Personal Protective Equipment – EU Safety Rules & Authorized Representative Services
Ensure your PPE products comply with EU safety regulations through EARP’s reliable Authorized Representative services.
Access the EU with compliant PPE
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes items like gardening gloves, sports helmets, DIY safety eyewear, and other products designed to protect individuals from everyday risks. These products help reduce injuries from cuts, impact, debris, or environmental hazards during home projects or recreational activities.
In the EU, PPE is carefully regulated to ensure it provides real, reliable protection to consumers. Products designed to protect users against health or safety risks typically require CE marking under the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425, which sets clear requirements for testing, documentation, and traceability. For consumer items that resemble PPE but do not provide substantial protection, the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR) may apply instead.
Non-EU brands selling PPE in Europe must understand these rules to avoid customs holds, online delistings, or enforcement action. EARP specializes in helping manufacturers meet EU obligations for consumer safety gear, ensuring products are properly documented, labeled, and legally sold across European markets.
What you can expect
You should expect scrutiny on conformity-assessment fit (wrong category/module), certificate scope vs. the exact SKU/variant, materials chemistry (PAHs/phthalates/azo dyes/nickel on skin-contact parts), mechanical integrity (seams, straps, closures) and, for electronic PPE, battery/charging and software updates that can alter safety behaviour. It is critical to align certificates, test evidence and labeling to the product as sold; keep your instructions complete and in the right languages.
What products are covered?
PPE includes any item worn or used by individuals to reduce everyday health or safety risks during home, DIY, gardening, or sports activities. Examples include:
Sports helmets and protective visors for cycling or skating
Gardening gloves and DIY work gloves
Safety eyewear for home improvement projects
Knee and elbow pads for recreational use
UV-protective sunglasses or sun visors
Simple face coverings or earplugs for personal comfort
Products offering real protective function typically require CE marking under the PPE Regulation. Accessories that resemble PPE but do not provide certified protection may instead fall under the GPSR requirements for clear labeling, traceability, and safe use documentation.
Relevant Legislation
Disclaimer: This list is not exhaustive and may not apply to all products; manufacturers must identify all applicable EU requirements.
What the PPE Regulation requires in practice
Create and maintain a technical file that explains your design, hazards and mitigations, supported by relevant tests/standards. Determine your PPE category:
- Category I (simple risks) — internal assessment and DoC.
- Category II — EU-type examination by a notified body.
- Category III — EU-type examination plus ongoing surveillance (Module C2 testing on samples or Module D QA auditing).
Affix CE marking, provide the EU DoC, and include instructions/labeling in the language(s) of each Member State where you sell.
How GPSR overlays PPE
The GPSR expects a living technical file with a working complaint and accident process, traceability, and a clearly indicated EU responsible person. If a dangerous product or an accident is identified, notify authorities without undue delay via the Safety Business Gateway and keep the risk assessment file aligned with corrective measures.
Do you need an EU Authorized Representative?
Yes. If you are a non-EU manufacturer and no importer, distributor, or fulfillment partner has formally agreed to act as your Responsible Person, you must appoint an EU-based Authorized Representative. This is required under Article 10 of the GPSR and also enforced under the PPE Regulation for CE-marked products.
This requirement is particularly critical for consumer PPE, as these products are scrutinized for safety labeling, traceability, and clear user instructions. Appointing an Authorized Representative ensures your products meet these obligations, avoiding customs holds, platform delistings, or enforcement penalties.
We can act as your Authorized Representative and your EU-based Responsible Person. Find out who we are.
Helpful ArticleWhy choose EARP as your EU Representative
EARP specializes in supporting consumer PPE manufacturers to meet EU obligations while maintaining flexibility in sales channels. Our services include:
- Acting as your official EU contact point for safety and compliance inquiries
- Authorizing the use of EARP’s EU contact details on packaging, instructions, or online listings
- Holding and making available technical documentation and Declarations of Conformity for CE-marked PPE
- Verifying labeling and user instructions for consumer PPE products, ensuring age suitability and protective claims are accurate
- Managing accident reporting and cooperating with EU authorities during investigations
- Notifying authorities of serious risks if the manufacturer does not act
- Supporting consumer safety communications, recalls, or field corrections where needed
- Providing templates and guidance materials to support minimum compliance documentation upon request
We keep roles clear, coordinate with authorities, and help your team keep documentation, labelling and post-market actions aligned, so you can sell confidently across the EU. Read more about EARP’s representation services.
We provide these services independently of your importer or distributor, giving you flexibility while meeting strict EU safety compliance expectations.
FAQs – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
If your product is marketed to protect users from risks like impacts or cuts, it likely falls under the PPE Regulation and needs CE marking. Accessories that look protective but offer minimal real safety may fall under the GPSR instead.
Yes. CE marking does not remove your obligation to appoint an AR under the GPSR or to maintain clear labeling and documentation for market surveillance.
Yes. The GPSR and PPE Regulation both cover distance sales. EARP can act as your AR even if you sell exclusively online
Yes. Unless the 3PL explicitly agrees to take on regulatory responsibilities, you remain required to appoint an AR (Article 4(1), GPSR).
