Compliance Checklist

GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation)
Personal Care
France 🇫🇷

Complete checklist for the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR, EU 2023/988) for personal care products on Amazon.fr. Covers DGCCRF requirements, French labeling obligations, CPNP notification, and marketplace duties.

Overview

The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR, Regulation EU 2023/988) has been directly applicable in France since 13 December 2024. The DGCCRF (Direction Generale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Repression des Fraudes) is the central enforcement authority for general product safety, while ANSM (Agence nationale de securite du medicament et des produits de sante) is specifically responsible for cosmetic product safety. Amazon sellers face expanded obligations: contact details on product and packaging in French, risk assessment, technical documentation, and designation of a responsible person in the EU. France is known for strict market surveillance and frequent product controls by the DGCCRF.

Does this apply to my product?

This checklist applies to all economic operators placing personal care products on the French market — manufacturers, importers, and distributors on Amazon.fr. The GPSR supplements the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 with general safety requirements. In France, additional strict requirements of the Code de la consommation regarding French-language labeling apply.

Step-by-Step Guide

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Determine Economic Operator Role and Responsible Person

Determine your role under the GPSR and the Cosmetics Regulation. Obligations differ significantly by role.

Estimated time: 1-2 Tage / 1-2 days

Determine economic operator roleRequired

Manufacturer (fabricant): you produce or have produced under your name/brand. Importer (importateur): you place a non-EU product on the EU market for the first time. Distributor (distributeur): you distribute a product already placed on the EU market. As a private-label seller, you are considered a manufacturer.

Contractual agreements with suppliers and manufacturers

Designate persona responsable under Cosmetics RegulationRequired

Under Art. 4 of the Cosmetics Regulation, a responsible person (personne responsable) based in the EU must be designated. In France, this role is supervised by ANSM. The responsible person is responsible for safety assessment, CPNP notification, and maintaining the Product Information File (PIF). This role can simultaneously cover GPSR obligations.

Designation document of the responsible person

Safety Assessment and CPNP Notification

Ensure product safety per the Cosmetics Regulation and GPSR. For France, ANSM requirements and strict cosmetovigilance monitoring are particularly important.

Estimated time: 3-6 Wochen / 3-6 weeks

Safety assessment per Annex I of the Cosmetics RegulationRequired

Have a safety assessment per Annex I of the Cosmetics Regulation prepared by a qualified safety assessor. The assessment covers: toxicological profile of ingredients, stability testing, microbiological quality, exposure assessment, and risk evaluation. France (ANSM) places particular emphasis on the quality of safety assessments and regularly conducts PIF inspections.

Safety assessment report per Annex I

Complete CPNP notificationRequired

Notify your personal care products in the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) of the European Commission before placing on the French market. CPNP notification includes: product category and name, responsible person, frame formulation, labeling, and product image. In France, ANSM uses CPNP data for cosmetovigilance and poisoning cases.

CPNP notification confirmation

French Labeling Requirements

France has strict requirements for product labeling in French. The Code de la consommation requires all consumer-relevant information to be in French.

Estimated time: 2-4 Wochen / 2-4 weeks

Mandatory information in FrenchRequired

Ensure all following information is provided on the product or packaging in French: product designation/function, INCI ingredient list, usage instructions (mode d'emploi), warnings (mises en garde), name and address of the responsible person, best-before date or PaO symbol (duree d'utilisation apres ouverture), batch/lot number, nominal content. The Code de la consommation (Art. L112-1) requires the French language for all consumer text.

Updated packaging layouts with French labeling

GPSR contact information on packaging and listingRequired

Display GPSR mandatory information on the product or packaging: name and postal address of the manufacturer (fabricant), name and postal address of the importer (importateur) for non-EU manufacturers, name and postal address of the responsible person in the EU (personne responsable), email address or other contact method. These details must also be entered in the Amazon.fr listing.

Technical Documentation and PIF

Create and maintain technical documentation per the GPSR and the Product Information File (PIF/DIP — Dossier d'Information sur le Produit) per the Cosmetics Regulation.

Estimated time: 2-4 Wochen / 2-4 weeks

Create DIP/PIF and store at the responsible person's premisesRequired

The Dossier d'Information sur le Produit (DIP) — the French term for PIF — must be kept at the responsible person's premises and includes: product description, Annex I safety assessment, manufacturing method and GMP compliance declaration (ISO 22716), efficacy evidence (if claims are made), animal testing data (proof of no animal testing). ANSM can request the DIP at any time within 72 hours.

Complete DIP/PIF with all mandatory components

Amazon.fr-Specific GPSR Compliance

Ensure all Amazon.fr-specific GPSR requirements are met.

Estimated time: 1-2 Tage / 1-2 days

Complete GPSR mandatory fields in Amazon listingsRequired

Complete the GPSR mandatory fields in all Amazon.fr product listings: manufacturer contact details (name, address, email), importer contact details (for non-EU manufacturers), EU responsible person, product warnings in French. Since December 2024, Amazon.fr can deactivate listings without this information.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Missing French-language labeling on product and packaging

Consequence: The DGCCRF conducts regular market controls and flags missing French labeling. Fines under the Code de la consommation. Amazon.fr can suspend listings.

Prevention: Display all consumer-relevant text (usage instructions, warnings, ingredients) in French on the product. Professional translation recommended.

No CPNP notification before selling in France

Consequence: Violation of Art. 13 of the Cosmetics Regulation. ANSM and French poison control centers (Centre antipoison) lack access to product data. Fines and market withdrawal.

Prevention: Always complete CPNP notification before placing on the market. The responsible person is responsible for the notification.

DIP/PIF not available at the responsible person's premises

Consequence: ANSM can request the DIP within 72 hours. Failure to produce it leads to fines and may be treated as a serious violation.

Prevention: Keep DIP/PIF at the responsible person's premises (physical or digital). Regularly check for completeness and currency.

Incomplete GPSR contact details in Amazon.fr listing

Consequence: Amazon.fr increasingly deactivates listings without complete manufacturer and importer details since the GPSR introduction.

Prevention: Complete all GPSR mandatory fields in Amazon Seller Central. Regularly check for new requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1Who is the competent authority for personal care products in France?

In France, there are two central authorities: ANSM (Agence nationale de securite du medicament et des produits de sante) is specifically responsible for cosmetic product safety, including cosmetovigilance and DIP inspections. DGCCRF (Direction Generale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Repression des Fraudes) monitors general product safety, labeling, and consumer protection. Both authorities can conduct market controls and impose sanctions.

Q2Can SpaceGoats help with GPSR compliance in France?

Yes. SpaceGoats supports Amazon sellers with complete GPSR and Cosmetics Regulation compliance for France, including coordination of safety assessments, CPNP notification, review of French labeling, and ensuring Amazon listing compliance. France's strict DGCCRF controls make professional support particularly valuable.

Q3What is cosmetovigilance and does it affect me?

Cosmetovigilance is the system for monitoring undesirable effects of cosmetic products. In France, ANSM is the central authority for this. If you become aware of serious undesirable effects (effets indesirables graves) of your personal care products, you must immediately report them to ANSM (Art. 23 Cosmetics Regulation). The responsible person is responsible for reporting. France has one of the most active cosmetovigilance systems in the EU.

Q4Must all product information be in French?

Yes. The Code de la consommation (Art. L112-1) requires all information intended for consumers to be in French. This includes: product designation, usage instructions, warnings, ingredient list (INCI names themselves are international and can remain in Latin/English, but the heading 'Ingredients' and additional explanations must be in French). Additional languages are permitted but do not replace French labeling.

Q5What happens during a DGCCRF inspection of my products?

The DGCCRF conducts regular market controls, including online on Amazon.fr. During an inspection, inspectors check: French-language labeling, presence of all mandatory information, CPNP notification, availability of the DIP/PIF, conformity with the Cosmetics Regulation and the GPSR. Violations can result in warnings, fines, or market withdrawal orders. The DGCCRF publishes annual reports on its control findings.

GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation)Personal CareFrance 🇫🇷