Important information about the EU Right of Withdrawal and ways to get started with your compliance.

Online businesses that sell to customers in the European Union may need to display a withdrawal button (also known as an electronic withdrawal function) to let customers undo their purchases. This button needs to be easy to find on your site, so we suggest adding it to your website footer. This guide may also be helpful to sellers in the UK who are subject to similar UK rules.

Note: This guide is a resource, but it’s not legal advice. Squarespace doesn’t give advice on laws applicable to your site or business, as stated in our Terms of Service.

What is right of withdrawal compliance? 

Under EU consumer protection law, customers who purchase goods or services online  (a “distance contract”) have the right to withdraw (cancel) their purchase within 14 days without a reason. This 14-day period is commonly known as the cooling-off period.

A new requirement will take effect on June 19, 2026 requiring merchants affected by the cooling-off period to create a prominent, easily accessible way for customers to request withdrawal. This withdrawal button requirement was introduced by Directive (EU) 2023/2673 which added a new Article 11 to the Consumer Rights Directive.

There are exemptions to these requirements and some individual countries may have different or more onerous requirements. Please always refer to the laws of your own jurisdiction and consult legal counsel where necessary to understand how those laws affect your site or business.

Add a way for customers in the EU to withdraw from a sale

While we can’t offer legal advice, here is some functionality that will help you get started with your Withdrawal Button compliance. The button needs to be easy to find on your site, so we suggest adding it to your website footer. 

1. Edit your website footer. 
2. Add a form block and set it to lightbox mode. This turns the form block into a button. When visitors click it, the full form appears.
3. Change the button text to withdraw contract or a similar phrase.
4. Edit the form fields to collect the information you need, for example, the customer name, electronic contact details such as e-mail address and contract details / order number associated with the sale.
5. Check your inbox often and reply to customers quickly. Form submissions are sent to the email address of the site owner or admin who added the form, unless you choose a different storage option.
6. On receipt of a withdrawal request, promptly issue confirmation of receipt to the customer, including the date, time and other details of the withdrawal request submission.
7. Assess the validity of the customer’s withdrawal request and action accordingly.