Withdrawal button (§ 356a BGB)
Set up the statutory withdrawal function for paid consumer bookings, mandatory in the EU since 19 June 2026.
Since 19 June 2026, § 356a of the German Civil Code (implementing EU directive 2023/2673) requires every trader who concludes paid contracts with consumers online to offer an electronic withdrawal function. meetergo ships one. You just need to switch it on.
The obligation is yours as the trader, not meetergo's. We provide the technical function. Whether your offering falls under the rule is a question for your lawyer.
Does this apply to me?
You need the withdrawal function if you sell paid appointments to consumers and the contract is concluded online. Pure B2B appointments and free bookings are out of scope.
Setup
- Go to Settings, then Brand, then Privacy.
- Under "Right of withdrawal", turn on Publish a withdrawal page.
- Copy the Link for your own website and paste it into your website footer, next to your imprint and privacy links.
- Open each paid meeting type, go to Payment, and turn on Show withdrawal button on confirmation page.
Step 3 matters: the law requires the function to be permanently available on your online interface throughout the withdrawal period. A link that exists only on the booking page does not satisfy that.
What customers see
Withdrawal always runs in two stages, as the law prescribes:
- The customer clicks Vertrag widerrufen, either in the footer, on their booking's confirmation page, or on your website.
- They enter their name, email address and contract details. They are deliberately never asked for a reason.
- They confirm with Widerruf bestätigen.
They immediately receive a confirmation of receipt by email stating the date and time of receipt. The related appointment is cancelled if it has not yet taken place.
What you need to do
Every withdrawal sends you an email with the amount and payment reference.
You issue the refund yourself. meetergo does not refund on your behalf. The law gives you 14 days.
This is deliberate, so you stay in control of partial refunds and services already delivered.
Common questions
The appointment already happened. Does the withdrawal still count? Yes. For services the right only lapses on full performance, and only if the consumer expressly agreed beforehand that performance may start before the period ends. Without that consent, withdrawal remains possible within the 14 days.
My cancellation policy forbids short-notice cancellations. Which wins? The statutory right of withdrawal. On a withdrawal your cancellation policy is deliberately bypassed.
Can the withdrawal page match my branding? Yes. It automatically picks up your company name, your custom CSS and your imprint and privacy links.
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