General product safety regulations: Northern Ireland
Guidance for businesses on Regulation 2023/988.
Applies to Northern Ireland
Documents
Details
From 13 December 2024, there are changes to general product safety rules in Northern Ireland (NI). Many UK businesses that sell goods in NI will already be going further than these requirements and therefore likely to have sufficient arrangements in place to be able to comply with them. The changes are summarised in the factsheet and detailed in the guidance provided above.
Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety superseded the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in NI on 13 December 2024.
This guidance is for businesses placing products on the market in NI. It will assist your understanding of the regulations and includes obligations for manufacturers and their authorised representatives, importers, distributors, fulfilment service providers and the providers of online marketplaces.
The regulations require all consumer products within scope to be safe and applies whether they are new, used, repaired or reconditioned. Assessment of whether a product is safe includes considering aspects of it such as its characteristics, design, technical features, composition, packaging, instructions for assembly and installation, use and maintenance.
The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 continue to apply in Great Britain.
Read guidance on the general product safety regulations: Great Britain