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European Accessibilty Act – What applies in Germany?
Accessible websites – the clock is ticking for all online providers of products and services. According to the European Accessibility Act Germany introduced the German Accessibility Reinforcement Act “Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz” (short BFSG). Online stores, appointment booking systems and contact forms must be accessible to all by June 28, 2025 at the latest. Otherwise you could face fines or even have your website taken offline.
What does the “Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz” (BFSG) require?
The BFSG requires website and online store operators to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA. These were created by the World Wide Web Consortium and define standards for making web design and web applications as accessible as possible. In Europe, the EN 301 549 standard forms the basis for these requirements.
What do the BFSG guidelines stipulate?
- Those affected must publish an “Accessibility Statement”, which can be found on the website or with the product in an accessible way.
- From June 2025, services or products may only be published in germany if they comply with the BFSG guidelines.
- Applicable accessibility requirements must be implemented proactively and in full.
Who is affected by the BFSG?
In principle, all those who offer services in electronic commerce – i.e. online – or develop electronic products such as laptops, apps or e-books must act. This means that all online stores and digital service providers are affected. This also includes services such as traditional online stores, electronic tickets or appointment portals, such as those often used by medical appointments, beauty salons or fitness studios.
The above information was taken from the official website of the German government. You can find more details here: www. bund.de
Are there any exceptions?
The “BFSG” is primarily aimed at private companies. However, small companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total of no more than 2 million euros are not required to comply. Websites that are aimed at a closed group of people and are not intended to be made accessible to the public are also exempt.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Non-compliance with the accessibility requirements in germany can result in fines, warnings or the loss of funding. This also applies if you have your website operated by third-party providers. As a company, you are responsible for ensuring that the third-party providers you work with to develop digital products or run an online store comply with the requirements of the BFSG.
What has to be implemented
to be accessible according to the BFSG?
In order to ensure the accessible design of digital products and websites, the aspects of perceptibility, usability, comprehensibility and robustness must be adapted in accordance with the EN 301 549 standard.
Below you will find a selection of concrete examples for the individual aspects:
Perceptibility:
Digital content must be able to be perceived via two different senses according to the two-channel principle. For example:
- Text alternatives for images
- Clear color contrasts for text and background
- Subtitles for videos
Robustness:
Applications as well as the content within products or websites must be accessible regardless of technology or end device. For example.
- Responsive design across all channels
- Browser compatibility
- Screen reader compatibility
Comprehensibility:
Content and functions should be easy to understand. For example:
- Clear error messages
- Simple navigation
- Descriptive and simple language
Usability:
All end users must be able to operate digital services without any difficulty. For example:
- Navigation also via the keyboard possible
- Sufficiently large click areas
- Intuitive page structure
Accessibility can be this foxy – Hamburg Wasser/span>
The HAMBURG WASSER website is not only clearly laid out, but also inclusive. As part of a 2-year project, Medienwerft has optimized the site so that it is accessible to everyone.
With a second navigation, visitors can choose between “easy language”, “translations into different languages” and “sign language”. The technical infrastructure has also been completely overhauled. Thanks to a new concept and the integration of comprehensive accessibility, the HAMBURG WASSER website shines in new splendor – and can be used by everyone.
View case nowAn opportunity for everyone
Even if you are not directly affected by the BFSG, you should seize the opportunity to secure a competitive advantage by working on your accessibility with a view to the future. There are around 10 million people with a disability living in Germany who can potentially benefit from accessible websites. In addition, search engines prefer a semantic HTML structure, which not only makes it easier for people with disabilities to find your content, but also has a positive impact on your SEO ranking.
Get in touch now!
Sönke Baumann
Head of New Business
040 31 77 99 0
sbaumann@medienwerft.de
✓ non-binding & free of charge
✓ 15-30 minute initial consultation
✓ Book directly via the calendar
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