With the discontinuation of the online dispute resolution procedure on 1 July 2025, consumers within the EU are no longer able to use the online dispute resolution procedure to settle disputes with online retailers easily and free of charge. For German companies, however, this does not change the information requirements that still apply. The Consumer Dispute Resolution Act (VSGB) specifies the requirements for the information to be provided. We show you what you need to bear in mind.
End of the EU online dispute resolution platform
Back in 2016, the European Union set up a platform that provided consumers and retailers with an out-of-court procedure for disputes arising from contracts concluded online. The aim was to strengthen consumer confidence in the EU internal market and reduce their fears regarding cross-border legal disputes. With the help of the platform, those affected could request their contractual partners to involve an arbitration body listed on the platform.
Under Art. 14 Regulation (EU) No. 524/2013, traders were required to provide a clearly visible link to this platform on their website (usually in the legal notice) and, if necessary, to provide an email address for contact purposes.
In recent years, however, usage figures have been low, prompting the European Commission to decide in May 2024, with Regulation 2024/3228, to permanently discontinue the online dispute resolution platform as of 20 July 2025.
With the discontinuation of the EU platform, the previous obligation for online retailers to refer to the procedure in their legal notice will also end.
Regulation of § 36 VSGB in Germany
At the same time, however, the VSGB remains in force in Germany, which, according to § 36 VSGB, provides for an independent obligation to provide information about participation in dispute resolution procedures. Accordingly, companies that conclude contracts with consumers are still obliged to state whether they are willing to participate in proceedings before a consumer arbitration board – or are even obliged to do so by law.
This continues to create transparency and shows consumers an alternative to legal proceedings – quite independently of a central EU platform.
Recommended action for responsible parties
For companies, the change means that the reference to the EU online dispute resolution platform must be removed from the legal notice. It is best to check your legal notice and, if necessary, your terms and conditions. An existing reference to a platform that has since been discontinued could be considered misleading and have legal consequences.
Nevertheless, the information obligation under § 36 VSGB must still be fulfilled, if it applies to companies. Only companies with ten or fewer employees are exempt from this. This means that the legal notice or terms and conditions must state whether and in what form arbitration by a German consumer arbitration board is accepted.
Conclusion
The shutdown of the EU online dispute resolution platform shows that this digital legal service was hardly used and therefore failed to increase the attractiveness or acceptance of out-of-court dispute resolution procedures.
However, this closure opens up the opportunity to specifically promote national arbitration bodies and make them more attractive to consumers. By referring to nationwide arbitration bodies instead of the central EU platform, the procedure can become clearer and perhaps even inspire more confidence than the EU system, which has not proven itself in practice.