Website accessibility becomes mandatory: What the new BFSG means for companies

Introduction

From June 28, 2025, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) will come into force in Germany. This law is the German implementation of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and will have far-reaching implications for companies that offer products or services to consumers. In this article, we explain what the BFSG means, who it affects and how companies can prepare for it.

What is the BFSG?

The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) is the German implementation of EU Directive 2019/882, also known as the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The aim of the law is to improve the accessibility of products and services, particularly in the digital sector.main points of the BFSG:

• Obligation to design accessible products and services
• Scope includes websites and mobile applications
• Based on the European standard EN 301 549
• Fines of up to 100,000 euros for non-compliance

Time frame and transitional arrangements

• 28. June 2025: Entry into force of the BFSG
• Until June 28, 2030: transition period for existing products and services
• From June 28, 2030: Full application to all products and services

Exceptions:

• Micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover of less than EUR 2 million are exempt from some requirements
• Products and services for which accessibility would represent a "disproportionate burden" can be partially exempted from the requirements

Who is affected?

The BFSG affects all companies that offer products or services to consumers. It is particularly relevant for the following sectors:

1. E-commerce and online trading
2. Financial services and banks
3. Telecommunications
4. Transport and tourism
5. Media and entertainment
6. Education and e-learning
7. Healthcare

Example: An online store for clothing must ensure that all product information, images and the ordering process are accessible.

Technical requirements

The technical requirements of the BFSG are based on the European standard EN 301 549, which in turn is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Some key points are

• Perceptibility: Content must be perceptible for all users, e.g. through alternative texts for images
• Operability: All functions must be operable via keyboard
• Comprehensibility: Content and operation must be easy to understand
• Robustness: content must be compatible with different technologies

Focus on keyboard operability

The requirement that all functions of a website must be operable by keyboard is particularly important and often misunderstood. Here is a detailed explanation:

1. Why is keyboard operability important?
   • Many people with motor impairments cannot use a mouse
   • Blind and visually impaired people often navigate exclusively using the keyboard
   • Even power users often prefer keyboard navigation for more efficient work
2. What does keyboard operability mean in concrete terms?
   • All interactive elements (links, buttons, forms) must be accessible using the tab key
   • The tab navigation sequence must be logical and intuitive
   • Current position of the keyboard focus must be clearly visible
   • Drop-down menus must be operable with arrow keys
   • Modal windows must capture the keyboard focus and return it when closed
3. Example of good keyboard operability:
   An online banking portal enables the user to access all menu items by pressing the tab key, to complete and send transfers entirely by keyboard, and to navigate through modal windows for security queries without using the mouse.
4. Technical implementation:
   • Use of semantically correct HTML elements (e.g. <button> instead of <div onclick="“…“">)
   • Use of ARIA attributes for complex interactions
   • JavaScript event listener for keyboard events (e.g. keydown)
   • CSS styles for the :focus state to clearly mark the current focus

Recommendations for companies

1. Carry out an inventory: Analyze your digital offerings for accessibility
2. Involve experts: Work with accessibility experts
3. Conduct training courses: Train your employees in accessibility
4. Integrate accessibility into the development process: Consider accessibility right from the start
5. Carry out regular checks: Continuously test your offers for accessibility
6. Obtain feedback: Involve people with disabilities in the testing process

Case study: A medium-sized household appliance company started early to make their website accessible. By including users with various disabilities in the testing process, they were not only able to meet legal requirements, but also improve the overall usability of their website, resulting in a 15% increase in conversion rate.

Technical solutions

1. Screen reader compatibility: Make sure your content works with popular screen readers
2. Optimize color contrasts: Use contrast checker tools
3. Responsive design: Ensure usability on different devices
4. Subtitles and transcripts: Provide alternatives for audiovisual content
5. Form optimization: Make forms accessible and easy to understand
6. Keyboard navigation: Enable complete operation using the keyboard
7. ARIA attributes: Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) to improve accessibility

Consequences of non-compliance

Violations of the BFSG can result in fines of up to 100,000 euros. Other consequences may include damage to the company's image and exclusion from public contracts.

Conclusion

The Accessibility Reinforcement Act presents companies with new challenges, but also offers opportunities. Making products and services accessible expands the customer base and improves the user experience for everyone. Companies should use the time until the law comes into force to review and adapt their digital offerings. In the long term, accessibility will not only be a legal obligation, but a decisive competitive advantage.

Addition of keyboard shortcuts to achieve accessibility:

To improve accessibility on websites, effective keyboard control is essential. Here are some important keyboard shortcuts and keys that can be used for accessibility:

Important keyboard shortcuts for accessibility

Other useful functions

• Keep the focus visible: The current focus should always be clearly visible to help users know where they are on the page.
• Navigation through modal dialogs: When a modal window is opened, the focus should automatically be set to the first interactive element within the modal.
• Tab order: The order in which elements are accessed by pressing the tab key should be logical and intuitive.

Tips for implementation

1. Use standardized HTML elements: Make sure that all interactive elements such as buttons and links are created with the appropriate HTML tags to ensure keyboard operability.
2. Avoid tabindex-attributes: If possible, user-defined tabindex-values should be avoided, as they can disrupt the natural tab sequence.
3. Test the keyboard operation: Regularly check the functionality of your website with the keyboard to ensure that all elements are accessible and operable.

These keyboard shortcuts and tips help to create an accessible user experience, especially for people with motor impairments or visual impairments.

Further information

• Federal Accessibility Agency: www.bundesfachstelle-barrierefreiheit.de
• Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): www.w3.org/WAI/
• BITV test (test procedure for accessibility): www.bitvtest.de

Our front-end department will be happy to advise you.