Running a webshop in Belgium has become an exercise in administrative endurance. Anyone who thought that the GDPR, the Omnibus Directive, the Accessibility Act, and the price indication rules were the final major hurdles is sorely mistaken. Europe, and soon, with the usual delays, the Belgian legislator, has taken another step in what they call consumer protection, but what feels to many entrepreneurs like a further restriction of their operational autonomy.
Since 19 June 2026, every webshop must be equipped with a physical cancellation button. The idea behind it is that terminating an online contract should be just as seamless as entering into one. Protecting consumers against dark patterns is a worthy cause, but the practical execution is reigniting the debate on regulatory burden for SMEs.
What does the mandatory cancellation button entail?
The new legislation obliges businesses offering online contracts to provide a clearly visible and easily accessible feature on their website that allows consumers to cancel the agreement at the click of a button. This regulation applies to all contracts subject to the statutory right of withdrawal and does not apply to statutory exceptions. It is no longer enough to send consumers through a maze of contact forms or force them to send a registered letter or call customer service during office hours.
The legislator requires the cancellation process to mirror the purchasing process. This means if a customer can sign up online, they must also be able to cancel online without human intervention. The button must be clearly labeled with unequivocal wording such as “withdraw from contract here” or a similar phrase that leaves no room for interpretation.
Impact on your webshop’s interface and technical setup
For the average Belgian webshop, this requires technical adjustments in the backend and user interface. The button must remain available, clearly visible, and easily accessible at all times throughout the statutory withdrawal period. It cannot be hidden away in the general terms and conditions or buried deep in a customer profile submenu that requires three clicks to reach. Via this button, consumers must be able to easily enter or confirm their details.
If the consumer uses a customer account area, their details (such as name, order number, etc.) must be pre-filled automatically. Crucially, if the consumer does not use a customer account, they must be required to fill out their details manually. To prevent consumers from accidentally cancelling their contract, a two-step verification, presented as a clear button labeled “confirm cancellation”, is mandatory.
As soon as the consumer clicks that button, the business must immediately send an electronic acknowledgment of receipt. This imposes additional administrative burdens and integration costs, especially for smaller businesses relying on standard platforms that may not yet support such features out of the box. This is not merely a visual tweak, but a functional integration directly linked to the company’s contract administration.
Yet another step in growing over-regulation
At Sirius Legal, we have the impression that the pendulum of consumer protection is swinging too far toward over-regulation. We saw this earlier with the mandatory order and payment button, where webshops became legally vulnerable if the button did not contain the exact words “order with obligation to pay.” Instead of focusing on general principles of good faith and transparency, the legislator has opted for micro-management of the user interface.
It assumes consumers are no longer capable of filling out a standard model form, sending an email, or contacting a helpdesk. For entrepreneurs, every interface decision now carries legal risk. It undermines the creative and commercial freedom to build a unique customer experience, forcing every digital process into a rigid legal straightjacket of buttons and specific phrasing.
Enforcement and the consequences of non-compliance
The Economic Inspectorate has proven in recent years that it monitors e-commerce very strictly. The absence of a compliant cancellation button will be penalized just as heavily as omitting the right of withdrawal or mandatory company details. Sanctions are severe, ranging from administrative fines to the potential invalidity of the contract.
The European directive and the draft Belgian law also provide for an automatic penalty: if consumers are not adequately informed about their right of withdrawal or if the button fails to meet statutory requirements, the withdrawal period is automatically extended to up to 12 months. This exponentially increases the risk of collective claims or complaints to the Consumer Ombudsman Service for companies that fail to get their digital flows in order.
What does this mean for your business in practice?
In the short term, you must assess whether your webshop or online platform sells products or services subject to the statutory right of withdrawal. If so, you must implement a functional cancellation button in the interface that users can easily locate. Concretely, this also means aligning your general terms and conditions, existing model withdrawal form, and website copy with this new functionality.
It is essential that your IT partner or internal technical team understands that this is not an optional feature, but a mandatory legal requirement. Postponing implementation exposes you to fines from the Economic Inspectorate and legal disputes with customers contesting invoices due to the lack of a simple withdrawal mechanism.
It is clear that the digital economy is increasingly regulated through a paternalistic lens on consumer behavior. As an entrepreneur, staying compliant without sacrificing user experience is a constant struggle. While we remain critical of these far-reaching obligations, strict enforcement is the reality. Adapting your processes swiftly is the only way to avoid legal disputes and reputational damage. At Sirius Legal, we are happy to help translate these new rules into practical, workable solutions for your specific platform, so you can stay focused on what truly matters: running your business.
Questions about e-commerce and consumer protection?
Our IT and e-commerce professionals support webshops across Belgium and well beyond. We have strong hubs in Limburg (Hasselt) and Antwerp (Mechelen).
We would be delighted to welcome you for an initial introduction, or you can book a video call directly in our calendars via the link alongside this article.