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GPSR vs CE marking: what is the difference?
By Karim El Achaq, founder of EUReady · Last updated: 6 July 2026
- CE marking applies to specific harmonised categories (toys, electronics, machinery, PPE, medical devices) and is the manufacturer's declaration of conformity for those products.
- GPSR is the safety baseline under everything: it covers all consumer products with no harmonised regime of their own and adds the online listing rules on top of CE products too.
- A CE-marked product still needs the GPSR Article 19 listing information (manufacturer, EU responsible person, warnings).
- Putting a CE mark on a non-CE product (a candle, a necklace) is an infringement, not extra safety.
What is the difference between CE marking and GPSR?
CE marking and the GPSR are two different layers of EU law. CE marking belongs to the EU's harmonised legislation: specific directives and regulations for specific categories (toys, electronics, machinery, PPE, medical devices and others). If your product falls in one of those categories, you must meet that law's essential requirements, compile a technical file, sometimes involve a test lab, and affix the CE mark as your declaration of conformity.
The GPSR is the safety baseline underneath everything: it covers all consumer products that have no harmonised regime of their own, and it complements the harmonised ones with general obligations, notably the online listing requirements that apply to CE products too.
Which one applies to your products?
Which one applies depends on your product category. Harmonised categories need CE marking; general goods only need the GPSR; a few categories such as cosmetics have their own regime instead. The split:
CE categories (CE required): toys, electrical and electronic devices, radio and connected devices, PPE (including some face coverings), machinery, pressure equipment, medical devices, construction products, gas appliances.
Non-CE categories (GPSR only): candles, jewelry, bags and leather goods, ceramics and tableware, furniture, stationery, textiles and clothing, pet accessories, most home decor.
Own regime (neither CE nor plain GPSR): cosmetics (Cosmetics Regulation, no CE mark), food, medicines.
What are the three classic mistakes?
The three mistakes we see most: marking non-CE products, assuming CE covers the listing, and assuming no CE means no obligations. Each one gets sellers into trouble.
- Putting CE marks on non-CE products. A CE logo on a candle or a necklace is not extra safety, it is an infringement: the mark may only be affixed where legislation requires it.
- Thinking CE compliance covers the listing. A perfectly CE-marked toy still needs the GPSR Article 19 information on its product page: manufacturer contact, EU responsible person, warnings in the buyer's language.
- Thinking no CE means no obligations. Non-CE products carry the full GPSR burden: safety, traceability, documentation and listing information.
What does this mean for your Shopify store?
Sort your catalog once: which products are CE categories (keep the technical files and declarations in order), which are cosmetics (own regime), and which are general products. Then apply the common denominator to every single listing: the GPSR information block. That last step is the same for all of them, and it is the step EUReady automates across your catalog.
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Frequently asked questions
Is CE marking a quality label?
No. It is the manufacturer's own declaration that the product meets the applicable EU requirements. No authority pre-approves it, but authorities can demand the file behind it at any time.
My supplier put a CE logo on the product. Am I covered?
Only if the Declaration of Conformity and test documentation exist and cover that exact product. A printed logo without the file is a liability, and as the seller placing it on the EU market you carry it.
Do CE products also need an EU responsible person?
Yes. For non-EU manufacturers, harmonised products already required an EU economic operator, and GPSR extends the listing display requirement. In practice: every non-EU seller needs the role, CE or not.
Official sources
This guide is general information for online sellers, based on publicly available EU legislation. It is not legal advice. Regulations evolve and national rules differ: for decisions that matter to your business, confirm with a qualified professional or the official sources linked above.