The legal pages a business website needs in Europe

If you run a commercial website in the European Union, some legal pages are not optional. They do not need to be very long or written for lawyers, but they must say what they have to say. Here is what each one is for. Bear in mind this is general guidance: rules vary by country, so for your specific case check with a local adviser. Outside the EU, other laws apply (for example, UK GDPR in the United Kingdom).

Legal notice (or imprint)

Many EU countries require businesses providing online services to identify themselves clearly: in Germany it is the "Impressum", in Spain the "aviso legal" under the LSSI. It typically includes:

• The owner's name or company name.
• Tax or company registration number.
• Address.
• Email or another direct contact.
• Professional registration details, where applicable.

It often also covers website terms of use and intellectual property.

Privacy policy

Mandatory if you collect personal data, even through a single contact form. Under the GDPR it must explain:

• Who the data controller is.
• What data you process and why.
• The legal basis (consent, contract, legal obligation, legitimate interest…).
• How long you keep it.
• Who it is shared with (including providers such as email or form services).
• Whether there are transfers outside the European Economic Area.
• The person's rights, how to exercise them and that they can complain to a data protection authority.

Next to each form, a short summary of the essentials is good practice. More in contact forms that convert.

Cookie policy

If your website uses non-essential cookies (analytics with cookies, advertising, embedded third-party videos, social media pixels), you must inform users and get consent before setting them, with a banner that lets people accept and reject equally easily.

There is a way to avoid the banner: do not use cookies that require it. A website with cookieless statistics, self-hosted fonts and no third-party trackers can work without a cookie banner, though it should explain this in its policy. That is how Nueva Página websites are built.

Terms and conditions

If you sell online (shop, paid bookings, courses), you need general terms: prices, taxes, payment methods, delivery, the 14-day right of withdrawal for EU consumers, guarantees. If the website only informs and you send quotes, the terms go in the quote itself.

Other legal pages, depending on the case

• Accessibility statement, if accessibility rules apply to you. More in web accessibility.
• Sector rules: health advertising, professional codes of conduct for regulated professions.

Common mistakes with legal pages

• Copying another website's texts with another business's details.
• Privacy policies mentioning tools the website does not use (or omitting the ones it does).
• Cookie banners with no reject option, or that set cookies before consent.
• Pre-ticked consent boxes.

Where to put the legal pages on your website

The usual place is a link in the footer of every page, with clear names: "Legal notice", "Privacy" and "Cookies". In addition, the contact form should link to the privacy policy right next to the consent box. That way people know what you do with their data before sending it.

The European Commission's data protection overview explains the GDPR basics behind the privacy policy. In any case, check your legal pages with an adviser if your activity has its own rules, since each country adds its own details. For the form itself, see contact forms that convert. Clear legal pages also build trust.

Frequently asked questions

Can I leave my address off the legal notice?

Where the law requires it, it must be there. If you do not want it to appear in search engines, the page can be marked not to be indexed, but the details must be present.

Does Google Analytics need a cookie banner?

In its usual setup it uses cookies that require consent. There are cookieless analytics alternatives.

Do I need a lawyer for my legal pages?

For a simple website, well-adapted texts are usually enough; in cases with particularities (health, online shops, sensitive data), professional review is advisable.

Will my website include legal pages?

Yes. Nueva Página websites launch with a legal notice, privacy policy and cookie policy, and without cookies that require a banner. See how I work.