Compliance Checklist

GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation)
Automotive
Italy 🇮🇹

Complete GPSR compliance checklist for automotive accessories on Amazon.it: distinction from E-mark approval, EU responsible person, Italy's new sanctions regime under Legislative Decree 78/2026, costs and typical mistakes.

Overview

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR, Regulation (EU) 2023/988) has been in effect since December 13, 2024, and is the central safety framework for automotive accessories and non-safety-critical automotive products on Amazon.it. Important: the GPSR covers general automotive accessories - phone holders, organizers, seat covers, floor mats, car care products, interior accessories. Safety-critical vehicle parts such as brake pads, tyres, child seats, or lighting with an E-mark are subject to separate EU type-approval regulations (ECE/UNECE regulations) and are NOT primarily regulated by the GPSR. Italy only caught up its national sanctions regime on 16 May 2026: Legislative Decree No. 78 of 8 April 2026 (Official Gazette No. 111 of 15.05.2026) completely rewrote and tightened Art. 112 of the Consumer Code (Legislative Decree 206/2005). The Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy (MIMIT) coordinates market surveillance; since the decree, customs authority ADM and the Guardia di Finanza get direct access to the EU Safety Gate rapid alert system, which particularly affects imported automotive accessories.

Does this apply to my product?

The GPSR applies to all non-type-approval automotive products sold to consumers on Amazon.it: car phone holders, organisers and storage, seat covers, floor mats (universal and custom-fit), car care products (cleaners, polishes, care products), sun shades and privacy screens, steering wheel covers, boot mats, charging cables and USB adapters, air fresheners, ice scrapers and snow brushes. NOT covered by the GPSR (but by ECE type-approval): brake pads, tyres, child seats, headlights/tail lights with E-mark, seat belts, airbag components.

Step-by-Step Guide

Progress0/13 (0%)

Classify product category: GPSR vs. ECE type-approval

Check whether your automotive product falls under the GPSR or requires a separate ECE/E-mark. Wrong classification can have serious legal consequences.

Estimated time: 1-2 Tage

Product classified as GPSR-relevant or requiring type-approvalRequired

GPSR products: accessories with no impact on vehicle safety (phone holders, seat covers, floor mats, organisers, care products). ECE-required products: everything affecting vehicle safety (brakes, lighting, tyres, child seats) - these need E-mark approval under UNECE regulations. Grey area: roof boxes, tow bar accessories, LED interior lighting - seek legal advice if in doubt.

Own role as economic operator determinedRequired

Manufacturer: develops or has products made under own name. Importer: places products from outside the EU on the market. Distributor: resells without manufacturing/importing. Fulfilment service provider: stores and ships (Amazon FBA). Each role has specific GPSR obligations.

Designate EU Responsible Person and conduct risk assessment

The GPSR requires a Responsible Person in the EU (Art. 16) for non-EU manufacturers and a risk assessment that considers automotive-specific hazards.

Estimated time: 3-7 Tage

Responsible Person in the EU designated (Art. 16 GPSR)Required

Required when the manufacturer is based outside the EU and no EU importer is available. The Responsible Person must be stated on the product or packaging with name, postal address and email, and must be able to present the technical documentation on request from the competent Italian market surveillance authority.

Mandate agreement with the responsible person in the EU

Risk analysis with automotive-specific hazards completedRequired

Automotive-specific risks: distraction risk from phone holders restricting the field of view, slip risk from floor mats blocking pedals, chemical risks from car care products (fumes, skin contact), fire risk from sun shades/films under sun exposure, choking risk from small parts in car accessories in vehicles with children.

Written risk analysis evaluating all identified hazards

Create technical documentation and traceability

The GPSR requires technical documentation containing the complete safety evidence, to be retained for 10 years after placing on the market.

Estimated time: 3-5 Tage

Technical documentation compiledRequired

Content: product description, material specifications, risk analysis, test reports (material testing, load tests), production controls, photos, user instructions. For car care products additionally: Safety Data Sheet (SDS), CLP-compliant labelling.

Technical documentation as a coherent dossier

Traceability ensured (batch number, product identification)Required

Each product must be uniquely identifiable: model designation, batch or serial number, manufacturer details. Since Legislative Decree 78/2026, customs authority ADM and the Guardia di Finanza also have direct access to Safety Gate - imported goods without clean traceability are flagged faster at border controls.

Apply labelling and consumer information in Italian

All mandatory information must be applied to the product or packaging. For the Italian market, safety instructions in Italian are mandatory (Art. 104 Consumer Code, in the version aligned with the GPSR since 16.05.2026).

Estimated time: 2-4 Tage

Contact details of manufacturer/Responsible Person on product or packagingRequired

Name, registered trade name or trademark, postal address and electronic contact (email, URL or phone). For importers: additionally importer details.

Safety and usage instructions mandatory in Italian languageRequired

Art. 104 of the Consumer Code requires economic operators to ensure any warning or safety information is provided clearly visible in Italian. Particularly important for car accessories: mounting instructions for phone holders (do not mount in field of view), installation notes for floor mats (use securing hooks, check pedal clearance), warnings for chemical products (CLP pictograms, hazard statements H/P phrases in Italian), load limits for organisers and storage.

Safety instructions and user manual in Italian language

Warnings for foreseeable misuseRequired

Typical misuse in the automotive sector: floor mats without securing that slide under pedals, phone holders on windshield blocking field of view, car care chemicals used without gloves, sun shade not removed before driving.

Set up reporting obligations and corrective measures

The GPSR obliges all economic operators to inform authorities about safety defects and take corrective measures. Since Legislative Decree 78/2026, non-cooperation is itself a separate administrative offence.

Estimated time: 1-2 Tage

Internal complaints register and recall procedure establishedRequired

Maintain a register of customer complaints, returns due to safety concerns and defective products. Define a process for recalls and market withdrawals. Report to the EU Safety Business Gateway for serious risks (Safety Gate/RAPEX), coordinated by MIMIT.

Contact point for authorities and consumers establishedRequired

Set up an accessible contact point (email or phone) for product safety inquiries from Italian authorities and consumers. This must be stated in the technical documentation and on the product/packaging.

Complete Amazon.it listing with GPSR mandatory fields

Since December 2024, GPSR mandatory information must be entered in Amazon Seller Central. Missing data can lead to listing suspension.

Estimated time: 1-2 Tage

GPSR mandatory fields in Amazon Seller Central completedRequired

Mandatory information in Seller Central: manufacturer name and address, name and address of the Responsible Person in the EU (if manufacturer outside EU), email or website for contact, warnings and product safety information in Italian.

Compliance documents prepared for AmazonRequired

Keep technical documentation, test reports and Safety Data Sheets if applicable ready. Amazon may request these during compliance checks.

Technical documentation + test reports as PDF in Seller Central

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing general car accessories with safety-critical vehicle parts

Consequence: If a product is incorrectly treated only under GPSR when it needs ECE type-approval (e.g. LED replacement bulbs for headlights), market bans, confiscation and fines are possible. Conversely, unnecessary E-mark certification leads to avoidable costs of 10,000+ EUR.

Prevention: Check above all whether your product affects vehicle safety. Floor mats, phone holders, seat covers = GPSR. Brake pads, headlights, tyres = ECE. If in doubt: seek advice from a specialised compliance service provider.

Dangerous product placed on the market despite the tightened sanctions regime

Consequence: Under the newly rewritten Art. 112 of the Consumer Code (Legislative Decree 78/2026, in force since 16.05.2026), placing dangerous products on the market carries 6 months to 1 year of arrest AND a fine of EUR 10,000 to 100,000 - increasable by up to half for serious risk. The territorially competent Chambers of Commerce (Camere di Commercio) additionally impose their own administrative sanctions for failing to cooperate with authorities.

Prevention: Complete the risk analysis and technical documentation in full before the first sale, and respond promptly to any request from an Italian market surveillance authority - since 2026, non-cooperation is itself a separate, additional sanction.

Floor mats sold without securing system and warning

Consequence: Unsecured floor mats can slide under pedals and cause accidents. This is a well-known and serious safety risk that can trigger Safety Gate notifications and recalls.

Prevention: Equip floor mats with securing hooks or anti-slip coating. Add clear warnings in Italian: mat must be secured, check pedal clearance after installation, do not stack multiple mats.

Missing Italian language version on safety and warning information

Consequence: Violation of Art. 104 of the Consumer Code. The competent market surveillance authority can flag products and have them removed from the market. Amazon Italy increasingly rejects listings with exclusively non-Italian warnings.

Prevention: All consumer-relevant information (mounting instructions, warnings, manufacturer details) must appear in Italian on the product or packaging. Multilingual labels are permissible.

Forgetting CLP labelling for car care products

Consequence: Car care products (cleaners, polishes, de-icers) are often chemical mixtures falling under the CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. Missing hazard pictograms, H and P statements and signal words violate EU chemical law and can lead to listing suspensions.

Prevention: Create a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each chemical car care product and label the packaging CLP-compliant with pictograms, signal word, H and P statements in Italian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1What changed for automotive accessories in Italy under Legislative Decree 78/2026?

Legislative Decree 78/2026 (in force since 16.05.2026) completely rewrote Art. 112 of the Consumer Code to align it with the GPSR. The main change is the combination of arrest (6 months to 1 year) AND a fine (EUR 10,000-100,000) for placing dangerous products on the market, plus separate administrative sanctions for failing to cooperate with authorities. Sanctions are imposed by the territorially competent Chamber of Commerce.

Q2Do car care products (cleaners, polishes) also fall under the GPSR?

Yes, car care products fall under the GPSR as general consumer products. Additionally, they must also comply with the CLP Regulation (chemical substance labelling) and the REACH Regulation (chemical registration). This means: GPSR obligations (Responsible Person, traceability) PLUS CLP-compliant labelling with hazard pictograms and H/P statements in Italian PLUS a Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

Q3Who checks GPSR compliance for imported automotive accessories in Italy?

MIMIT (Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy) coordinates market surveillance centrally. Since Legislative Decree 78/2026, customs authority ADM and the Guardia di Finanza also have direct access to the EU Safety Gate rapid alert system - this catches imported automotive accessories directly at the border, not only later during a market inspection.

Q4What happens if Amazon suspends my car accessory listing due to missing GPSR data?

First complete all missing GPSR mandatory fields in Seller Central: manufacturer data, Responsible Person, contact information and Italian-language warnings. Upload the technical documentation as PDF. Then create a Plan of Action and submit it to Amazon. Typically the listing is reactivated within a few days after complete data entry.

GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation)AutomotiveItaly 🇮🇹

Classify product category: GPSR vs. ECE type-approval

Designate EU Responsible Person and conduct risk assessment

Create technical documentation and traceability

Apply labelling and consumer information in Italian

Set up reporting obligations and corrective measures

Complete Amazon.it listing with GPSR mandatory fields

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