Nearly 80 per cent of the websites tested breach at least one of the legally prescribed accessibility criteria. That is the finding of an automated analysis by BR Data, which Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) reports on. On the homepages of almost 1,300 Bavarian cities and municipalities, the test even found barriers on 86 per cent.
For people with disabilities this means digital services are often barely usable or not usable at all. Melanie Fleischmann, who works as a speech-to-text interpreter, is blind and navigates the internet using a screen reader and keyboard. Several times a week she comes across websites that cost her a great deal of time, she told Bayerischer Rundfunk. Sometimes she cannot jump straight to the right link and first has to have the whole page read out to her.
What the test examined
According to tagesschau.de, BR Data tested the homepages of more than 500 online services run by public institutions, including federal ministries and authorities, as well as around 100 large and popular online shops. According to BR Data, around 2,000 websites were examined automatically. Since 2020 all websites of public bodies have had to be accessible, and this now also applies to online shops and booking portals. They must meet technical standards, for example on colour contrast, font size or the display of elements.
According to tagesschau.de, some of the breaches are serious: sometimes links are not sufficiently labelled, so that blind people do not know where they lead. Sometimes the page structure is such that people who cannot use a mouse and depend on the keyboard find it difficult to navigate. “Especially for people with chronic pain, every motor movement can be a great strain. Then, with inefficient processes, they may not even reach the last menu item they want to get to,” Nina Gerling told Bayerischer Rundfunk. She works as an accessibility consultant and sits on the board of the newly founded association Barrierenwatch.
A draft law with which “no one is really happy”
In Germany, the EU directive on digital accessibility of 2016 has been implemented in the Disability Equality Act since 2018. Germany must regularly report on the state of implementation to the EU. In its most recent report from 2025, the competent Federal Monitoring Body for Accessibility of Information Technology concludes that the state of accessibility of websites “overall did not improve significantly and, for mobile applications, rather deteriorated” during the reporting period. Not a single authority website and no app achieved full accessibility in line with all requirements.
The Bundestag is currently debating a draft law by the federal government for stricter inclusion rules. According to tagesschau.de, “no one is really happy” with it; critics fear the draft does not go far enough. In response to a BR enquiry, the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs says that fully meeting all criteria remains a challenge for public bodies. However, awareness of digital accessibility has overall increased.
The municipalities point to the costs. In response to a BR enquiry, the Bavarian Association of Municipalities writes that it would be desirable “for as many digital barriers as possible to be removed”, but points to the financial challenges. Adapting websites to the requirements can quickly cost several thousand euros. The Bavarian Digital Ministry tells BR that it supports municipalities with expertise but has no direct influence on their services. Responsibility for digital accessibility lies with the municipalities themselves.
Katrin Langensiepen, Green MEP in the European Parliament, will not accept the cost argument: “We have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Article 9 states that access to information is a human right. Here we have a very clear legal situation.”
Almost 300 cases resolved – but no shop banned yet
Among online shops too, according to the BR analysis, around 80 per cent breach at least one criterion. The digital industry association Bitkom tells BR: “There is still a clear need to catch up on digital accessibility.” What is needed is practical requirements and legal certainty for companies.
Since last year, companies and affected individuals have been able to turn to the Market Surveillance Authority of the Länder for Accessibility of Products and Services in Magdeburg. It can impose fines or, in extreme cases, prohibit the operation of an online shop. No such ban has yet been issued, the authority writes in response to an enquiry. According to its own figures, it has been able to remove barriers in almost 300 cases. The association Barrierenwatch offers its own platform to help affected people find the right competent authority – sometimes a small change can make the decisive difference.
Editor’s note: The analysis is based on automated tests of homepages; it shows breaches of technical criteria, not the full usability of every individual subpage.
