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NederlandsSelling into the EU
EU rules for UK sellers: what applies when you sell into Europe.
Since Brexit you are a seller from outside the EU, and in 2026 that comes with a stack of obligations that did not exist a few years ago. This page sets out the main ones so you know what you are looking at. It is an explanation, not legal or tax advice. For your own situation, speak to a specialist.
Packaging: PPWR and EPR
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, applies from 12 August 2026. For sellers based outside the EU the practical consequence is registration: you register for extended producer responsibility in each member state where you sell, and if you are not established in that member state you appoint an authorised representative there. Sell into ten countries and that is ten appointments.
Germany is the one to watch, because it has no minimum threshold at all. Before your first parcel goes out, your company and your packaging need to be registered in the German packaging register LUCID, and you need a contract with a dual system for collection and recycling. Registration in LUCID is free; the dual system charges a licence fee based on the packaging you place on the market.
Product safety: the GPSR
Under the General Product Safety Regulation, a product sold into the EU needs a responsible person established in the EU. That has to be a legal entity inside the EU that accepts responsibility for product safety compliance, and its details belong on the product or its packaging. Enforcement has been stepping up through 2026, with penalties that can reach a percentage of turnover in the member states concerned.
This is a role with legal consequences, so it is worth arranging properly rather than quickly. Specialist providers offer it as a service.
VAT, IOSS and stock in the EU
Sellers established outside the EU cannot register for IOSS on their own; that requires an intermediary established in the EU. IOSS also does not apply to consignments above 150 euro. And the moment you hold stock inside the EU, that creates its own VAT obligations in the country where the stock sits.
We are not going to give you a rule of thumb here, because what applies depends on your turnover, your stock location and your sales channels. This is the part to hand to an adviser who specialises in cross-border ecommerce.
Where we fit and where we do not.
We are your fulfilment partner. We store your stock in Eindhoven, pick and pack your orders, ship them with DHL, PostNL or DPD and handle your returns. Orders in before 23:59 leave the same night.
The registrations above are in your name and stay your responsibility, because they belong to the seller. What we can do is tell you which ones tend to apply to a shop like yours, and point you to the specialists who arrange them. That way you find out before your first parcel, not after a letter.
Frequently asked
The questions we hear most
Do I need to register for packaging in Germany?
What is an EU Responsible Person?
Can I use IOSS as a UK seller?
Does GS-Fulfilment arrange these registrations for me?
Thinking about moving stock into the EU?
Tell us what you sell and where to, and we will walk you through what it takes.