Sports and fitness equipment

• Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — GPSR
• Regulation (EU) 2016/425 — PPE for protective items
• Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — Machinery for powered equipment

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers and sellers outside the Union placing sports and fitness products on the EU market.

Thresholds and exemptions

None under GPSR. Protective items fall under PPE regardless of quantity.

What must appear on the label

Manufacturer and responsible person details with an EU address, batch identification, maximum user weight and age where relevant, plus CE marking for PPE and powered machines.

Marketplace fields

Marketplaces check for CE marking on helmets and protective gear and suppress listings without it.

Documentation you must hold

Technical documentation, risk analysis, and for protective items the EU type-examination certificate.

Standards and testing

EN 957 for stationary training equipment, EN 1078 for cycle helmets, EN 12492 for climbing helmets, EN 892 for ropes.

Language requirements

Instructions and warnings in the language of each member state of sale.

When it applies

Before the first sale.

How long records are kept

10 years.

What happens if you do not comply

Withdrawal and Safety Gate alerts. Helmets and climbing gear are treated as high-risk and recalled frequently.

Who enforces it

National market surveillance authorities.

Where the boundary lies

A helmet is PPE, not a general consumer product: it needs a type-examination certificate from a notified body, which a responsible person cannot provide.

Questions we are asked

Is a yoga mat regulated?

Under GPSR only, plus REACH limits on substances. No CE marking is required.