Process Stages

When you enquire, we will ask you when you need our representation to start.

For all products that you export to distributors in the EU or GB, an Authorised Representative has been required since 1st January 2021 (or before for non-European products.) This applies to all products covered by CE and UKCA-marking as well as general products). This avoids distributors having to take on extra obligations. See links to the EU  and UK guidance.

If you only sell products directly to end users an Authorised Representative became mandatory on 16th July 2021. This is when The Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 came into force. The regulation states that products may be placed on the EU market only if there is an Economic Operator established in the EU who is responsible for certain tasks.

We will also ask for details of the range and types of products you would like us to represent. This will give us an understanding of which legislation applies to your products.
General products are usually low-risk and this is reflected in our price.

These are the ‘Obligations of importers’, that are not ‘Obligations of distributors’ listed in chapter II of EU and UK product legislation and explained in the EU’s Blue Guide:

• Ensure the manufacturer has:
  • carried out the appropriate conformity assessment procedure;
  • drawn up the appropriate technical documentation
  • affixed the relevant conformity marking (e.g. CE marking);
  • fulfilled their traceability obligations;
  • provided product instructions and safety information in the right languages;
• Provide a European name and address which can be placed on the product, its packaging or accompanying documentation;
• Keep a copy of the products declaration of conformity;
• Ensure technical documentation can be made available to the competent national authority upon request.

Obligations of Responsible Economic Operators such as Authorised Representatives, taken from Regulation (EU) 2019/1020

• Verify that the EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation have been drawn up and can be made available to market surveillance authorities upon request;
• Further to a reasoned request from a market surveillance authority, providing that authority with all information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the product in a language which can be easily understood by that authority;
• When having reason to believe that a product in question presents a risk, informing the market surveillance authorities thereof;
• Making sure, by liaising with the manufacturer, that the immediate, necessary, corrective action is taken to remedy any case of non-compliance in a product, when required to do so by the market surveillance authorities;
• Indicating their name and contact details, including the postal address to be on the product or on its packaging, the parcel or an accompanying document.

We can represent products which fall within the scope of the following directives:

2006/42/EC (the Machinery Directive);

2014/35/EU (the Low Voltage Directive); 

2014/30/EU (the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive);

2011/65/EU (the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive);

2014/34/EU (the ATEX Directive);

2014/68/EU (the Pressure Equipment Directive);

2014/53/EU (the Radio Equipment Directive);

2009/125/EC (the Eco-design Directive);

(EU) No 305/2011 CPR (the Construction Products Regulation);

2009/48/EC (the Toy Safety Directive);

2016/ 425/ EU (the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation);

2001/95/EC (the General Product Safety Directive).

Some products fall outside the scope of our service[4], if this is the case for you, we will offer as much advice as possible and try and guide you to someone who can help.

If your product falls within our scope we will provide an estimated cost for the service and if you want to proceed, we will send you our application form. This is quite a comprehensive form but you only need to complete the sections which apply to your product and we are always on hand to support you with any questions you may have.

The form provides us with the information we need to understand your company and product and offer you a proposal. It is part of the basis for our agreement.

We will also ask you to send in some examples of your technical and compliance documentation if you intend to proceed, such as a Declaration of Conformity, owners/operation manual, test reports etc.

[4] These products fall outside our scope: Food, medicines, most chemicals, firearms, military equipment.

Once we receive your application form it will take us a few hours to check the information you have provided. We will also review any technical and compliance documentation received, our technical team may also discuss your compliance, traceability and product recall procedures with you, if applicable

If we are satisfied that the products you are asking us to represent are safe and compliant with the applicable legislation we will confirm the cost of the service and issue a formal quotation.
As your Authorised Representative we must be reasonably satisfied that we can take on the obligations of importers and authorised representatives (listed in Stage 1 above) for your products  and fulfil them in the event of a request from a Market Surveillance Authority.

[5] Market Surveillance Authorities are national authorities that enforce product legislation and deal with dangerous and other non-compliant products to protect consumers and other end users. You can read about EU market surveillance and download a List of EU national market surveillance authorities by sector.

Once you accept the quote, we will send you an invoice in either Euros, UK pounds, or US Dollars. When the invoice has been paid, we will send our contract setting out how we will meet our obligations and how you must cooperate as well as commercial arrangements. once contracts are exchanged we become your authorised representative.

We will send you a certificate, with all the details you require to prove you have an authorised representative in the EU. The certificate will list all the products you have asked us to represent.

Should you wish to add extra products you must inform us. We cannot represent products we are unaware of.

We will provide you with our EU or UK name and address and advice on how to apply it your products, packaging or an accompanying document.

This stage will only be required for more complex products and product ranges.
in stage 3 we will have checked enough technical documentation to be reasonably confident that you have robust product compliance systems. For complex products and ranges, we will request further information from you and carry out a further audit.

If the audit finds that your compliance systems are adequate or there are only minor non-compliances, we will be confident in your ability to provide us with the relevant information in the event of a request by a Market Surveillance Authority. We will advise you to rectify the minor non-compliances before the next audit.

If the audit highlights any major non-compliances, we will provide you with actions and ask you to complete these actions within a specified time frame. Failure to do so may invalidate the contract, but in our experience this is a rare occurrence.

4-6 weeks prior to your renewal date we will contact you to confirm any changes in product listings, discuss any outstanding compliance/documentation concerns raised during the audit (if applicable) and confirm the renewal cost.

The renewal fee should be paid in advance of the renewal date in order to maintain the Autorised Representative contract.