PlayStanRefund & Dispute Center
Home / Refunds / European Union

European Union — consumer-law refund rights

EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU

Not legal, financial, or official advice. This is an educational summary of European Union consumer law, verified 2026-08-16. It is not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult the source or a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.

Overview

Consumers have a 14-day cooling-off period for distance contracts (online purchases) and can withdraw without giving a reason.

Key points

  • 14 days from the day the contract is concluded
  • Applies to digital content bought online (distance contract)
  • Exception: the right of withdrawal is lost once you expressly consent to immediate performance (download/stream) and acknowledge losing the withdrawal right
  • If you withdraw in time, the trader must refund all payments within 14 days
  • From 19 June 2026, EU sellers must provide an easy electronic withdrawal function

How this interacts with platform policy

Steam, Epic, and others show an explicit “I consent to perform immediately and lose my withdrawal right” checkbox at checkout. If you did NOT consent and the 14 days have not passed, you may have a stronger legal claim than the platform’s own policy allows. Nintendo EU/UK gives a 14-day withdrawal right but requires the same consent waiver.

All platforms

See the storefront policies this law sits on top of.

Compare platforms →

Chargeback guide

If a platform refuses a legitimate refund, your card issuer may be the next step.

Open chargeback guide →

Source & verification