Apple codifies 14-day refund policy for iTunes purchases in the EU

European consumers now have two weeks within which to request a refund for most content purchased from the iTunes Store, according to recently-updated Apple support documentation, unifying the company's return policies for both physical and digital goods.

The new policies were quietly rolled out in country-specific PDF documents posted to Apple's support portals in the European Union. While Apple has long been lenient when it comes to such refunds in Europe —  which has particularly strong consumer protection laws —  this is the first time they have explicitly defined the process, as noted by German blog iFun.

In the documents, which were prepared in early December, Apple advises consumers that they may request a refund "without giving any reason." The only items not subject to the refund policy are already-redeemed iTunes gift codes.

To receive a refund, buyers can either use Apple's online "Report a Problem" tool or send a physical cancellation form to the company's European headquarters in Luxembourg. Some purchases —  including iTunes Match, Season Pass, Multi-Pass, and unredeemed iTunes gifts —  can be refunded by contacting iTunes Support.

Apple promises that reimbursements will processed no later than 14 days from the date the cancellation notice is received.

The policy shift matches up with the European Union's right of withdrawal rules, which were first instituted for online purchases in 2011. Digital goods are explicitly exempted from those regulations, however, likely signaling that Apple's move is a voluntary one.