This article looks at how Germany is putting the European Accessibility Act into practice.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force on 28 June 2025.
This law is important because it aims to make sure that certain products and services in the European Union are accessible to people with intellectual disabilities.
In this article, we look at how Germany is putting this law into practice.
We want to:
- Show how European countries should (and can) make products and services accessible for people with intellectual disabilities
- Explain what people with intellectual disabilities and their organisations should pay attention to, so they can make sure the law is followed
What does the European Accessibility Act (EAA) mean for Germany?
Germany has a new law called the Barriere-Freiheits-Stärkungs-Gesetz (BFSG).
This law puts the EAA into German rules.
It says that certain products and services must be accessible for people with disabilities, including:
- Mobile phones, tablets, computers, and e-book readers
- Telecommunications services
- Online shopping
- Parts of long-distance transport services, such as websites or online apps
- Banking services
- Information about these products and services, which must also be available in easy-to-read language
What do companies have to do?
Manufacturers, distributors, importers and service providers must:
- Make sure their products and services meet accessibility requirements
- Declare that their products and services are accessible
If their products meet these rules, they use the “CE” marking to show it.
Who checks if products are accessible?
In Germany, the market surveillance authority checks whether products and services follow the rules. This work will be done by the Market Surveillance Office of the States for Accessibility of Products and Services, which is still being set up. Its job is to make sure companies respect the law. What if a product is not accessible? If a person with a disability finds a product or service that is not accessible, they can: • Ask the market surveillance authority to take action. If the authority says no, they can appeal the decision in court. • Contact the Schlichtungsstelle (Conciliation Body), which helps solve problems between consumers and businesses. • Take legal action if they bought a product or used a service that was defective because it was not accessible.
Lebenshilfe’s role
Lebenshilfe is watching the situation closely.
They:
- Shared their opinion to help create a good accessibility law for people with intellectual disabilities
- Inform people with intellectual disabilities and their families about their rights and what they can do
Lilian Krohn-Aicher from Lebenshilfe said:
“There is more awareness among companies and service providers now. But companies and service providers must act. The market surveillance authority should make sure everything works. We must keep working to make the act a reality for people with intellectual disabilities.”
Recently, the European Commission started a procedure against Germany for not complying with the European Accessibility Act fully.
For more, check out Lebenshilfe’s work on accessibility for people with intellectual disabilities:
More on accessibility: