The EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) grants consumers a 14-day right of withdrawal for most online purchases and distance contracts, allowing cancellation without reason and a full refund.
However, the directive includes important exceptions for date-bound booking services.
1. Overview
1.1. What's covered and what's excluded
The 14-day withdrawal right applies to:
- Online goods purchases
- Digital products (subject to specific conditions)
- Service contracts not tied to a specific date or period
- Most distance and online contracts
The 14-day withdrawal right does not apply to:
- Hotel and accommodation bookings
- Event tickets (concerts, festivals, sports events, theatres, etc.) for a specific date and time
- Guided tours and leisure activities bound to a specific date and time
- Restaurant reservations with prepaid services
- Passenger transport services (flights, trains, buses, etc.)
- Car rental services
1.2. Which Regiondo products are affected
For the following services, consumers can rely on the statutory EU withdrawal right once the booking is completed.
- Gift vouchers
- Value vouchers
- Add-on products
- Non-date-bound products
1.3. What does this mean for customers?
Customers may still be able to cancel or modify a booking if the service provider offers its own cancellation policy. In that case, the cancellation rights are governed by the provider's terms and conditions, not by EU withdrawal legislation.
1.4. What are businesses required to do?
Only businesses legally registered within the EU are affected by this directive.
Businesses must clearly inform customers before the booking is completed if the statutory right of withdrawal does not apply due to one of the directive's exceptions.
For more information on this, access the EU Directive link provided above.
2. How the EU Right of Withdrawal is handled in Regiondo
2.1. Withdrawal Settings in Customer Self-Service
To support operators in managing withdrawal requests, Regiondo provides a dedicated functionality within its Customer Self-Service module. It is available free of charge to all operators who have Customer Self-Service included in their subscription plan.
The relevant settings can be found in your Regiondo Dashboard, under Manage Offers > Customer Self-Service.
If your registered office is located within the EU, you will see the settings below in the Customer Self-Service section. The withdrawal functionality is activated by default and cannot be deactivated.
If your company is registered outside the EU, you will see the settings below. The withdrawal functionality is activated by default, but can be deactivated at any time.
2.2. How are Withdrawn Orders processed?
When an order is withdrawn:
- No adjustment fees can be applied.
- All payments are refunded in full to the original payment method. Issuing value vouchers instead of a refund is not possible.
- For orders paid by invoice, cash on site, or PayPal, the refund must be processed manually and paid directly to the customer.
2.3. How does the Withdrawal Process work?
In the booking confirmation email containing the ticket(s), customers will find a Manage Your Booking button.
To withdraw their booking, customers click Manage Your Booking and are redirected to the Customer Self-Service validation form.
Once the customer enters the required booking information, a Withdraw from the contract button becomes available.
In the next step, the customer must confirm their intention to withdraw from the contract.
After confirming the withdrawal, the customer will see a confirmation message along with a summary of the withdrawn items.
The customer will also receive an immediate email confirmation of the successful withdrawal.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and is intended to provide a high-level overview of certain aspects of EU consumer protection legislation, including the right of withdrawal. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.
Regiondo GmbH is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, or legal services. If you require legal guidance regarding your specific business practices, contractual terms, compliance obligations, or consumer rights requirements, you should consult a qualified legal professional.
This article does not provide a complete or exhaustive summary of all applicable laws and regulations. Legal requirements may vary depending on the specific circumstances, the nature of the services offered, and the jurisdiction in which the business operates.
Each operator is solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and information obligations. Regiondo GmbH assumes no liability for the completeness, accuracy, or currency of the information provided in this article, nor for any actions taken or omitted based on its content. Regiondo GmbH shall not be liable for any losses, damages, claims, penalties, or other consequences resulting from an operator's failure to comply with applicable legal requirements.