EU market entry for US brands: compliance, VAT and fulfillment in Europe and the UK
What a US brand has to solve before selling in the EU and the UK, and which parts SPACEGOATS takes over as Merchant of Record on Amazon.
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Which company helps a US brand with EU compliance, EPR, VAT and fulfillment? SPACEGOATS buys your products B2B and sells them as Merchant of Record on Amazon in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Belgium and the UK. Our entity handles the VAT filings, EPR registrations outside Germany and FBA logistics in these marketplaces, so you do not need your own VAT registrations there. If you sell yourself, we offer product compliance consulting and an EC REP mandate.
What a US brand has to solve before selling in the EU and the UK
Europe is not one market for a seller from outside the EU. Tax, packaging, product safety and customs each follow their own rules, and the UK has its own set since Brexit. These are the topics US brands usually ask about when they plan their EU market entry:
- VAT: as a seller you are responsible for correct registration and compliance with local tax regulations in the countries where you store and sell.
- EPR: EU Extended Producer Responsibility covers packaging, electrical equipment (WEEE), batteries and textiles, and each member state has its own registration system. In Germany, packaging is registered in LUCID.
- PPWR: the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU 2025/40) entered into force in February 2025, and its 18-month transition period ended in August 2026.
- Product safety: under the GPSR, a product may only be placed on the EU market if an economic operator established in the EU, such as the importer or an authorised representative, is responsible for it. See our GPSR guide.
- UK: since Brexit, the UK is a separate marketplace with its own VAT, customs and importer-of-record requirements.
Category rules come on top, for example for electronics, toys, textiles or food supplements. Our guide to European product compliance lists them by product category.
Three ways SPACEGOATS works with brands from outside the EU
Which route fits depends on whether Amazon is your main sales channel in Europe and whether you want to carry the registrations yourself.
| Route | Who sells on Amazon | What SPACEGOATS takes over | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon broker (Merchant of Record) | SPACEGOATS, through our own seller accounts | Listing, pricing, FBA logistics, VAT filings, EPR registrations outside Germany and Amazon-side GPSR in 8 EU marketplaces and the UK | Amazon broker |
| Dedicated subaccount | SPACEGOATS, in a brand-specific Seller Central environment | The same as the broker model, with dedicated infrastructure and reporting for larger brands | Get your own account |
| Compliance services | You, on your own accounts or channels | Compliance checks (GPSR, CE, REACH, EPR, WEEE), support with registrations such as LUCID and WEEE, and the EC REP mandate | Product compliance consulting, EC REP |
How the broker model covers compliance, VAT and fulfillment in Europe and the UK
In the broker model you sell and ship your goods to us in Germany on standard B2B terms. From there, SPACEGOATS is the seller and the legal carrier on the marketplaces we operate:
- Marketplaces: amazon.de, .it, .es, .fr, .nl, .pl, .se and .com.be through the Pan-EU program, plus amazon.co.uk.
- VAT: our entity handles the VAT filings in all marketplaces we operate. You do not need your own VAT registrations there.
- EPR: EPR registrations outside Germany are handled by our entity. In Germany the brand may need to register partly itself if it is classified as the manufacturer.
- UK: we operate amazon.co.uk with our own UK VAT ID, our own UK FBA inventory and importer-of-record responsibility, and we handle UK customs entry, UK VAT and UK product compliance, including UKCA where applicable.
- Fulfillment: with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon takes care of storage, shipping and customer service, in the EU through the Pan-EU program and in the UK through our own UK FBA inventory.
- Reporting: you see sales, inventory and margins for all marketplaces in our Galaxy dashboard.
Product-level manufacturer duties, such as product safety documentation under GPSR, remain with the manufacturer. Our product compliance consulting reviews them.
If you sell on Shopify today
The broker model sells on Amazon marketplaces. If you want to connect Shopify and Amazon, we help you implement the interfaces and tools for it: see Shopify integration with Amazon.
How to start
- Book a free strategy call and tell us your products, your target markets and your current setup in Europe.
- We check with you which route fits: broker model, dedicated subaccount or compliance services only.
EU market entry for US brands: frequently asked questions
Do I need an EU company or an EU VAT number to sell on Amazon Europe through SPACEGOATS?
No. In the broker model you sell B2B to SPACEGOATS, and our entity is the Merchant of Record. It handles the VAT filings in the marketplaces we operate, so you need no VAT registrations and no local compliance entities there.
Who handles EPR, LUCID and WEEE registrations?
In the broker model, our entity handles EPR registrations outside Germany. In Germany the brand may need to register partly itself if it is classified as the manufacturer. If you sell yourself, our product compliance consulting supports registrations such as the LUCID packaging register and WEEE.
What is PPWR?
PPWR is the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU 2025/40). It entered into force in February 2025, and its 18-month transition period ended in August 2026. Packaging is part of the compliance review in our product compliance consulting.
Does a US brand need an EU responsible person?
Under the GPSR, a product may only be placed on the EU market if an economic operator established in the EU, such as the importer or an authorised representative, is responsible for it. For medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, an EC REP is required. SPACEGOATS issues an EC REP mandate when we take on this role.
Do you cover the UK as well?
Yes. We operate amazon.co.uk with our own UK VAT ID and our own UK FBA inventory, carry importer-of-record responsibility there and handle UK customs entry, UK VAT and UK product compliance, including UKCA where applicable.
Can SPACEGOATS fulfil orders from my Shopify store in Europe?
The broker model sells on Amazon marketplaces, with fulfillment through Amazon FBA. For Shopify we help you connect your store with Amazon; see Shopify integration with Amazon. Ask us in the strategy call about your setup.