it. On Sourced, non-EU suppliers find verified EU representatives, and compliance firms reach the manufacturers who need them.

Find a representativeBecome a partner

THE LAW

Why a non-EU business can't sell into Europe on its own

Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 — Article 4

Market Surveillance Regulation

Products covered by CE-marking laws — machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, radio equipment, toys, PPE, construction products and more — may only be placed on the EU market if an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for them: an EU manufacturer, importer, fulfilment service provider or an authorised representative appointed by written mandate.

Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — GPSR

General Product Safety Regulation

In force since 13 December 2024. It extends the same rule to virtually every non-food consumer product, including goods with no CE marking. The name, postal address and electronic contact of the EU responsible person must appear on the product, its packaging or accompanying documents.

Sector regulations

MDR, IVDR, Cosmetics, PPE and others

High-risk sectors impose stricter duties: medical device representatives share civil liability and need a qualified regulatory person; cosmetics require an EU responsible person registered in the CPNP portal.

The same obligations apply across all 27 member states and, through the EEA agreement, in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Northern Ireland follows EU product rules. This page is general information, not legal advice.

WHAT THEY DO

The four duties of an EU representative

Keeps the technical file

Holds the EU Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation available to authorities for 10 years after the last product is placed on the market.

Official EU contact point

Answers requests from national market surveillance authorities in their language and supplies the documents they ask for.

EU name and address on the label

Lets the non-EU manufacturer print a real EU name and postal address on the product, packaging and customs paperwork.

Incidents and recalls

Informs authorities about risks, cooperates on corrective action and coordinates withdrawals or recalls.

What happens without one

  • —Customs can hold, refuse or destroy shipments with no EU responsible person on the paperwork or label.
  • —Online marketplaces must remove listings that don't show an EU responsible person.
  • —Without one, the European buyer may be treated as the importer and inherit the product liability.
  • —Fines under national GPSR enforcement can reach several percent of annual turnover.

How it works on Sourced

  1. 1. Non-EU suppliers apply through the Non-EU admission route and name their EU representative.
  2. 2. No representative yet? Pick a verified one below and send a mandate request.
  3. 3. The representative agrees terms and a written mandate directly with the supplier.
  4. 4. Our team confirms the mandate before the supplier is listed with a "Represented in the EU" label.
Non-EU supplier admission

DIRECTORY

Verified EU representatives

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FOR COMPLIANCE FIRMS

Partner membership

Representation mandates typically run from €1,500 to €3,500 a year for industrial products, so one or two new clients pay for a full year. Billed in euro, cancel any time. Your listing goes live after our team reviews your EU establishment and insurance.

Apply as an EU representative

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