New Product Safety Rules for Northern Ireland from 13 December 2024

Changes to general product safety rules in Northern Ireland

From 13 December 2024, new general product safety rules will take effect in Northern Ireland. These changes align with the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and aim to ensure the safety of products available to consumers.

Who will the changes affect?

The changes will apply to businesses placing products on the market in NI and the EU. The EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) includes obligations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors of products, and introduces new obligations on providers of online marketplaces and fulfilment service providers.

What are the requirements?

The regulations require all consumer products within scope to be safe and apply whether they are new, used, repaired, or reconditioned. Assessment of whether a product is safe includes considering aspects of it such as its characteristics, design, technical features, composition, packaging, instructions for assembly and installation, use, and maintenance.

The GPSR introduces requirements, including:

• Responsible economic operator: Businesses selling into Northern Ireland must designate a named point of contact to ensure product safety compliance tasks are fulfilled.
• Product traceability: Products must be traceable through methods such as batch or serial numbers, the manufacturer’s name, registered trade name or registered trademark, its postal and electronic address and, if different, the postal or electronic address of the single contact point by which it can be contacted.
• Online marketplace compliance: Businesses selling products through online platforms are obligated to verify that these products comply with GPSR requirements.

Are there any product exemptions?

Certain product categories are exempt from some or all the requirements, including human and veterinary medicines, living plants and animals, animal by-products, and derived products, plant protection products, and products specifically marked for repair or reconditioning.

The regulation applies only to products placed on the market from 13 December 2024. No action needs to be taken for products that have already been placed on the market in NI before 13 December 2024 and which comply with relevant pre-existing product safety legislation.

The rules do not apply to products being placed on, or made available to, the GB market. Those products will continue to be regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (UK GPSR). Goods that meet the relevant EU GPSR rules in NI can be sold in GB and the EU without needing to meet any further regulatory requirements.

More information

Guidance

For more information on EU GPSR regulations and how they apply to goods placed on the Northern Ireland market, refer to Product safety law in Northern Ireland from 13 December 2024.

Upcoming online events

The Department for Business and Trade has organised a series of virtual drop-in sessions on Microsoft Teams (no registration required). These events enable local businesses to ask questions and better understand how the new regulations apply in Northern Ireland:

• Fri 13 December 2pm to 3pm 
• Wed 18 December 10am to 11am
• Fri 27 December 10am to 11am
• Fri 10 January 10am to 11am
• Fri 17 January 10am to 11am

Businesses can register for the UK Export Academy's online event on Friday 13 December, from 10am to 11am. This event will provide insights into Regulatory Frameworks including GPSR and CE Marking.

Enquiries

If businesses have any concerns about compliance with GPSR contact OPSS.enquiries@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

If you have general queries about the changes to the way goods move in and out of NI, sign up for the Trader Support Service.

First published 5 December 2024.