Glossary

BFSG (German Accessibility Strengthening Act)

The German law obliging certain consumer products and services to be accessible. In force since 28 June 2025.

What it is about

The German Accessibility Strengthening Act transposes a European directive into German law. It obliges providers of certain products and services to make them accessible, and has been in force since 28 June 2025.

Among the areas covered is e-commerce, meaning websites through which consumers can enter into contracts. For micro-enterprises the act provides an exemption tied to headcount and turnover.

What stands behind it technically

The concrete yardstick is WCAG at level AA. That sounds abstract but means checkable things: sufficient contrast, full keyboard operation, alternative texts that say something, a heading hierarchy without jumps, forms with associated labels and error messages people can understand.

A large part of that arises in the sitepackage and can be laid down correctly once. The rest is created afresh every day in editorial work, and it only holds when the content elements are built so that the obvious route is also the accessible one.

What we take on and what we do not

We implement the technical requirements, audit what exists with tools and by hand, train the editorial team, and write an accessibility statement that names known limitations rather than claiming completeness.

What we do not take on is the legal reading of whether and from when the act applies to a particular business. That belongs in expert hands. Our part is set out under TYPO3 accessibility.

Common questions

Does the BFSG apply to our website?

That is a legal question and we do not answer legal questions. The act targets certain consumer products and services, e-commerce among them; there is an exemption for micro-enterprises tied to headcount and turnover.

Whether your case falls under it is best settled with a legal adviser. What we do is implement the technical requirements and state what standard the site reaches afterwards.

How does it differ from BITV 2.0?

BITV 2.0 obliges public bodies and has done so for a long time. The BFSG addresses the private sector and is newer.

Technically both come down to the same basis: WCAG at level AA. Work properly to WCAG and you meet the technical requirements of both; the differences sit in scope, deadlines and documentation duties.

Not sure where your site stands?

We audit the current state technically and sort the findings by effort and effect. The legal reading we leave to your legal advisers.