Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG): Expanding Digital Inclusion for All

The BFSG transposes EU Directive 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act) into German law. It applies to products placed on the market from June 28, 2025, as well as to services offered to consumers from that date onward.
Covered products and services include:

Micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than two million euros are exempt from this law – provided they offer services only.

Digital products and services are considered accessible when they can be used by people with disabilities and/or impairments without undue difficulty and, in principle, without external assistance.
An accessible approach therefore includes the following key aspects:

The technical requirements are based on the European standard EN 301 549 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), at least Level AA.

If you haven’t taken action yet and are now alarmed to find that the BFSG applies to your business – don’t panic right away: there are transition periods in place for certain existing products and services:

However, if you operate an online shop or are part of the public sector, now is definitely the time to start working on BFSG compliance!
For the public sector, particular attention should be paid to the Accessible Information Technology Ordinance (German BITV 2.0). Technically, this regulation also relies on European Standard EN 301 549 Version 3.2.1 (“Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services”) and defines the specific accessibility requirements for websites, mobile applications, software, and self-service terminals. There are practical quick tests (in German) available that can give you at least a heuristic sense of where action may be needed. For an in-depth analysis, consulting with experts is highly recommended.

Some of you might now be wondering: “But what kind of penalties are we really facing if we simply ignore the BFSG?” The short and unanimous answer is:

To comply with the requirements of the German BFSG, companies should consider taking the following steps:

Comprehensive support is available from professionals who have long been engaged with the topic of accessibility.The BFSG represents an important step toward greater digital inclusion. Businesses that have already made accessibility a core part of their identity not only gain legal security, but also open up to new customer segments and strengthen their brand reputation.

Accessibility is more than just a tedious obligation – it’s not about restricting or policing anyone. Rather, it presents an opportunity to reach new customers. Especially in an aging society, it’s increasingly important to consider this demographic when shaping the digital communication of your services.

The year 2025 is all about accessibility. Since June 28, the Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) has been in effect in Germany, calling for a barrier-free approach to business-critical websites. And that’s actually good news – because it’s about granting every person equal access to web content, regardless of their physical condition. Of course, this might mean some work for you. Want to be on the safe side? At Taikonauten, we’ve built up a wealth of knowledge in this area – and we’re happy to share it with you. In one of our workshops, we’ll walk you through practical tips and tricks for digital accessibility and help you develop creative solutions and workarounds tailored to your specific challenges. You may contact us at any time.