Right of withdrawal

By virtue of the right of withdrawal, consumers from Austria can withdraw from a contract concluded at a distance (distance contract (→ oesterreich.gv.at))^{German text}, i.e. including those concluded with online shops – within a certain period.

A contract concluded at a distance (distance contract) exists where the simultaneous physical presence of the contracting parties is not required for the conclusion of the contract, such as in the case of a contract concluded via the internet or by telephone. A prerequisite is that the trader has an organised sales or service-provision scheme, e.g. a website, and that only means of distance communication (letters, internet, fax, telephone) are used up to and including the moment at which the contract comes into being.

The withdrawal period is 14 days. The consumer does not have to give any reasons for his/her withdrawal.

The following sections describe the particularities of the various contracts (e.g. sales contracts, service contracts) which must be taken into account in connection with the right of withdrawal.