Sarah-Jane Dobson

There are certain requirements which must be complied with before products can be placed or made available on the EU market. These may vary depending on the type of product.The regulatory regime in the EU forms part of a multilayered legislative framework with sector specific legislation applying first and Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety also known as the EU General Product Safety Regulation (EU GPSR) acting as a ‘catch all’ in scenarios where the sector specific legislation does not cover the relevant aspects or risks. For more information on the EU GPSR, see Practice Note: The EU General Product Safety Regulation.Under EU legislation, for a product to be considered safe, it must either not present any risks when used for its normal purpose (this includes the length of time it is used), or pose minimal risks that are deemed acceptable for the product's use. There are three main components of EU product safety legislation: •the EU GPSR•harmonisation legislation which focuses on the safety

There are several issues that manufacturers face throughout the lifecycle of a product. These challenges are driven by several factors including regulatory developments, post-Brexit divergence with the EU, notification duties, enforcement action, and advances in technology.The focus of this Practice Note is on the laws of England and Wales, although brief commentary on EU laws is included where relevant. For further information on EU specific issues, see Practice Note: Key EU product regulation issues for manufacturers.There are several obligations which a manufacturer must comply with when bringing a product to market which may differ depending on the type of product. However, the overarching obligations include ensuring products are safe, performing risk assessments, keeping technical documentation for ten years, ensuring traceability, providing instructions and safety information, and taking corrective action where a risk is presented by a product. These obligations for manufacturers are expected to expand in scope and specificity following the implementation of secondary legislation under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 (PRMA 2025) and the Law Commission’s

This Practice Note introduces the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTIA 2022), as it applies to cybersecurity, particularly in smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT). Part 1 of PSTIA 2022 (the focus of this Practice Note) seeks to regulate IoT, network connectable and internet connectable products, with a focus on product safety and cybersecurity; Part 2 makes provision for telecommunications infrastructure. This Practice Note discusses PSTIA 2022 scope, duties imposed on manufacturers, importers and distributors, key guidance, practical steps for businesses, and dates of entry into force.