Guidance for importing products

What obligation do businesses have when importing products?

This guidance is for businesses importing products into the EU from countries outside the EU (including GB).

The CCPC is the market surveillance authority for the following product areas to which this guidance relates:

• Consumer products falling within the General Product Safety Regulation
• Products subject to the following specific harmonisation legislation:
  • Toy Safety Directive
  • Low Voltage Directive
  • Personal Protective Equipment Directive (Consumer use only)
  • Appliances Burning Gaseous Fuels Directive (Domestic appliances only)

When are you an importer?

You are an importer if you:

• Bring a product from outside the EU (including GB) into the EU, and
• make it available on the EU market through sale, distribution or free supply.  

Importer responsibilities apply before placing the product on the market and throughout the products lifecycle. 

What are your responsibilities before placing a product on the market?

Prior to placing the product on the EU market (entering the EU supply chain), you must ensure that:

Where a product is subject to harmonisation legislation, the manufacturer has:

• carried out the appropriate conformity assessment.
• drawn up the required technical documentation.
• issued a valid EU Declaration of conformity.

Where no harmonisation legislation applies, the product is safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use and that the manufacturer has:

• Conducted an internal risk analysis.
• Drawn up the required technical documentation.

CE Marking

For products subject to harmonisation legislation:

• The product must bear the CE marking.
• The marking must be visible, legible and correctly affixed.

Instructions, warnings and consumer information

You must ensure:

• Products are accompanied by clear instructions and safety information.
• Mandatory warnings are included where required.

Identification of Economic Operators

You must ensure that:

• The manufacturer’s name and address are provided and where relevant an electronic address.
• Your importer name and postal address are indicated on the product, packaging or an accompanying document. where marking on the product is not possible and where relevant an electronic address.  

Storage and Transport

You must ensure that:

• Storage and transport conditions do no compromise product safety or compliance.
• Products remain in conformity while under the importer’s responsibility.

What are the regulatory requirements for products?

The requirements are summarised below:  

Post importation

Importers must:

• Monitor the safety and compliance of products placed on the market
• Immediately carry out corrective actions if they have reason to believe that a product is unsafe or non-compliant
• Withdraw or recall products where necessary
• Inform the CCPC without delay if a product presents a risk
• Cooperate fully with the CCPC
• Keep relevant compliance and safety documentation for 10 years and make them available to the CCPC upon request:
  • EU Declaration of Conformity (if applicable)
  • Technical Documentation
• Maintain supply chain records which identify who supplied them and who they supplied the product to.

Customs controls and market surveillance

Products imported into Ireland may be referred by Revenue Customs to the CCPC for compliance and safety checks. To ensure the products comply, the CCPC may do the following:

• Inspect the products
• Request the importer to provide documentation to demonstrate safety and compliance
• Request supply chain information
• Carry our risk assessments or testing

The CCPC will determine:

• whether products may be released.
• whether products require corrective actions.
• whether products must be prevented from entering the market.
  

View the relevant legislation