Authorised Representative Service
The Authorised Representative Service arose after the UK left the EU in 2021, creating new compliance requirements for market access. Valpak provides expert support to meet these obligations.
What is an Authorised Representative?
An Authorised Representative is a legally appointed organisation based in a specific market that acts on behalf of a manufacturer not established in that region. Their role is to ensure products meet all relevant regulatory requirements before and after being placed on the market.
Since the UK left the EU in 2021, many businesses selling into the UK or EU are now required to appoint an Authorised Representative to maintain compliance. This ensures there is a local point of contact responsible for supporting product conformity, regulatory communication, and market surveillance obligations.
In practice, an Authorised Representative may be responsible for holding technical documentation, supporting compliance evidence, and liaising with regulators to demonstrate that products meet applicable legal requirements.
Who is affected?
Does your organisation sell electrical or electronic equipment (EEE) into the Republic of Ireland via distance-selling techniques such as online retail, or catalogue sales direct to end-users? If so, the business is obligated to register annually with the authorities and comply in line with the WEEE Regulations of 2014.
Why an Authorised Representative is required
If your business is based outside the market where your products are sold, regulators often require a designated Authorised Representative to ensure accountability, traceability, and compliance oversight. For example, companies with no physical presence in Ireland cannot register directly and must appoint an Authorised Representative to take on the legal obligations on their behalf. This can be a private individual or organisation based in Ireland that is willing to partner with the company and assume responsibility for compliance-related matters.
Without an Authorised Representative in place, businesses may experience:
- Restricted access to UK or EU markets
- Delays at customs or border checks
- Increased risk of non-compliance action
- Disruption to supply chains and product launches
Having a compliant representative in place helps ensure products can continue to be sold without unnecessary regulatory barriers. However, finding an Authorised Representative can be a difficult and costly process, and establishing the required registration can often be time-consuming and complex.
Valpak Authorised Representative Service
Valpak has entered into a partnership with a company in the Republic of Ireland and are pleased to offer the use of an Authorised Representative to any obligated parties. Our service enables organisations to meet obligations as a foreign company. They can choose to retain the registration and data submission processes in-house, or you can take advantage of our full Authorised Representative registration and data submission service which provides the following benefits:
- Offsetting legal responsibility: Our Authorised Representative takes the legal responsibility on your behalf
- Completion of paperwork: We obtain and complete all required registration forms for the authorities, the Authorised Representative, and the compliance scheme (where necessary)
- Deadline monitoring: We request data ahead of the deadline to give us time to check for accuracy in line with the regulations
- Data submission: We complete the data declarations to the authorities on your behalf
- B2B Waste Management Plans and Reports: We complete the required reports on your behalf, declaring them to the Environmental Protection Agency
- Single point of contact: We liaise with all relevant parties from start to finish, keeping correspondence to a necessary minimum
Call us today on 03450 682 572 or complete our enquiry form to find out more about our Authorised Representative service.
Authorised Representative FAQs
An Authorised Representative ensures that businesses without a local presence in a market still meet all regulatory and compliance obligations.
Yes, many businesses selling into the UK or EU from outside those regions may require an Authorised Representative to comply with market regulations introduced following Brexit.
They act as the official contact for regulators, help maintain technical documentation, and ensure products meet relevant compliance standards.
Valpak provides a managed Authorised Representative service, via third party agreements, to support compliance and maintain market access across UK and EU regions.
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Need an Authorised Representative?
Valpak's Authorised Representative services help businesses stay compliant and maintain market access. Complete the enquiry form below to speak with our compliance team.