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.
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
The first step toward GPSR compliance is a thorough analysis of existing documentation. This includes:
The actual implementation follows the analysis phase. The following steps are important here:
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.
In addition to certified translation processes, tolingo offers further supporting services:
The successful implementation of GPSR requirements is supported by modern technology solutions:
Comprehensive consulting services complement the offering:
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.
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.