What is an EU Authorized Representative (EU AR)?

An EU Authorised Representative (EU AR) is an EU-established entity that may act on behalf of a non-EU manufacturer under a written mandate. Whether an EU-based responsible economic operator is required depends on the product, applicable EU legislation and supply chain; an importer or manufacturer may fulfil that role in some cases.

Do Amazon sellers need an EU Authorized Representative?

Not automatically. Whether an Amazon seller needs an EU-based responsible economic operator depends on the product, applicable EU legislation and supply chain. Amazon marketplace policies may request information or documents, but they do not replace EU legal obligations; product-specific assessment is required.

What is a Digital Product Passport (DPP)?

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record containing information about a product's materials, components, repairability, sustainability data, and certifications. Under EU Regulation 2024/1781 (ESPR — Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation), DPPs will be mandatory for batteries from February 2027, and for textiles, electronics, and other categories in subsequent years.

What is GPSR and when did it come into effect?

GPSR stands for General Product Safety Regulation (EU 2023/988). It replaced the older General Product Safety Directive and came into full effect on December 13, 2024. It applies to all physical consumer products sold in the EU, including products sold through online marketplaces by non-EU sellers.

When is the battery passport mandatory in the EU?

Battery passports become mandatory in the EU from February 18, 2027, under EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542. All industrial batteries, EV batteries, and LMT batteries above 2 kWh placed on the EU market must have a Digital Product Passport (DPP) accessible via a QR code.

Do Etsy sellers need an EU Authorized Representative?

The applicable EU requirement depends on the product, applicable legislation, supply-chain role and available evidence. GPSR may be relevant for covered consumer products. A responsible economic operator may be required in some cases, while an EU-established manufacturer or importer may fulfil the applicable role. Etsy marketplace requests do not replace product-specific EU legal assessment.

What is the difference between a GPSR Responsible Person and an EU Authorized Representative?

A GPSR Responsible Person under Regulation (EU) 2023/988 and an EU Authorised Representative are distinct legal concepts. Under GPSR, the applicable role is the Responsible Person. Some marketplaces may use different terminology in their interfaces, but this does not make the legal roles equivalent.

Etsy Shop Suspended for GPSR / Economic Operator Non-Compliance — How to Reinstate

Finding your Etsy shop suspended is one of the most stressful situations a seller can face. If the suspension is related to GPSR compliance or a missing Economic Operator, the good news is that it is almost always reversible — provided you take the right steps in the right order.

This guide explains exactly what to do, what to submit, and how long the reinstatement process typically takes.

Why Etsy Suspends Shops for GPSR Non-Compliance

Etsy is legally required under the EU Digital Services Act and the General Product Safety Regulation to ensure that sellers who qualify as "traders" comply with EU product safety rules. When Etsy identifies a seller who sells physical products to EU customers, qualifies as a commercial trader, has not designated an EU Economic Operator, and has not added required safety information to listings — Etsy may restrict listings, send compliance warnings, or in persistent cases, suspend the shop entirely.

Step 1: Understand the Reason for Suspension

When Etsy suspends a shop, they send an email to the registered email address explaining the reason. Check your inbox and spam folder for a message from support@etsy.com or noreply@etsy.com, a banner on your Etsy Dashboard when you log in, or a notification in Shop Manager → Legal and taxes.

The suspension notice will specify whether the issue is missing Economic Operator information (shop-level), missing GPSR safety information on listings (listing-level), or a combination of both.

Step 2: Appoint an EU Authorised Representative

If you do not yet have an EU-based Economic Operator (Authorised Representative), this is the first thing to resolve. You cannot complete the reinstatement process without one.

An EU Authorised Representative must be physically located in an EU member state, be willing to act as your official contact point for EU product safety authorities, hold your product technical documentation on file, and sign a written service agreement with you.

Once you have appointed a representative, they will provide you with their legal name, EU postal address, and contact email.

Step 3: Add the Economic Operator to Your Shop

With your representative details in hand:

Log in to Etsy and go to Shop Manager → Settings → Partners you work with
Select Add economic operator
Enter the name, EU address, and contact email of your Authorised Representative
Save the information

Step 4: Update Your Listings with GPSR Safety Information

For each physical product listing that is sold to EU customers, you must also add product-level safety information:

Open the listing in Shop Manager → Listings
Find the Product safety section
Add the relevant safety warnings for your product category
Add manufacturer information if applicable
Save the listing

This step must be completed for every affected listing, not just one.

Step 5: Contact Etsy Support to Request Reinstatement

Once you have completed Steps 2 through 4, contact Etsy Support to request reinstatement:

Go to Help Centre → Contact Support
Select My account was suspended
Explain that you have now added your Economic Operator information and updated your listings with GPSR safety data
Provide the name of your EU Authorised Representative as confirmation

Etsy typically reviews reinstatement requests within 3 to 7 business days.

How to Prevent Future Suspensions

Once reinstated, update your Economic Operator information if your representative changes, add GPSR safety information to all new listings before publishing them, keep your technical documentation up to date and accessible to your representative, and monitor Etsy policy updates as GPSR enforcement is ongoing.

Need an EU Authorised Representative urgently to reinstate your Etsy shop? AuraDPP offers same-day EU AR setup for non-EU sellers.