Yes, dropshipping falls under GPSR, but not automatically in the same way for everyone who dropships. The regulation does not look at your business model but at the role you actually perform in the supply chain: are you the party placing the product on the market, importing it from outside the EU, or simply passing it on without doing anything material to it. In dropshipping, those roles overlap, and that is precisely why many dropshippers do not know where they stand.
The short answer: if you run a webshop where customers order from you, you forward the order to a supplier who ships directly to the customer, then in most cases you are the party placing the product on the EU market. That is a different position than a physical store that purchases and resells inventory, and the regulation does not treat those positions equally.
Why dropshipping is not a separate category
GPSR does not define "dropshipper". The regulation distinguishes between manufacturer, authorised representative, importer and distributor, and assesses in each situation who performs which action. Whoever has a webshop and accepts orders in their own name, while a third party physically ships, does not automatically fulfil a lighter role. The question that matters is: who presents themselves to the consumer as the party offering the product, and who carries out the import if the product comes from outside the EU.
When you qualify as a manufacturer
If your webshop places your own brand or name on the packaging, label or product page, even if the product itself is made by a third party and shipped directly from another country, you qualify as a manufacturer under the regulation. This does not change the fact that you never physically handle inventory. The reasoning is that the consumer associates the product with your name, not with the factory behind it. This role entails the heaviest set of obligations: risk assessment, technical documentation and the associated administration.
When you qualify as an importer or distributor
If you sell products under the name of another party, without your own brand on them, but that party is established outside the EU and you ensure that the product reaches the EU market, then the role of importer comes into view. Whoever only resells without arranging the import themselves and without carrying their own brand may fall under the role of distributor, with a lighter set of obligations. The difference between these roles lies in details that vary from situation to situation: who handles customs formalities, whose name the shipment is in, and who bears final responsibility for what is on the label. For those who want to work this out without first calling a lawyer, see in a few questions which role fits your situation is a first step.
What is concretely required of you
The obligations that flow from a role are not unique to dropshipping; they are the same as for any other manufacturer, importer or distributor. Whoever qualifies as a manufacturer must be able to demonstrate a risk assessment and technical documentation. Whoever qualifies as an importer must be able to demonstrate that the manufacturer has done their part and must themselves provide information on the packaging or product insert. The practical implementation of those obligations, including what you must concretely document, is clearly set out per situation in the knowledge base with explanations by topic.
What dropshipping does not change
The absence of your own inventory is not a reason why GPSR would not apply. The regulation focuses on products offered to consumers on the EU market, regardless of which logistics model is used. The fact that a supplier is located outside the EU and arranges shipment directly to the customer does not change the question of who acts as the responsible party in the EU. Anyone who does not want or cannot assume that role themselves can delegate it to a specialized partner; we do not direct you to one ourselves, but the role check shows whether that question is relevant to your situation.
Whether GPSR applies heavily, lightly, or hardly at all in your case depends on the precise arrangement between you and your supplier. A free role check provides a first indication within a few minutes, without obligations and without an account. If you want to read more broadly first about how the regulation works before doing that check, then the frequently asked questions page provides a good starting point.