Germany’s Bundesrat has approved a wide-ranging consumer protection package aimed at strengthening digital rights, improving transparency around environmental claims, and enhancing product safety. The measures, passed in the chamber’s first session of 2026, implement several EU directives and introduce new rules that will come into force at different points throughout the year.
One of the central reforms is the introduction of a mandatory “withdrawal button” for online contracts. This feature is designed to make canceling an online agreement as easy as signing it. Providers will be required to place a clearly visible, permanently accessible, and simple-to-use button on their websites.
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig welcomed the change, stating: “If online shopping is child’s play, then the cancellation must be too.” She emphasized that from summer 2026, specifically 19 June 2026, consumers will no longer need to search for hidden forms or compose complicated emails just to withdraw from a contract.
The legislation also obliges companies offering financial services to explain contract terms in clear, accessible language. They must ensure consumers understand both the products offered and the risks involved. Consumers will additionally have the right to request a direct personal contact option online.
The law further sets a fixed withdrawal deadline for financial services contracts: a maximum of 12 months and 14 days, unless consumers were not properly informed of their rights. This change replaces the previously unlimited withdrawal period. The reform package also ensures that patients will have a fundamental right to receive the first copy of their medical treatment records free of charge.
The Bundesrat also approved new rules to combat misleading environmental claims, aiming to prevent companies from marketing products as “environmentally friendly” or “climate neutral” unless such claims can be proven. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said: “We are showing ‘greenwashing’ the red card.” Under the new law, companies must substantiate environmental claims with credible documentation; otherwise, they face warnings or even liability for damages.
These reforms implement EU requirements and focus on improving transparency for consumers. Environmental labels, sustainability claims, and durability statements must be clear, visible, and based on recognized high environmental performance or certified sustainability standards. A future-oriented environmental claim will only be allowed if it is backed by a realistic, detailed plan. Violations may result in significant fines. Most of the greenwashing rules will apply from 27 September 2026.
The Bundesrat also approved measures to implement an EU regulation aimed at strengthening product safety for items such as toys, elevators, and pressure equipment. These rules bring German law in line with EU requirements. The implementation follows the timelines laid out in the EU regulation, which Germany is now formally adopting.
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