Reuters
Online marketplace Etsy has announced plans to follow the lead of other e-commerce sites by making it easier for UK sellers to stop selling in Northern Ireland.
New EU rules force small UK businesses to comply with tougher requirements if they want to sell in Northern Ireland or the EU.
Some platforms, such as eBay, have responded by allowing sellers in Britain to refuse orders to Northern Ireland.
Etsy has announced plans to do the same early next year, under pressure from UK sellers.
In an update to its seller handbook it said: “We are actively seeking a solution for sellers who wish to stop offering their items to buyers in Northern Ireland.
“We will provide an update on the schedule by December 31, 2024.”
Another platform, Folksy, has changed its delivery regions so that the UK now excludes Northern Ireland. Its delivery region in Europe is now the EU and Northern Ireland.
The European General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) came into force last week. This applies to Northern Ireland, as the Windsor framework means the region effectively remains in the EU's single market for goods.
The GPSR updates existing rules to reflect the growth of online commerce and aims to provide better protection for consumers.
This includes the need to have a “responsible person”, who is in effect a compliance officer, within the EU or Northern Ireland.
This is a particular challenge for small UK businesses selling directly to consumers who have no physical presence in the EU or Northern Ireland.
Etsy's seller manual warns that if it receives notification from an authority that a product is not GPSR compliant, it will take appropriate action “which may include removing your listing and/or suspension of your account.
