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European Accessibility Act, in Austria BaFG, in Germany BFSG What has applied to websites, shops and apps since June 2025.
Since 28 June 2025, many digital offerings for consumers have had to be accessible. The basis is the European Accessibility Act, implemented in Austria by the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz (BaFG) and in Germany by the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG). An overview for companies.
As of October 2026, checked against the text of the law. General information, not legal advice.
Who is affected
The laws cover certain products and services for consumers. For websites and apps these cases matter most.
- Online shops and bookings: all offerings through which consumers conclude contracts online, such as orders, bookings or subscriptions.
- Banking services for consumers.
- Passenger transport: websites, apps, electronic tickets and travel information.
- Telecommunications, e-books and access to audiovisual media services.
As a rule, purely informational websites without contracts, and offerings aimed exclusively at businesses, are not covered. Public bodies are subject to laws of their own.
Exemptions and transition periods
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Micro-enterprises providing services
Anyone with fewer than ten employees and at most EUR 2 million in annual turnover or balance sheet total who offers services is exempt. This exemption does not apply to products.
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Disproportionate burden
If the requirements would place a disproportionate burden on a company or fundamentally alter the offering, an exemption may apply. It must be justified and as a rule documented.
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Transition periods
For certain existing products and services, transition periods apply until 28 June 2030. New websites and apps should be accessible from the start.
What a website or app must meet
In practice the benchmark is the European standard EN 301 549. For websites and apps it refers to WCAG 2.1 at level AA.
- Perceivable: alternative text for images, sufficient contrast, captions for videos.
- Operable: everything reachable by keyboard, visible focus, enough time for input.
- Understandable: clear language, consistent navigation, comprehensible error messages in forms.
- Robust: clean code that screen readers and other assistive technology read reliably.
There is also a duty to provide information: you describe how your service meets the requirements, for example in the terms and conditions or on the website.
Supervision and penalties
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Austria
The competent body is the Sozialministeriumservice. It can order defects to be remedied and impose administrative fines of up to EUR 80,000, and up to EUR 50,000 for micro-enterprises and SMEs.
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Germany
The market surveillance authorities of the federal states are responsible. The BFSG provides for fines of up to EUR 100,000.
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Rest of the EU
Every Member State has implemented the European Accessibility Act with its own law, its own authority and its own penalties. The technical requirements are the same everywhere.
Where we help Websites, shops and apps that everyone can use.
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Review
We review your website or app against WCAG 2.1 AA, automatically and by hand with keyboard and screen reader, and rank the defects by urgency.
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Rebuild
We fix the defects in the existing system without reinventing your design.
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Build new
Where a rebuild is not worthwhile, we develop the website, shop or app anew and accessible from the start.
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Describe
We supply the technical details for your accessibility statement and document the review.
Whether and how the law applies to your company is a question for your legal advisers. We implement accessibility technically.
Frequently asked questions about the accessibility legislation
Does my website have to be accessible?
If consumers can conclude contracts through your website or app, for example in an online shop or for bookings, very probably yes. Micro-enterprises that offer services are exempt. Purely informational websites are generally not covered.
Does the law also apply to B2B websites?
Offerings aimed exclusively at businesses are generally not covered. If consumers can also order, that no longer holds.
What is the difference between the BaFG and the BFSG?
Both implement the European Accessibility Act: the BaFG in Austria, the BFSG in Germany. The technical requirements are the same, the authorities and the penalty ranges differ.
What are the consequences of violations?
The authorities can order defects to be remedied and impose penalties: in Austria up to EUR 80,000, in Germany up to EUR 100,000. In Austria the principle of "advice before penalties" applies.
Is an overlay tool on top of the website enough?
As a rule not. Such overlays do not change the code underneath, and screen readers still run into the same barriers. The lasting solution is to fix the causes in the website or app.
How accessible is your website or app today?
Tell us which offering it concerns. We will reply personally, free of charge and without obligation.
As of October 2026, checked against the text of the law. General information, not legal advice.