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Comment by whatsThisBtn4 | Hacker News Reader

I made a physical product and upon learning European regulations, I quickly decided I was going to spend 0 time designing it for Europe.

If I made millions, sure, pay someone to figure it out.

But I was not going to waste design time early on.

I can't imagine how much this affects small business in Europe.

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These are just general barriers to international trade, though. Small manufacturers in Europe may likewise decide not to design for US regulations.

No (what I’m fairly sure is being referred to is that) there are (very recent) significant additional barriers to trade between EU member states, which disproportionately impact small businesses.

I don't think so. The most natural reading of OP's post is that they are outside Europe. You wouldn't say "I can't imagine how much this affects small business in Europe" if you were yourself running a small business in Europe.

Unless you were in Europe and didn't run a small business

Ok, but their post talks about making a product in small volumes. It doesn't explicitly say that it's a small business, but together with the first person singular language, that's definitely the impression given.

Also, their other posts suggest they are in the US: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49477186

Relative of mine is Swiss. They produce cookies for the US market. Every few years, an FDA-adjacent regulator comes to Switzerland, inspects the place in person, expects dinner, entertainment and whatnot, gives his signature and off he goes. My relative says that no other country they export to overseas is this far-reaching (not to say over-reaching) regulatory-wise.

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