- Dr. Volker Baldus
- 24.04.25
- Reading time: 4 minutes
Obligation to provide a link to the ODR platform no longer applies What online retailers need to consider now
What was the ODR platform - and why is it being discontinued?
The ODR platform was launched by the EU Commission in 2016 to resolve consumer disputes in online commerce out of court in a simple way. It was intended to serve as a central point of contact for disputes between online retailers and buyers within the EU and was part of a larger project to strengthen consumer protection in the digital single market. Since then, online retailers have had to refer to this platform in a clearly visible way – for example in the legal notice or in the cancellation policy. The so-called ODR platform link has thus become a mandatory component of many legal texts in e-commerce.
But the hoped-for benefits failed to materialise:
The platform was hardly used by consumers. This was mainly due to the fact that retailers were not obliged to participate and the agreements reached there were not legally binding. Final solutions therefore still had to be found in court proceedings. In addition, the platform was not very intuitive to use for many users, and technical problems did the rest. Trust was correspondingly low – both among retailers and consumers. Ultimately, the ODR platform remained a toothless tiger.
Due to the consistently low demand and limited practical relevance, the ODR platform will now be shut down for good on 20 July 2025. With its end, the corresponding legal obligation to provide a link to the ODR platform will also cease to apply.
What does this mean for online retailers?
From 20 July 2025, the obligation to link to the ODR platform will no longer apply.
In concrete terms, this means
You may and should remove the ODR platform link from your website from this date - in particular from the legal notice, the general terms and conditions or the cancellation policy.
It is not necessary to link a new platform, as no successor platform is currently planned.
If the ODR platform link remains online even though the platform is no longer accessible, this can lead to confusion among consumers - or to outdated legal information, which can be legally risky.
Attention: What about previous warnings?
While consumers hardly ever used the platform, it was a favourite target for competitors and warning associations – above all the notorious Interest Group for the Legal and Financial Consulting of German Online Companies (IDO Association).
Many retailers have received warnings in the past because of:
- Missing link to the ODR platform
- Incorrect or outdated link address
- Non-clickable ODR platform link
Many of these warnings ended in the submission of a cease-and-desist declaration with a penalty clause – which means that the retailer was contractually obliged to link correctly in future, otherwise a contractual penalty was threatened.
Important: The discontinuation of the ODR platform does not automatically mean that such cease-and-desist declarations are no longer valid. Whether a contractual penalty continues to apply depends on the wording of the declaration.
What should warned retailers do now?
If you have issued a cease-and-desist declaration in the past, check it carefully.
The following options are possible:
The declaration is formulated dynamically (e.g. ‘I undertake to link to the applicable ODR platform’): In this case, the obligation could end when the platform ceases to exist, as there is no longer a platform.
The declaration explicitly states the specific URL or a static behaviour (e.g. ‘I undertake to link to www.ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr’): In this case, the obligation formally continues to exist even though the platform no longer exists.
This applies in both cases:
Don’t take any risks. Seek advice in good time if you want to review and cancel your declaration of discontinuance. This will help you avoid possible contractual penalties.
We are at your side with legal advice. Please contact us for a personalised assessment and practical solutions!
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Matthias SchulzDirector Sales
- +49 40 257 660 967
- +49 40 257 660 919
- m.schulz@clarius.legal
