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What is the BFSG?
The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BGBl. I 2021, No. 59) transposes EU Directive 2019/882 into German law. It requires economic operators to make digital products and services accessible.
The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) is Germany's implementation of the European Accessibility Act. It applies from 28 June 2025 and affects virtually all B2C digital products. This overview is written for product and engineering teams.
The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BGBl. I 2021, No. 59) transposes EU Directive 2019/882 into German law. It requires economic operators to make digital products and services accessible.
Computers and operating systems, smartphones, ATMs, self-service terminals, e-book readers, internet-connected TVs and all associated digital services: online banking, e-commerce, messaging, streaming, e-books and electronic tickets.
The requirements are defined in §3 BFSG and Annex I. Technically they follow EN 301 549, which is based on WCAG 2.1 AA. WCAG 2.2 AA is recommended and represents the current state of the art.
Economic operators must publish an accessibility statement documenting their conformance status, naming known barriers and providing a user feedback mechanism. The statement must remain permanently accessible.
For infringements, market surveillance authorities can impose fines of up to €100,000. For repeated or serious violations, the sale of the product must be prohibited. The responsible authority is the market surveillance body of the relevant German state.
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