Withdrawal button (§ 356a BGB)

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.

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

1. Go to Settings → Legal & privacy (Open settings).
2. Under "Right of withdrawal", turn on Publish a withdrawal page.
3. Copy the Link for your own website and paste it into your website footer, next to your imprint and privacy links.
4. Open each paid meeting type, go to Payment, and turn on Show withdrawal button for this meeting type.

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:

1. The customer clicks Vertrag widerrufen, either in the footer, on their booking's confirmation page, or on your website.
2. They enter their name, email address and contract details. They are deliberately never asked for a reason.
3. They confirm with Widerruf bestätigen.

They immediately receive a confirmation of receipt by email stating the date and time of receipt. No appointment is cancelled automatically.

What you need to do

Every withdrawal sends you an email with everything from the form. If the customer came through the link in their booking confirmation, it also shows the appointment, amount and payment reference.

1. Check whether the withdrawal is valid, for example the deadline and any exclusions.
2. If it is valid, cancel the appointment in your dashboard.
3. Refund any payment already made.

This is deliberate: as the provider, you decide whether a withdrawal is valid.

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. As the host, you can cancel the appointment regardless of your cancellation policy.

Can the withdrawal page match my branding? Yes. It automatically picks up your company name, your custom CSS and your imprint and privacy links.