EU right of withdrawal compliance for merchants selling to EU customers

When you sell goods, services, or digital content online to consumers in the European Union (EU), there are consumer protection laws that you might need to follow. These laws protect customer rights to cancel online purchases.

Review this page to learn about the EU right of withdrawal and the electronic withdrawal function requirement that took effect on June 19, 2026.

EU right of withdrawal overview

Under EU consumer protection law, customers who purchase goods or services online have the right to cancel their purchase within 14 days of receiving the goods, without giving a reason. This 14-day period is commonly known as the cooling-off period.

Setting up your store for the EU right of withdrawal

If you sell to consumers in the EU, then you can use Shopify's return and cancellation rules to help meet the electronic withdrawal function requirement. To learn how to configure self-serve returns and cancellations, return windows, cancellation rules, and market-specific policies for the EU, refer to Meeting EU right of withdrawal requirements.

New requirements taking effect on June 19, 2026

EU Directive 2023/2673 introduces a new requirement for right of withdrawal. If you sell online to consumers in the EU, then you need to provide a clearly visible electronic withdrawal function, such as a button or link, that customers can use to exercise their withdrawal right directly from your store.

Review the following key requirements from the new directive:

Easy-to-find withdrawal function: A clearly labeled button or link that customers can easily find and use to exercise their withdrawal right, such as from their account or order status page.
Two-step confirmation: After a customer clicks a withdrawal button or link, they confirm the withdrawal and provide their name and the details of the contract or order they're canceling.
Automatic confirmation: Your store needs to send a confirmation of the withdrawal request to the customer on a durable medium, such as email.

Businesses required to comply

EU Directive 2023/2673 applies to any business that sells goods, services, or digital content online to consumers in the EU, regardless of where the business is located.

Exempt products

The 14-day withdrawal right doesn't apply to all products and services. The following types of products and services might be exempt:

Custom or personalized goods: Products that are made to order or clearly personalized, such as a tailor-made suit or an engraved item.
Perishable goods: Products that deteriorate or expire rapidly, such as food or drinks with a short expiry date.
Sealed goods that have been opened: Sealed audio, video, or computer software that has been unsealed after delivery. This also includes sealed goods that can't be returned for health protection or hygiene reasons.
Digital content: Online digital content, such as a downloaded song or streamed movie, where the customer agreed to begin the download or stream and acknowledged that they lose their withdrawal right.
Fully performed services: Services that have been fully delivered before the end of the cooling-off period, where the customer agreed to immediate performance and acknowledged that they lose their withdrawal right.
Urgent repairs or maintenance: Contracts for urgent repairs or maintenance that the customer requested.
Price-fluctuating goods: Goods or services whose price depends on financial market fluctuations that are beyond the control of the trader, such as heating fuel.
Transport, accommodation, and event bookings: Plane or train tickets, concert tickets, hotel bookings, car rental reservations, and catering services tied to a specific date or period.

This isn't a complete list of all exemptions. For the full list, refer to EU consumer rights — cooling-off period (Your Europe). Consult local legal counsel to learn more about the exemptions and to make sure that your solution meets your legal obligations.

Penalties for non-compliance

If you don't provide the required withdrawal function after June 19, 2026, then you might face the following consequences:

Legal warnings
Fines of up to 4% of annual turnover in some EU member states
An extended withdrawal period, where the 14-day cooling-off period might be extended to 12 months and 14 days

Resources

Review the following resources to find specific information online about the EU right of withdrawal and EU Directive 2023/2673: