Selecting and Changing the European Authorized Representative

This article explains the roles and responsibilities of a European Authorized Representative for CE Marking of medical devices. The article also provides advice on selecting and changing the European Authorized Representative.

European Authorized Representatives are the legal representative of non-European manufacturers for medical devices sold in Europe. If a company already has offices located in Europe, an Authorized Representative is not needed. However, if you don’t have offices in Europe, you must have a legal agreement with an Authorized Representative that is physically located in Europe to be your primary contact for receipt of customer complaints. The Authorized Representative can also act as your liaison between the Competent Authority in Europe and your company.

Why your distributor is not the right choice

Many manufacturers located outside of Europe choose their distributor as an Authorized Representative. Distributors often want to do this, because then their name is required to appear by law on the labeling and the IFU. Unfortunately, your distributor has a conflict of interest. The distributor does not want adverse event reporting, recalls, or even complaints. Therefore, can you be sure that the distributor will notify you immediately of all potential complaints?

In January 2012, the European Commission released a guidance document explaining the roles and responsibilities of European Authorized Representatives: MEDDEV 2.5/10. Distributors rarely have the regulatory expertise to act as an Authorized Representative.

Competent Authorities occasionally audit Authorized Representatives to ensure that the legal requirements are being met. When this happens, clients often ask me to recommend a European Authorized Representative to switch to.

Primary Responsibilities

The EU Authorized Representative has two primary responsibilities:

1. Complaint handling
2. Registration of CE Marked devices

The complaint handling function is the reason why the name and address of the European Authorized Representative must appear on the product labeling and IFU. Your distributor may still become aware of potential complaints, and therefore, distributors should still be trained on the importance of forwarding any potential complaints to your company immediately. The registration function is critical for Class I devices that are non-sterile and do not have a measuring function, because those devices do not have a Notified Body involved. It is often valuable to have an Authorized Representative located in one of the Member States where you intend to sell a larger percentage of the product because the labeling will include a physical address in that Member State.

Other ways an Authorized Representative Can Help

Some manufacturers complain that they are paying $3,000-$5,000 each year for a competent authority to do very little. However, Authorized Representatives are required to review your procedures before CE Marking, and anytime you notify them of an update. This additional review of procedures is equivalent to hiring a consultant to review your procedures.

European Authorized Representatives can be helpful at other times too. For example, if your company and your Notified Body do not agree on the classification of a device, the Authorized Representative may be able to assist you in the same way that an experienced regulatory consultant can. If you receive communication from a Competent Authority, the Authorized Representative can act as your liaison. Most important of all, the Authorized Representative can help you determine when complaints require vigilance reporting and provide support if a recall or advisory notice must be initiated.

How to Select an Authorized Representative

I recommend a three-step approach to selecting your Authorized Representative. First, visit the EAARMED website. One of the 15 members of this association should be your starting point because these are the most experienced Authorized Representatives. Next, you should determine which of the 15 members is located in a country that matches the country you intend to sell in. For example, if 100% of your sales are through a distributor located in Italy, Donawa would be a better choice than a German Authorized Representative. Finally, you should obtain quotes and interview more than one Authorized Representative. You want to make sure that the Authorized Representative is responsive and easy to communicate with. It’s surprising how much we learn about responsiveness and communication during the quoting process.

If you need any additional help preparing for the CE Marking product in Europe, please email Rob Packard.