Warning trap from 21.7.2025: The reason will surprise you!

I’ve always wanted to write a blog post with a lurid clickbait title. But don’t worry, dear readers, the content of this post is actually relevant. Especially if you run a website. So buckle up, because we’re going on a wild ride through the shoals of EU bureaucracy! Not only will we be talking about the end of a barely used platform, but also how you can protect your website from potential warning letters. And believe me, it will be more exciting than the last crime scene!

Imagine you are the captain of a digital ship called “your website” and suddenly a bureaucratic Bermuda Triangle appears on the horizon. Into this triangle disappears an EU platform that you may never have heard of, but which could still be mentioned on your website. Sounds confusing? Don’t worry, we’ll navigate this storm together and steer your digital ship safely into the harbor of legal compliance.

In the next few minutes, you’ll learn not only why the EU has decided to pull the plug on one of its own creations, but also how you can prevent your website from becoming a ghost town – populated by dead links and lurking warning lawyers. We’ll laugh, we’ll cry (with laughter), and in the end, you’ll be better prepared than most EU officials for what’s to come. So, get your mouse ready and scroll with caution. This trip could save your website!

The end of an era (that nobody noticed)

Imagine you are hosting a party and nobody shows up. This is exactly what happened to the European Commission with its online dispute resolution platform (ODR platform). Since 2016, this digital ghost town has been ready to reconcile consumers and companies in online disputes. But instead of a lively marketplace for dispute resolution, all that could be found there was digital tumbleweeds.

The EU has now decided to put an end to this unsuccessful initiative. On December 19, 2024, the decision was made to shut down the ODR platform. From the No new complaints will be accepted after March 20, 2025, and the final shutdown will take place on July 20, 2025. A date that website operators should mark in red in their calendars.

The lurking warning trap

Now it’s getting exciting: From July 21, 2025, your website could become a warning trap! Why? Because you may still be dutifully linking to a platform that no longer exists. It’s as if you were advertising a journey through time in your shop window – tempting, but unfortunately not possible.

Do you remember this sentence on your website?

“The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (OS), which you can find here [Link]. We are not obliged or willing to participate in a dispute resolution procedure before a consumer arbitration board.”

From July 21, 2025, this sentence will be as misleading as a navigation device that guides you into the middle of the ocean.

What to do? A roadmap for website operators

To avoid potential problems, here is a timetable for you:

1. until March 20, 2025: Keep the link, but add a note: “Attention: From March 21, 2025, no new complaints can be submitted.”

2. March 21 to July 20, 2025: You have a choice – either remove the link completely or leave it up with a note about the impending shutdown. It’s like a relationship on the verge of breaking up: you can put it off for a while longer or come clean straight away.

3. from July 21, 2025: Delete any reference to the ODR platform faster than you can say “European bureaucracy”.

Conclusion: Better safe than sorry

Take the deadlines seriously and get your website up to scratch in good time. Because believe me, being warned because of a link that leads to digital nothingness is about as pleasant as stepping barefoot on Lego. It’s embarrassing, painful and completely avoidable.

Stay vigilant and adapt your online presence to the changing legal framework. This way you can ensure that your website remains on the safe side in the future.

So, back to serious blog posts from now on… or something like that.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.