EN ISO 20957-1 and the EU GPSR: What Pilates Equipment Buyers Need on File

EN ISO 20957-1 is the general safety standard for stationary training equipment, and the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), Regulation (EU) 2023/988, has applied since 13 December 2024. If you import Pilates equipment into the EU, ask your factory for safety documents that name the standard and its edition, list your models and match the company you buy from. This is general information, not legal advice.

We are TMAX Pilates, a Pilates equipment manufacturer in Dezhou, Shandong, China, operating since 2015 and shipping to 80+ countries. EU distributors and studio groups ask us for safety paperwork every week, so this post explains what the two references mean, what a factory should hand over, and exactly what our own GPSR attestation covers. Sources are the official texts on EUR-Lex and iso.org, checked on 3 November 2026.

EN ISO 20957-1 in plain words

ISO 20957-1 is titled Stationary training equipment — Part 1: General safety requirements and test methods. The current edition is ISO 20957-1:2024 (edition 3, published November 2024), which replaced the 2013 edition. The European version, EN ISO 20957-1:2024, adopts the ISO text without changes and supersedes EN ISO 20957-1:2013.

According to the ISO abstract, the standard:

• sets general safety requirements and test methods for indoor stationary training equipment;
• applies to equipment used in studios, clubs, hotels, educational establishments and similar training areas, as well as equipment for domestic use;
• includes a classification system for different use settings;
• works with the other parts of the ISO 20957 series, whose specific requirements take priority over this general part;
• does not apply to outdoor equipment.

A Pilates reformer is used in one place for training, which is why buyers and test bodies commonly assess reformers against this part. When a document cites the standard, check the edition: "EN ISO 20957-1:2024" and "EN ISO 20957-1:2013" are not the same thing. If the class of use matters for your market, ask the supplier which class their papers state.

What the EU GPSR changed for importers

Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety replaced the old General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC). It was published in the Official Journal on 23 May 2023 and, under Article 52, applies from 13 December 2024. It covers consumer products that are not regulated by more specific EU product safety laws.

For a buyer importing Pilates equipment, the practical points are:

• Manufacturers (Article 9) must carry out an internal risk analysis, keep technical documentation for 10 years, mark products with a type, batch or serial number, put their name and postal and electronic address on the product, its packaging or an accompanying document, and supply clear instructions and safety information in a language consumers in the market can understand.
• Importers (Article 11) must make sure the product meets the general safety requirement and that the manufacturer has met those identification and documentation duties, add their own name and contact details, keep a copy of the technical documentation available to authorities for 10 years, and act if they find a product is dangerous.
• Distributors (Article 12) must check that the manufacturer and importer have done their part before selling the product.
• An economic operator in the EU (Article 16): a product covered by the regulation may only be placed on the EU market if there is an economic operator established in the Union responsible for it, and that operator's name and contact details must appear on the product, packaging, parcel or an accompanying document.

Who counts as the manufacturer, importer or responsible economic operator in your supply chain depends on how you sell. Check the regulation text and, for your own case, take advice from a compliance professional.

What paperwork to ask your factory for

Whatever your supplier, this is the set we would want on file before an EU shipment:

1. A safety attestation, declaration or test document that names the standard and its edition, for example EN ISO 20957-1:2024.
2. The technical documentation reference, so the authorities' request can be answered quickly.
3. The list of models the document covers, matched against your purchase order.
4. Labels showing the model and a type, batch or serial number, and the manufacturer's name and address.
5. User manuals and safety information in the languages of your markets.
6. Packaging registrations where they apply. For Germany, for example, TMAX is registered in the German Packaging Register LUCID under no. DE3277188765263.

More about how we work with importers is on our TMAX ordering FAQs page, and our guide to importing Pilates equipment from China covers shipping and customs planning.

What our GPSR attestation covers

Here are the facts from our document, in plain text so you can compare them against what you receive:

• Document: General Product Safety Regulation — Attestation of Conformity
• Number: M.2026.206.C133218
• Technical file: TCF26010801GPSR
• Issued by: UDEM Uluslararası Belgelendirme Denetim Eğitim Merkezi San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (Ankara, Türkiye)
• Holder: Shandong Tmax Machinery Technology Co., Ltd.
• Regulation: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR)
• Standard: EN ISO 20957-1:2024
• Valid: 9 January 2026 to 8 January 2031 (initial assessment 8 January 2026)
• Models: TMAX models from DZ131 to DZ183, listed individually on the document

Models listed on the attestation

Not every number in the DZ131 to DZ183 range is on the list. The DZ184 is not on the list, and neither are, for example, DZ159, DZ165 to DZ170, DZ175, DZ177, DZ179 and DZ180. If you are ordering one of those, ask us about it separately. Always check your exact model code against the document before you ship.

GPSR attestation vs CE certificate

These are different documents, and it is worth being precise.

Our UDEM document is a GPSR attestation of conformity: an assessment, based on our technical file, that the listed products meet the EU general product safety rules with EN ISO 20957-1:2024 as the reference standard. It is not a CE certificate. GPSR has no notified-body system, so it is not a notified-body certificate either, and it is not a type-test report.

CE marking is a separate system that applies under specific EU product laws, backed by the manufacturer's declaration of conformity. TMAX also holds CE, but that is a different file from the GPSR attestation described here.

TMAX can arrange third-party pre-shipment inspection by TÜV SÜD on request, which is the last row of that table: a check on your goods, not a product certificate.

How to check a supplier's papers

Four checks catch most problems:

1. Holder name. The company on the document should be the company you are paying, or its declared manufacturer. Ours is Shandong Tmax Machinery Technology Co., Ltd.
2. Model list. Your exact model codes should appear on the document. A document for other models does not protect your shipment.
3. Dates. Check the validity period against your shipping date.
4. Standard edition. Look for the edition year, such as EN ISO 20957-1:2024, not just the standard number.

The issuer's contact details are printed on the document, so you can also confirm it with the issuer directly. If you are comparing suppliers, our page on why studios choose TMAX covers how we produce and check our equipment.

FAQ

Does EN ISO 20957-1 apply to Pilates reformers?

In most cases, yes. EN ISO 20957-1 sets general safety requirements and test methods for indoor stationary training equipment, and a reformer is used in one place for training. The standard also includes a classification system for different use settings. Ask your supplier which edition their papers cite; the current one is EN ISO 20957-1:2024.

What does the EU GPSR require when I import Pilates equipment?

The General Product Safety Regulation, (EU) 2023/988, applies from 13 December 2024. Importers must make sure the product is safe, traceable to a type, batch or serial number, labelled with the manufacturer's and importer's details, and sold with safety information in the local language. Keep the technical documentation available for 10 years. This is general information, not legal advice.

Is a GPSR attestation the same as a CE certificate?

No. A GPSR attestation is an assessment that a product meets the EU's general product safety rules, usually against a named standard. CE marking applies under specific EU laws and is backed by the manufacturer's declaration of conformity. Our UDEM document is a GPSR attestation to EN ISO 20957-1:2024. It is not a CE certificate.

Which TMAX models does your GPSR attestation cover?

UDEM attestation M.2026.206.C133218 covers TMAX models listed individually between DZ131 and DZ183, assessed to EN ISO 20957-1:2024 under Regulation (EU) 2023/988. It is valid from 9 January 2026 to 8 January 2031 and is held by Shandong Tmax Machinery Technology Co., Ltd. The DZ184 is not on the list, so ask us about it separately.

What safety papers should I ask a Pilates equipment factory for before importing into the EU?

Ask for the safety attestation or test document with the standard and edition named, the list of models it covers, the holder's company name, valid dates, user manuals and labels with traceability details, and any packaging registrations. Then check that the holder name and models match your order. Papers that cover other models don't protect your shipment.

Ask for our documents

Tell us your models and destination market and we will send the GPSR attestation, model list and labelling details for your order. Every TMAX machine comes with a 1-year warranty on the whole machine. Contact TMAX or Chat on WhatsApp

This article is general information about EN ISO 20957-1 and Regulation (EU) 2023/988, based on the official texts as checked on 3 November 2026. It is not legal advice.