As of July 20, 2025, the European Union has permanently shut down its Online Dispute Resolution (OS) platform, a change that directly affects the legal obligations of businesses operating websites and online shops in Germany and across the EU.
For years, businesses in the EU were legally required to include a link and notice in their website’s Impressum (legal notice), pointing visitors to the OS platform. This platform allowed consumers and businesses to resolve disputes online without going to court.
Now that the platform is no longer operational, this requirement has been officially abolished, and any remaining links or references to it on your website may actually violate consumer protection laws — because they are misleading and point to a service that no longer exists.
What does this mean for businesses?
If your website still contains the OS platform link in your Impressum, footer, privacy policy, terms & conditions (AGB), or elsewhere, you must remove it as soon as possible.
Leaving the outdated link in place may be considered misleading to consumers under the German Unfair Competition Act (UWG) and could result in:
- Formal warning letters (Abmahnungen) from competitors, associations, or lawyers.
- Legal costs and contractual penalties.
- The obligation to remove the link immediately and sign a cease-and-desist declaration.
While the Impressum is the most critical place to update (since the law explicitly required the link there), businesses should also check other areas of their website and shop systems, such as menus, footers, or plugins, where the link may still appear automatically.
Why act now?
This change officially took effect on July 20, 2025, and the risk of leaving outdated references grows over time as competitors and consumer protection groups monitor compliance.
In addition, many websites built on platforms like WordPress, WooCommerce, or other CMSs may store the link in templates, plugins, or caches — meaning it won’t always disappear just by editing one page.
How we can help
We offer professional service packages to:
✅ Remove the outdated OS platform link from your Impressum and any other relevant pages.
✅ Review and update your privacy policy, AGB, and return policy if needed.
✅ Check and update your WordPress CMS and plugins, and clear your website’s cache to ensure all changes are correctly applied and visible.
By updating your legal texts and your technical setup, you can avoid unnecessary legal risks, protect your reputation, and remain compliant with current regulations.
If you would like to learn more about the official background of this change, we recommend reviewing the detailed guidance provided by eRecht24 here:
eRecht24: OS Platform is shut down — Update your Impressum now
For more information about our packages or to book your update, feel free to contact us anytime.
