In short. The model withdrawal form is the official template that Directive 2011/83/EU sets out in its Annex I, part B (in Spain, Annex B of the TRLGDCU) so that the customer can communicate that they are withdrawing from the contract. You must provide it before the purchase, but the customer is not obliged to use it. And be careful: since 19 June 2026 the form is not enough, you must also offer an online withdrawal button.
If you sell on Shopify to consumers in the European Union, the withdrawal form is one of those pieces that everyone copies from a template and almost nobody fully understands. Is it mandatory? What data can it ask for? Is it still valid now that there is a mandatory button? In this guide you have the official model field by field, the list of data you can (and cannot) ask for, and the exact difference between the form and the new Article 11a button. All with the law in hand.
What is the EU model withdrawal form?
It is the official template that Directive 2011/83/EU makes available to the consumer so that they can communicate their decision to withdraw from the contract. It is in Annex I, part B of the directive and is transposed in each country (in Spain, Annex B of Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007, TRLGDCU). Its purpose is to give the customer a ready-to-fill text, without having to draft anything on their own.
Two ideas worth fixing from the start:
- The shop has to provide it. It is part of the pre-contractual information: before buying, the consumer must receive the model form (or, at least, clear information on how to withdraw).
- The customer does not have to use it. Article 11 of the directive is explicit: the consumer can withdraw with the model form or with any other unequivocal statement (an email, a letter, a message). The form makes things easier; it is not a formal requirement.
In other words: the form is an obligation for you (to provide it) and an option for the customer (to use it or not).
The official model, field by field
The text of Annex I, part B, is short and designed to be copied as is. This is the official model you must offer:
(Complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract.)
— To [here the trader's name, geographical address and, where available, e-mail address are to be inserted by the trader]: — I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following service (*), — Ordered on (*)/received on (*), — Name of consumer(s), — Address of consumer(s), — Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper), — Date
(*) Delete as appropriate.
Notice how brief it is. The directive does not allow the shop to add formal requirements to the model: you cannot turn it into a questionnaire. Each field has its reason:
| Field | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Recipient | Identifies your shop (name, address and electronic contact) |
| Declaration | The expression of the will to withdraw from the contract |
| Goods or service | What is being returned (product or service) |
| Ordered/received on | The key date: the 14-day period is counted from it |
| Name and address | Identify the consumer |
| Signature | Only if the form is delivered on paper; not needed electronically |
| Date | Records when the withdrawal is exercised |
The most important field for you is "ordered on/received on": it is the one that anchors the counting of the period. In the sale of goods, the 14 days start on the day of delivery, not on the day of purchase. We develop this in the guide to the 14-day period.
What data can you ask for and what can you not?
You can only ask for the essential data to process the withdrawal: name, order identification (order number or reference) and an electronic means of contact. Nothing more. This principle is not a whim: it links directly to the data minimisation principle of the GDPR, which requires you to collect only what is necessary for the purpose.
Translated into practice, this is what you can and cannot require:
| Data / requirement | Can you require it? |
|---|---|
| Customer's name | Yes |
| Order number or reference | Yes |
| Contact email | Yes |
| Reason for withdrawal | Not as mandatory (optional) |
| Registration or login | No |
| Product photo, ID card, phone | No, to withdraw |
| Accepting extra conditions or calls | No |
The reason deserves a clarification: you can ask for it optionally (it helps you improve the product), but you cannot condition the withdrawal on the customer giving it. Withdrawal does not need justification: it is an unconditional right within the 14 days.
And there is a red line: you cannot require registration or login to withdraw. The guest consumer, who bought without an account, must be able to withdraw all the same. Any barrier of this kind is, moreover, a dark pattern of the sort that EU rules pursue.
Form vs. Article 11a withdrawal button
Here is the most frequent confusion of 2026: the button does not replace the form. They are different and compatible instruments, and since 19 June 2026 you have to offer both.
- The model form (Annex I(B)) is the classic instrument: a text you provide in the pre-contractual information so the customer can fill it in and send it to you by whatever means they want.
- The withdrawal button of Article 11a (introduced by Directive (EU) 2023/2673) is a new, mandatory online function that allows the consumer to exercise the withdrawal entirely electronically, without drafting anything, directly from your interface.
This table summarises the differences:
| Feature | Model form (Annex I(B)) | Withdrawal button (Art. 11a) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Text template to fill in | Online function (button/link) to withdraw |
| Since when | With Directive 2011/83/EU | Mandatory since 19 June 2026 |
| Who uses it | Optional for the customer | Additional route the shop must offer |
| Where it lives | Pre-contractual information, terms | Visible in the interface (footer recommended) |
| Acknowledgement | Depends on the channel | Mandatory, on a durable medium, with date and time |
The practical conclusion: keep the form in your pre-contractual information and add the button visible and accessible without login. One does not replace the other. If you want the detail on the button, you have the complete guide to Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and what Article 11a requires.
The national basis of the form by country
The model is common across the whole EU, but each country sets it out in its own law. If you sell in several markets, cite the one that applies:
| Country / language | Where the model form is |
|---|---|
| Spain (es) | Annex B of the TRLGDCU (RDLeg 1/2007) |
| Catalonia (ca) | Annex B of the TRLGDCU (RDLeg 1/2007) |
| English (EU) (en) | Annex I, part B, of Directive 2011/83/EU |
| Portugal (pt) | Parte B do Anexo do Decreto-Lei 24/2014 |
| Italy (it) | Allegato I, parte B, del Codice del Consumo (D.Lgs. 206/2005) |
| France (fr) | Formulaire type de rétractation (Code de la consommation) |
| Germany (de) | Muster-Widerrufsformular, Anlage 2 zu Art. 246a EGBGB |
The content of the form is essentially identical in all seven; what changes is the legal reference and the language. As with the button label, it is advisable to serve each market in its own language and with its own national basis.
How to offer the form (and the button) on Shopify
Shopify does not natively include either the withdrawal form or the Article 11a button. To comply, this is the reasonable approach:
- Publish the model form in your terms of sale and in the pre-contractual information, with a download link (PDF or text). Make sure it is accessible before buying.
- Inform the consumer of the right of withdrawal, the 14-day period and the exceptions. If you don't inform them, the period extends to 12 months.
- Add the withdrawal button ("Withdraw from contract here") visible in the footer and accessible without login, with its two-step flow and its acknowledgement of receipt with date and time. Review which label is valid and how to comply on Shopify.
The button is where most shops need help: the electronic flow, the timestamp and the acknowledgement of receipt on a durable medium are engineering work. That's why it is solved with a specialised app rather than coding it from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EU model withdrawal form? It is the official template of Annex I, part B, of Directive 2011/83/EU (in Spain, Annex B of the TRLGDCU) so that the consumer can communicate their withdrawal. The shop must provide it; the customer is not obliged to use it.
Is it mandatory to use the model to withdraw? No. The customer can withdraw with the form or with any unequivocal statement (email, letter). What is mandatory for the shop is to provide it and, since 19 June 2026, to also offer the withdrawal button.
What data can the form ask for? Only the essentials: name, order identification and an electronic means of contact. You cannot require the reason, or force the customer to log in, or ask for unnecessary data (GDPR minimisation).
Does the button replace the form? No. They are compatible: the form is the classic instrument of the pre-contractual information; the button is the new online function, mandatory since 2026. They add up.
Where do I put the form in my shop? In the pre-contractual information and the terms of sale, accessible before purchase, and it is common to link it in post-sale emails. The button, additionally, permanently visible in the interface (footer recommended).
Conclusion
If you have a Shopify shop that sells to the EU, treat the form and the button as two layers of the same thing: the model form is the template you must provide and keep in your pre-contractual information; the button is the electronic route mandatory since 19 June 2026. Ask for only name, order and email, never condition the withdrawal on a reason or a registration, and keep a record of every request with its date. You comply with the law and, along the way, you convey the trust of a shop that sets no traps.
💡 Ready to comply effortlessly? returnEasier installs the compliant withdrawal button on your Shopify shop, with form, acknowledgement of receipt, timestamp and auditable record in the 7 EU languages. Try it free — 3 trial returns, no card.
Official sources
- Directive 2011/83/EU (art. 11 and Annex I) — EUR-Lex
- Directive (EU) 2023/2673 — EUR-Lex
- Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007 (TRLGDCU) — BOE
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), data minimisation (art. 5) — EUR-Lex
Informational content; it does not constitute legal advice. For specific cases, consult a lawyer specialising in consumer law.