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Selling to the EU from outside in 2026: the complete compliance checklist

By Karim El Achaq, founder of EUReady · Last updated: 6 July 2026

What does a non-EU store legally need to sell to EU consumers in 2026?

Five things: correct customs handling for every parcel, VAT collection (usually via IOSS), GPSR information displayed on every product listing, an EU-based responsible person for your products, and packaging EPR registration in the countries you ship to. Miss one layer and the result is parcels stuck at customs, delisted products or fines, depending on which layer is missing.

The table below is the full map. Each layer links to a detailed guide.

The 10-step checklist, in the right order

1. List the EU countries you actually ship to. Every obligation below scales with that list, so shrink it to the markets that matter before you start.
2. Gather manufacturer information for every product: name, postal address, email. If you make the products, that is you. If you resell, it is your supplier.
3. Appoint an EU responsible person. If neither you nor your manufacturer is established in the EU, you need one before you can legally sell. Services cost roughly 150 to 500 euros per year. Their name and contact details go on your listings and labels.
4. Write warnings and safety information per product, in a language buyers of each target country easily understand. Requirements differ by category: see our product page checklist.
5. Put all of it on every product page. On Shopify this is done with metafields plus a theme block so the information renders on each listing. This is the part EUReady automates end to end.
6. Match your physical labels to your pages. The same GPSR information must travel with the product (on the item, packaging or an accompanying document).
7. Register for packaging EPR where you ship. Germany (LUCID register, before your first sale) and France (eco-organisation + ADEME unique identifier) are the two enforced hardest today. From 12 August 2026, expect verification to spread to every EU country under the PPWR.
8. Sort out VAT. Register for IOSS via an intermediary and collect VAT at checkout on orders up to 150 euros.
9. Decide your duty strategy. Since 1 July 2026 every parcel owes duty. Either collect duties at checkout (best buyer experience) or warn customers clearly that the carrier will collect charges on delivery.
10. Put review dates in your calendar. The rules keep moving: bookmark our EU compliance deadlines calendar for what hits in 2026, 2027 and beyond.

Which layer should you fix first?

GPSR product page information, because it is the layer marketplaces and authorities check first and the one buyers can see. Amazon and eBay already delist listings with missing GPSR data, and the same information feeds your labels. Then packaging EPR for Germany and France, then the customs and VAT mechanics.

A store that shows manufacturer details, a responsible person and clear warnings on every listing signals to every checker (customs, marketplace, authority, customer) that the rest of the house is in order.

Is it still worth selling to the EU?

For most stores, yes. The EU is roughly 450 million consumers, and the sellers who stay compliant inherit the customers of the sellers who leave. The cost side is real but bounded: a responsible person subscription, EPR registrations in your top markets, a few hours of catalog work (or an app that does it), and slightly higher landed costs since July 2026. The sellers who lose are the ones who ignore the rules until a parcel is blocked or a listing is taken down in the middle of Q4.

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.