Pravano · Knowledge base · Consumer protection / online shops

The withdrawal function: what an online shop selling to Slovakia must have from 19 June 2026

Methodology: Marek Galetka, founder of Pravano. English translation of our Slovak article, which a person approved before publication; every number, date and legal reference of the translation is checked automatically against the original.

Cross-checked as of 25 September 2026 · based on primary sources

Updated 25 September 2026. Based on Act No. 108/2024 Coll. on Consumer Protection, as amended. A general explanation, not a legal service or an official audit. Original: slovenská verzia.

Since 19 June 2026, a trader that concludes distance contracts with consumers through an online interface must also allow withdrawal from the contract through a dedicated withdrawal function, in practice a button on the website or in the app. The obligation is laid down by Section 20a of Act No. 108/2024 Coll. on Consumer Protection; it was inserted into the act by Article III of Act No. 311/2025 Coll. on Consumer Protection in Distance Financial Services. Slovakia thereby transposes Directive (EU) 2023/2673. In the Czech Republic a similar obligation will apply only from 1 January 2027.

Whom the obligation concerns

It concerns a trader that concludes distance contracts through an online interface – typically the operator of an online shop or of sales through a mobile app or an order form on a website (Section 20a(1)). The new rules apply to contracts concluded after 18 June 2026 (Section 53b). The existing ways of withdrawing, for example by letter, on another durable medium or with the model form, remain; the function is an additional option, not a replacement (Section 20a(1) in conjunction with Section 20(6)). The obligation also applies to financial services (Section 14(6)(c)) and to contracts for the supply of electricity or gas (Section 14(5)(f)).

The function is tied to the withdrawal period. Section 20a does not expressly deal with contracts for which the consumer has no right of withdrawal (exceptions under Section 19); in our reading, the obligation is tied to an existing right of withdrawal.

Requirements for the function step by step

1. Entry: the function must be labelled with the easily legible phrase „odstúpiť od zmluvy tu“ (“withdraw from contract here”) or a similar unambiguous wording. In the online interface it must be prominently displayed and easily and continuously accessible throughout the withdrawal period (Section 20a(2)).
2. Filling in: in it, the consumer provides or confirms their name, the details identifying the contract and the e-mail address or other means of online communication to which they will receive the confirmation (Section 20a(3)).
3. Sending: the consumer sends the notice through a separate function labelled „potvrdiť odstúpenie od zmluvy“ (“confirm withdrawal”) or a similar unambiguous wording (Section 20a(4)).
4. Confirmation: the trader must send, without undue delay, an acknowledgement of receipt on a durable medium, which includes e-mail, with the content of the notice and the date and time it was sent (Section 20a(5), Section 2(f)).

The withdrawal deadline is complied with if the consumer sends the notice through the function on the last day of the period at the latest (Section 20a(6)). The safest course is to use the literal statutory wording. The act allows a “similar wording”, but as at 25 September 2026 we had not found any official SOI guidance on it.

Do not forget the information to consumers

The pre-contractual information on the right of withdrawal must also include information on the existence and location of the function (Section 15(1)(f)). Point 3a was added to the model instructions in Annex 3 to the act, under which the right of withdrawal may also be exercised online at the stated address and the confirmation arrives without undue delay on a durable medium. Update your instructions on withdrawal and your terms and conditions on the website as well.

What you risk and who inspects

• For a breach of Section 20a(1) to (5), the supervisory authority may impose a fine from €200 to 2% of turnover for the previous accounting period, up to €200,000 (Section 43(1)(a)). If the trader had no turnover, if it cannot be determined, or if it is lower than the lower limit of the range, the supervisory authority may impose a fine from €200 to €200,000 (Section 43(7)(a)).
• For a repeated breach of the same obligation within 12 months of the previous decision becoming final, it is from €300 to 3% of turnover, up to €400,000 (Section 43(3)(a)). In coordinated action by authorities within the EU, the fine may reach up to 4% of turnover (Section 43(2)(a)).
• If, after proceedings have started and until the decision is issued, the trader proves that it has ended the infringement and, where the nature of the infringement allows, remedied it in favour of consumers, the range of the fine is halved (Section 44(1)).
• Supervision is, as a rule, carried out by the Slovak Trade Inspection (SOI) (Section 26(8)(b)). For regulated activities in network industries it is carried out by the Regulatory Office for Network Industries, for food by the State Veterinary and Food Administration of the Slovak Republic and the regional veterinary and food administrations, for cosmetics and food by the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic and the regional public health authorities, and for financial services by the National Bank of Slovakia (Section 26(2) to (5)).

Selling from the Czech Republic to Slovakia?

A Czech online shop targeting Slovak consumers may be subject to Slovak consumer rules; which law applies is a matter of legal assessment of the specific case (Article 6 of the Rome I Regulation). The Slovak obligation has applied since 19 June 2026, the Czech one only from 1 January 2027 (Act No. 159/2026 Coll., labels „Odstoupit od smlouvy“ and „Potvrdit odstoupení od smlouvy“). When selling to both markets, it therefore pays to introduce the function now.

Checklist for an online shop

• A „odstúpiť od zmluvy tu“ button, prominently displayed and easily and continuously accessible throughout the withdrawal period.
• A form with three pieces of information: name, identification of the contract (for example the order number) and e-mail address.
• A separate „potvrdiť odstúpenie od zmluvy“ button.
• An automatic e-mail sent without undue delay with the content of the notice and the date and time when the consumer sent it.
• Updated pre-contractual information (point 3a of the model) and terms and conditions.

This article is a general explanation, not individual legal advice. If you are not sure what applies to your company, write to us – we answer in English, in writing.