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BFSG compliance since 2025

Law & procurement

Beyond the German Accessibility Strengthening Act, further rules apply to digital services: the accessibility regulation for public bodies, state equality legislation, the General Equal Treatment Act and contractual requirements in tenders and framework agreements. This category sets out which rules apply to whom, how requirements can be formulated in a legally sound way and what matters for acceptance and evidence. We cover complaint and enforcement routes, the possible consequences of non-compliance and the difference between technical conformance and actual usability. The articles do not replace individual legal advice — they provide the basis for precise conversations with lawyers and clients. We additionally look at which wording has proven useful in specifications so that accessibility becomes contractually verifiable rather than a declaration of intent.

EN 301 549: the Standard Behind the BFSGDirective (EU) 2019/882European Accessibility ActEN 301 549 V4.1.1Harmonised EU standard - 2026WCAG 2.2 Level AASuccess criteria (W3C)BFSGGerman accessibility lawreferencesreferencestransposed nationallyScope: more than just websitesCl. 9WebWebsites and web apps (WCAG)Cl. 8HardwareTerminals, kiosks and devicesCl. 10DocumentsPDF, office files (non-web)Cl. 11SoftwareDesktop and mobile applicationsCl. 12Documentation and supportHelp, manuals, hotlineCl. 6Two-way voice / RTTReal-time text and video callingStandard history of EN 301 5492015 - V1.1.2WCAG 2.02021 - V3.2.1WCAG 2.1 AA2026 - V4.1.1WCAG 2.2 AA + RTTHarmonised standard = presumption of conformity
Law & procurement Jul 17, 2026

EN 301 549: The EU Standard Behind the BFSG

EN 301 549 is the harmonized EU standard the BFSG technically references. How the EAA, the standard and WCAG 2.2 connect and what version 4.1.1 brings.

14 min read
Micro-Enterprise Exemption: Who Is Really Exempt?Your businessFewer than 10 employees?(BFSG Section 3)At most EUR 2 millionturnover or balance sheetMicro-enterpriseboth criteria metServices only: exemptNo BFSG duty for the serviceProvide facts on requestVoid as soon as products are addedProducts in range: obligatedOnline shop with BFSG productsThe exemption does not applyAccessible per EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.2Not a micro-enterprise? The only fallback is BFSG Section 17Prove disproportionate burden, document it, keep it 5 years, reassess every 5 years
Law & procurement Jul 10, 2026

BFSG Micro-Enterprise Exemption: Who Is Exempt?

Many businesses assume that as a micro-enterprise they are BFSG-exempt. When the exemption applies, why it covers services only and what Section 17 demands.

13 min read
Accessibility as an Award Criterion in TendersAccessibility gate in the tender processBid Awith evidenceBid Bwithout evidenceEvaluation of the bidEN 301 549 / BITV 2.0Awardbid is eligibleExclusionnot eligibleevidence okevidence missingeligibleexcludedRequired evidence in IT tenders1Conformance report(ACR / VPAT)Documents clause by clausehow the bid meets theEN 301 549 standard.Mandatory2AccessibilitystatementPublic statement withconformance status anda feedback mechanism.Required3BITV test /audit reportIndependent evidenceof accessibility by arecognized procedure.EN 301 549Procurement volume 2024: EUR 135.2 bn - no bid is eligible without evidence
Law & procurement May 29, 2026

Accessibility in Public Tenders and Procurement

Accessibility as a mandatory criterion in IT tenders: BITV 2.0, EN 301 549, required evidence such as a conformance report and VPAT, and the exclusion risk.

13 min read