Skip to content
JessiJanuary 2025

GPSR and Translation Services: Everything You Need to Know

GPSR in the Context of EU Product Safety:

Technical and Regulatory Implications for Multilingual Documentation

The New Product Safety Regulation: A Milestone for European Consumer Protection

The introduction of the new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) on December 13, 2024, marks a fundamental shift in European product safety regulation. This regulation goes far beyond previous requirements and establishes new, comprehensive standards for product safety in the EU single market. The enhanced requirements for multilingual product documentation, in particular, present new challenges for companies.

The GPSR affects not only manufacturers but the entire supply chain - from importers to distributors and fulfillment service providers. All these actors must ensure that their product documentation complies with the new requirements. This specifically means expanding language versions and raising quality standards for translations.

Key Innovations of the GPSR

The regulation introduces several groundbreaking changes. In addition to mandatory multilingualism for all EU sales markets, the requirements for documentation itself are also becoming more stringent. Safety-relevant information must not only be fully translated but also presented in a form that is comprehensible to consumers. This requires not only linguistic expertise but also a deep understanding of technical and safety-relevant aspects.

Detailed Requirements for Product Documentation

The GPSR defines precise requirements for the nature and scope of documentation to be provided. These go well beyond simple translation and require comprehensive documentation management. The following aspects are particularly noteworthy:

Language Requirements and Their Implementation

The linguistic requirements of the GPSR are complex and multifaceted. Each product information must be available in all official languages of the EU countries where the product is distributed. This applies not only to the main documentation but also to:

  • Warning notices and safety information on the product itself
  • Accompanying documentation such as user manuals and maintenance guides
  • Online product information and digital accompanying materials
  • Technical specifications and declarations of conformity

Qualitative Requirements for Translation

The GPSR sets high standards for translation quality. Incorrect or inaccurate translations, especially of safety-relevant information, can not only have legal consequences but also endanger consumer safety. Therefore, the following aspects are particularly important:

  • Technically accurate translation of technical terms
  • Precise rendering of safety instructions
  • Target group adaptation of communication
  • Consistent terminology across all language versions

Practical Implementation of GPSR Requirements

Implementing the GPSR requirements demands a structured and well-thought-out approach. Companies must review and potentially adapt their existing processes. Various aspects need to be considered:

Analysis and Planning

The first step toward GPSR compliance is a thorough analysis of existing documentation. This includes:

  • Inventory of all product-related documents
  • Identification of required language versions
  • Assessment of existing translations
  • Determination of update requirements

Process Implementation

The actual implementation follows the analysis phase. The following steps are important here:

  • Establishment of systematic translation management
  • Development of a consistent terminology database
  • Implementation of quality assurance processes
  • Setting up change management

Professional Support through Certified Translation Services

Certified Quality for GPSR-Compliant Translations

As an ISO-certified translation service provider, tolingo supports companies with various complementary quality standards in implementing GPSR requirements.

ISO 17100 certification for translation services provides support in areas such as standardized quality assurance through the four-eyes principle, professional translation of technical documentation, and precise transfer of safety-relevant information. These processes are particularly important for the standard-compliant translation of product safety information.

Additionally, ISO 18587 certification for post-editing supports areas such as efficient processing of extensive documentation, quality-assured post-editing of machine translations, and consistent terminology usage across all languages. This enables fast yet high-quality translation of large document volumes, as often required in GPSR implementation.

The ISO 9001 certified quality management supports areas such as systematic quality control of all translation processes, traceable documentation of changes, and continuous improvement of translation quality. This systematic approach ensures continuous compliance with GPSR requirements.

Finally, ISO/IEC 27001 certification for information security supports areas such as secure handling of confidential product information, protected data exchange in the translation process, and documented information security according to EU standards. This is particularly relevant for the sensitive handling of safety-relevant product documentation.

Our Certificates

uebersetzungsbuero-tolingo-2022-iso-zertifizierungen-csa

 

Additional Services and Tools

In addition to certified translation processes, tolingo offers further supporting services:

Technological Solutions

The successful implementation of GPSR requirements is supported by modern technology solutions:

  • Translation memory systems for consistent translations
  • Terminology management tools for uniform technical terms
  • Quality assurance software for error-free documents
  • Collaboration platforms for efficient project handling

Consultation and Support

Comprehensive consulting services complement the offering:

  • Analysis of specific GPSR requirements
  • Development of tailored translation strategies
  • Support in process optimization
  • Continuous supervision and updates

Conclusion and Outlook

The GPSR represents a significant turning point in European product safety regulation. The enhanced requirements for multilingual documentation require careful preparation and professional implementation by companies. With tolingo as a certified partner, these challenges can be managed efficiently and in compliance with legal requirements.

Contact and Further Information

Learn more about how tolingo can support you in GPSR-compliant translation of your product documentation. Our experts are happy to advise you on your specific requirements and develop a customized solution together with you.


Get consultation

Verwandte Artikel