Accessibility on the web New law as of June 2025
Next year, a new law will come into force that will affect the majority of commercial websites: With the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG), all websites that offer products and / or electronic services must be designed to be barrier-free from June 28, 2025. This applies not only to eCommerce, but also to all interactive content, such as order and contact forms for making appointments - these must also be accessible and usable for all users from this date.
What is accessibility?
Accessibility makes your website easier to use for everyone, including people with physical and mental disabilities. In concrete terms, this means that all content is easily accessible, i.e. perceptible, operable and understandable. Two standards are relevant here: the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 (2023) and the Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung (BITV) 2.0, (2023). Websites must also provide an "accessibility statement".
The principles of accessibility
According to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the following four elements represent the cornerstones of accessibility - for each of these principles there are several guidelines and specific requirements.
- Perceivability - Information must be perceivable by all users.
- Usability - All website functions must be accessible and operable for everyone.
- Comprehensibility - All information must be understandable for all users.
- Robustness - It must be possible to access and use the website on as many different devices as possible.
You can find out more on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) website.
What is the purpose of accessibility?
Almost 10% of the German population lives with a disability. In addition, the proportion of people with disabilities is increasing due to the ageing population. Temporary, situational impairments can also affect the usability of websites. All these people and their needs must be taken into account when designing and implementing websites. Accessibility on websites facilitates interaction for a large number of users.
What is the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG)?
With the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG), the EU Directive on accessibility (European Accessibility Act, EAA for short) has been transposed into German law. The Act defines accessibility requirements for products and services that are placed on the market or provided after June 28, 2025. The BFSG therefore affects all online retail, hardware and software, as well as interregional passenger transportation and banking services.
To which websites does the BFSG apply?
"Electronic commerce" within the meaning of the BFSG basically includes all business transactions via a website. In addition to e-commerce, this also includes the mere booking of appointments, e.g. for a haircut at the hairdresser or an eye test at the optician via a website, even if the service itself does not fall under the BFSG.
For whom is the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) mandatory?
From 2025, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) will lay the foundations for accessibility in Germany in the B2B (and also B2C) sector. The law will apply to all products and services used by consumers from June 28. All requirements and regulations as well as collected specialist knowledge and many answers on the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) can also be found on the website of the Federal Accessibility Agency.
What does an accessible website look like?
In the area of services offered in online stores or on websites, it must be ensured that information and content are accessible and usable for people with disabilities without particular difficulty and without outside help. This means, among other things:
- They are available in more than one sensory channel (e.g. text + read-aloud function)
- They are easy to find.
- Texts are easy to read (font size + contrast).
What is the consequence of non-compliance with the BFSG?
A violation of the BFSG can lead to warnings, among other things. We therefore recommend that you seek legal advice as soon as possible to determine whether your website, products and services fall under the BFSG and whether you must comply with the accessibility regulations by the deadline!
In an initial assessment, we as a marketing agency can also clarify for you whether your website is affected! We will then be happy to discuss with you how to effectively implement all the necessary changes to make your website accessible in good time.
By the way: The new obligation is a very good opportunity to bring your website up to date! In fact, barrier-free design also helps with search engine optimization.