New Legislation Impacts Games Sales to the European Union

New EU legislation coming into force in December is causing concern in the tabletop games industry, particularly smaller companies based in the UK. The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which goes into effect on 13 December 2024, is part of the EU’s product safety framework. For the most part it’s an update to existing legislation, however a new requirement for contact details on packaging is proving problematic.

Under the new legislation, product packaging is required to display a name, email and postal address. Businesses within the EU can simply put down their own contact details, however those selling direct to customers from outside of the EU are required to have an authorised representative (AR) within the EU. The AR is responsible for fulfilling the seller’s obligations under EU law, particularly those relating to health and safety such as issuing recalls and keeping risk assessment paperwork on hand. While there are firms offering AR services, a lack of authoritative information is complicating matters, as these companies — which have a financial incentive in acquiring clients who will pay for these services — are the most prominent source for GPSR information other than the public listing for the legislation itself. Quotes shared with Rascal have ranged from £300 a year to over £3000, depending on the exact nature and number of different products to be covered.