Anyone searching for changes around furniture and legislation quickly comes across two different trajectories that are easily confused. The digital product passport that this site is about does not yet exist and follows from the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR). But there is another, already existing regulation that has indeed changed in the recent period: the General Product Safety Regulation, known as the GPSR. It has been in force since the end of 2024 and sets requirements for, among other things, traceability, contact details on the product and the way in which you respond to reports of unsafe products.
For whom this matters: manufacturers, importers and distributors of furniture placed on the market within the EU, and explicitly also those who sell furniture online to consumers. The regulation applies to all consumer products, not specifically to furniture, but furniture is covered and the consequences are concretely noticeable for those who purchase, import or sell under their own name.
What has exactly changed
The GPSR replaces older European rules on general product safety and tightens a number of obligations. Products must be traceable: whoever manufactured the product and, where applicable, whoever imported it, must be identifiable on the product, the packaging or accompanying documentation. In the case of online sales, certain information must already be visible before someone makes a purchase, such as details about the manufacturer and, if relevant, warnings. In addition, there is an obligation to report serious safety incidents to the competent supervisory authority.
This is separate from the digital product passport for furniture. The passport is about origin, materials, repair options and circularity, and is intended to provide consumers and purchasers with choice data. The GPSR is about safety: is the product in itself not dangerous, and is it clear who is responsible for it. Both trajectories will eventually touch each other, for example because contact details that you already record for the GPSR can also be used for the passport, but they are legally two different obligations with their own supervisory authorities.
Why this specifically affects furniture businesses
Furniture is often brought to the market through multiple links in the chain: a manufacturer outside the EU, an importer holding the brand, a wholesaler and sometimes a webshop selling under its own name. At each link, the question can arise as to who is considered the responsible party under the GPSR for traceability and reporting. This is a different role question than the notified body you designate for the future furniture passport, but the way of reasoning is comparable: who places the product on the market, and who is thus responsible for it.
For those who have not yet clarified this for their own chain, they run into questions similar to those for the passport: what data does the manufacturer already have, what must the importer add, and where is it recorded so that it can be quickly found in the event of an inspection or complaint. For those who want to review that overview per role, the knowledge base lists per subject what differs for manufacturers, importers and distributors.
What this means for ongoing procurement and contracts
Companies that have furniture manufactured under their own brand, or that act as importers, are well advised to clarify at the next contract discussion with a supplier who will provide what information: technical documentation, contact details for the product, and the agreement on who will notify the supervisory authority if necessary. This is not legal advice on your specific contract, but a practical matter that in many procurement relationships has not yet been explicitly assigned.
Because this touches on how you already work with suppliers and software, it is a good time to also look at how your company records and shares data about products. Anyone who wants to see how that for their own situation comes together with the future Digital Product Passport, can get a first indication in a few questions from where the company currently stands.
What this is not
This change is not part of the Digital Product Passport for Furniture and does not change the date on which that passport becomes mandatory; that date is not yet fixed. It is also not a replacement of existing rules on, for example, fire safety of furniture upholstery, which remain separately applicable. For the exact obligations that apply to your company, and for the question of how the GPSR relates to sector-specific standards, the official text of the regulation or the Dutch supervisory authority is the appropriate source, not this article.
Anyone who wants a broader picture of how these kinds of changes follow each other and where the information on this site comes from will find that on the page that explains how we compile information. Frequently asked questions about the overlap between existing and upcoming rules are bundled on the overview of frequently asked questions.
If you want to know how this works out for your own company, do the free quick-scan or browse through the knowledge base; both provide, without obligation, an initial picture of where you stand.