Who Pays Return Costs for Withdrawals in Portugal?

In short: when a consumer in Portugal withdraws from an online order, the consumer normally bears the direct cost of returning the goods — but only if you told them so clearly beforehand. If you did not, that cost falls on you as the seller. This follows the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, transposed in Portugal through Decreto-Lei 24/2014. The disclosure condition The rule turns on disclosure. To place the return cost on the consumer, you must state clearly, before the contract is concluded, that they will pay to send the goods back. Leave this out of your pre-contract information and you become liable for those return costs yourself. It is a small point that has a real financial effect. What sellers still owe Return costs are separate from your refund duty. When a consumer withdraws, you must reimburse all payments received, including the standard cost of the original delivery, within 14 days. You may withhold that refund until the goods come back, or until the consumer proves they have sent them. Practical steps State clearly, before purchase, that the consumer pays return costs if you want that to apply. Provide this in Portuguese alongside the model withdrawal form. Refund the original standard delivery cost within 14 days of a valid withdrawal. Enforcement in Portugal involves the DGC and ASAE. National specifics can change, so treat this as a qualitative guide and confirm the current position with the relevant Portuguese authority before relying on it. This article is educational, not legal advice.

What Is the FAGG Withdrawal Right in Austria?

In short: the FAGG withdrawal right is Austria's version of the EU right of withdrawal. The Fern- und Auswärtsgeschäfte-Gesetz (FAGG) is the Austrian law that transposes the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, giving consumers a cooling-off right on most distance (online) and off-premises contracts. The core of the right Under the FAGG, a consumer in Austria generally has 14 days to withdraw from the contract without giving a reason. For a sale of goods, that period runs from the day the consumer takes physical possession of the goods — from delivery rather than from the order. If you fail to inform the consumer about the right, the period can be extended by up to 12 months, following the directive. What it means for sellers Tell consumers clearly about the 14-day right before they order. Make the model withdrawal form available in German. Refund all payments, including standard delivery, within 14 days of a valid withdrawal. Remember the exceptions, such as personalised, perishable or unsealed hygiene goods. The FAGG applies the same EU standard as other member states, expressed in Austrian law and in German. National specifics can change, so treat this as a qualitative guide and confirm the current position with the relevant Austrian authority before relying on it. This article is educational, not legal advice.

Must Polish Shops Provide a Withdrawal Form?

In short: yes. Online shops selling to consumers in Poland must make a model withdrawal form available. This flows from the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, which Poland has transposed into its Consumer Rights Act (Ustawa o prawach konsumenta). Provide the form, but don't require it The directive supplies a standard model withdrawal form, and you are expected to make it available to consumers. Importantly, the consumer is not obliged to use it: they can withdraw by any clear statement of their decision. So the duty is to offer the form, not to insist on it as the only route. Language matters For Polish customers, provide the withdrawal form and your accompanying information in Polish so it is genuinely accessible. This sits alongside your wider duty to tell consumers clearly about the 14-day withdrawal right before they order. What sellers should do Include a model withdrawal form with your pre-contract information, in Polish. Accept any clear statement of withdrawal, not only the form. Refund within 14 days, including standard delivery, once the consumer withdraws. Enforcement in Poland sits with UOKiK, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. National specifics can change, so treat this as a qualitative guide and confirm the current position with UOKiK before relying on it. This article is educational, not legal advice.

How Long to Withdraw From an Online Order in Belgium?

In short: for most online orders, a consumer in Belgium has 14 days to withdraw from the contract without giving any reason. This cooling-off right comes from the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, which Belgium has transposed into its Code de droit économique (the WER). When the 14 days start For a sale of goods, the 14-day period generally runs from the day the consumer takes physical possession of the goods — in practice, from delivery rather than from the order date. If an order is delivered in several instalments, the period usually starts from receipt of the last item. When it can be longer The 14 days assume you told the consumer clearly about their withdrawal right. If you did not provide that information, the period is extended by up to 12 months. Supplying the information later starts the standard 14 days from that point, so clear up-front disclosure keeps the window short. What this means for sellers State the 14-day withdrawal right clearly before the customer orders. Make the model withdrawal form available, in a language your customers understand. Refund within 14 days, including standard delivery, once a consumer withdraws. Enforcement in Belgium sits with the FPS Economy. National specifics can change, so treat this as a qualitative guide and confirm the current position with the relevant Belgian authority when it matters. This article is educational, not legal advice.

Who Pays Return Shipping for Withdrawals in the Netherlands?

It depends on what you told the customer. Under the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), transposed into the Dutch Civil Code (the Burgerlijk Wetboek), the consumer may be made to bear the direct cost of returning the goods after a withdrawal — but only if you informed them beforehand that they would carry that cost. If you did not, you as the seller must bear it. Two separate costs It helps to keep two different amounts apart: The original outbound delivery — when a consumer withdraws, your refund must include the standard cost of the original delivery. You are not obliged to refund the extra cost of a premium delivery option the customer chose over your cheapest standard one. The return shipping — this is the separate cost of sending the goods back to you, and it is the one that can fall on the customer, provided you told them clearly in advance. What this means for a Dutch-market store The practical rule is simple: if you want the customer to pay return postage, say so clearly before they order — ideally in Dutch, and on a durable medium such as the confirmation email. Stay silent and the cost is yours by default. Either way, reimburse the price and the standard outbound delivery within 14 days of a valid withdrawal. For the broader rules and enforcement context — the ACM oversees consumer protection in the Netherlands — see our complete withdrawal button guide and the withdrawal-button law page. This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

Guide

The Right of Withdrawal in Ireland: Rules for Online Sellers

By Compliance Editorial Team Updated July 5, 2026 4 min read

EU Withdrawal Button

If you run an online shop that sells to consumers in Ireland, the right of withdrawal — often called the cooling-off right — is a core consumer protection to build into your store. It comes from the Consumer Rights Directive — Directive 2011/83/EU — which gives consumers a 14-day right of withdrawal for most distance contracts, meaning online purchases. In Ireland the Directive is transposed by a Statutory Instrument giving effect to the CRD, and enforced by national authorities. The substance is common across the EU.

What the Right of Withdrawal Is

The right of withdrawal lets a consumer change their mind about most online purchases and return the goods without giving a reason. The standard period is 14 days, and for goods it generally runs from the day the consumer takes physical possession of the item — from delivery rather than from the order. A consumer buying at a distance, unable to inspect the product first, gets a window to reconsider once it arrives.

For an Irish webshop, this applies whatever platform powers your checkout — PrestaShop, another system, or a custom build. The right follows the type of contract, not the technology.

Information Duties and the 12-Month Extension

You must inform consumers clearly about the right of withdrawal before they buy. If you fail to provide the required information about that right, the withdrawal period can be extended by up to 12 months. A shop that omits withdrawal information does not remove the right — it simply gives customers a much longer window. Clear pre-contract information is both a duty and a way to keep the return window predictable.

The model withdrawal form is part of this: a standard template a consumer can use to notify you that they are exercising the right. You should make it easy to find, although a consumer can also withdraw through any clear statement rather than the form.

Refunds

When a consumer withdraws, you must refund the amount paid, including the standard cost of the original delivery, within 14 days. A few practical points recur in almost every case.

Refund within 14 days of being informed of the withdrawal.
Include the standard delivery cost of the original order.
You may withhold the refund until the goods return or return is evidenced.
The consumer generally bears the return cost where you told them so in advance.

Exceptions to Keep in Mind

The right of withdrawal does not cover everything. Common exceptions include personalised or made-to-order goods, perishable items, and sealed hygiene or health goods unsealed after delivery. If your range includes these, identify which products fall outside the right so your returns information is accurate.

Oversight and Language

In Ireland, consumer protection is associated with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the CCPC, and dealings with authorities and consumers are in English. That makes it straightforward for many sellers to present withdrawal information clearly. National specifics remain qualitative, so treat the transposition detail as a picture rather than a fixed checklist.

A Note on the EU “Withdrawal Button”

There is a proposed EU-wide “withdrawal button” that would give consumers a single, standardised way to exercise the right online. It is forthcoming rather than binding, so it is not yet a live obligation. It is worth watching, but for now the operative rules are those of the Consumer Rights Directive as transposed in Ireland.

Practical Steps for Online Sellers

Give clear pre-contract information about the 14-day right of withdrawal.
Provide an easy-to-find model withdrawal form.
Refund within 14 days, including standard delivery.
Map which products fall under the personalised, perishable or hygiene exceptions.
Present withdrawal information clearly in English.

For the EU-wide picture, see our overview of the right of withdrawal and our complete withdrawal guide. For a country hub, visit our Ireland page.

This article is educational, not legal advice.

What the Right of Withdrawal Is

Information Duties and the 12-Month Extension

Refunds

Exceptions to Keep in Mind

Oversight and Language

A Note on the EU “Withdrawal Button”

Practical Steps for Online Sellers

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The Right of Withdrawal in the Czech Republic: Rules for Online Sellers

The Right of Withdrawal in Hungary: Rules for Online Sellers

The Right of Withdrawal in Greece: Rules for Online Sellers

The EU Batteries Regulation in Ireland for Online Sellers