Compliance, tax and consent
EU VAT and OSS, the EU withdrawal button, GPSR product safety data, Consent Mode v2 and accessibility — the obligations that are cheapest to handle early.
Compliance work is the part of a store that produces no visible benefit when it is done and considerable cost when it is not. It is also, unusually, cheaper to do early than to retrofit.
These articles cover the areas that actually affect European trading: tax registration and reporting, consent and tracking, accessibility, and the two newest obligations — product safety information under GPSR and the withdrawal button that has applied since June 2026.
Articles on this topic
Selling online in the UK in 2026: the rules your Shopify store has to meet
Cancellation rights, the DMCC Act's bans on drip pricing and fake reviews, cookie consent, VAT and pricing — what a UK Shopify store needs in place and how to set it up.
The EU withdrawal button on Shopify: what has applied since 19 June 2026
Every online store selling to EU consumers now needs a two-step electronic withdrawal function. Shopify does not ship one. What the rule requires, and how to add it properly.
GPSR on Shopify: the product safety information EU listings must show
Since December 2024 the EU General Product Safety Regulation requires manufacturer, responsible-person and safety details on every online listing. How to model it cleanly in Shopify.
EU VAT and OSS for Shopify: Selling Cross-Border Without Nasty Surprises
Distance selling thresholds, One Stop Shop registration, correct tax display and what changes when you cross €10,000 in EU sales.
Shopify accessibility: what selling into the EU now requires
Accessibility moved from good practice to a compliance question for e-commerce in the EU. What that means for a Shopify store, and the fixes that carry most of the weight.
Cookie consent on Shopify: what Consent Mode v2 changes
Consent banners are not just a legal checkbox. Since Consent Mode v2, the signal your banner sends decides whether conversion tracking works at all in the EEA.
VAT for UK Shopify stores: registration, tax settings, zero-rated products and MTD
When a UK Shopify store must register for VAT, how to set it up, how to treat zero-rated products and delivery, and what Making Tax Digital needs.
Frequently asked questions.
What is OSS and do we need it?
The EU One Stop Shop lets you report VAT for all EU sales through one registration rather than registering per country. Whether you need it depends on your EU sales volume and where you are established.
Is a cookie banner just a legal formality?
Not any more. Since Consent Mode v2, the signal your banner sends determines whether conversion tracking works at all for EEA traffic — so it is a measurement question as much as a legal one.
Does accessibility apply to online stores?
European accessibility requirements extend to e-commerce. Beyond obligation, most fixes — contrast, focus states, form labels, keyboard navigation — improve conversion for everyone.
What changed for EU stores in 2026?
Since 19 June 2026, stores selling to EU consumers must offer an electronic withdrawal function with a 'withdraw from contract here' control, a 'confirm withdrawal' step and an automatic acknowledgement. Shopify has no built-in version, so it is added by app or custom section.
What does GPSR require on a product page?
Manufacturer name and postal and electronic address, an EU responsible person for products made outside the EU, product identification and safety warnings in the local language — on the listing itself.