Webcast
The Barrier-Free Accessibility Reinforcement Act (in German: Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz - BFSG) is just around the corner. It requires digital accessibility for electronic products, services and online stores - and entails a considerable need for implementation. Companies in all sectors must act now to avoid reputational and legal disadvantages. Coordinated legal and IT advice is essential for this. In our webcast, we explain the legal requirements and provide information on the requirements for legally compliant implementation.
The use of electronic products and services is just as commonplace for most people as the ability to buy products and services online or book their next hairdresser appointment online. However, the more than 13 million people in Germany with disabilities or impairments, who are more dependent on digital participation than others, are often excluded from "digital life" by a multitude of barriers. People with a visual impairment have difficulty recognizing text or form fields on websites, deaf people cannot understand the content of videos without subtitles and blind people cannot use websites if images, buttons, or forms are not described in the appropriate technical terms.
The legislator wants to change this. From June 28, 2025, private-sector providers must offer their electronic products (including computers, notebooks, smartphones, e-book readers, self-service terminals) and services (including telecommunications services, elements of transportation services, banking services for consumers, e-books and software intended for this purpose) as well as websites that are subject to the BFSG in an accessible manner. In other words, in such a way that restrictions or disabilities in seeing, hearing, moving or processing information do not have a negative impact. The affected services include - irrespective of the sector - in particular all services in electronic business transactions. This means that most websites used by companies in their business dealings with consumers, in particular online stores through which products and services are sold to consumers, are covered, as are online appointment booking forms or the initiation and conclusion of contracts via the company's own website.
The range of obligations to be fulfilled by companies to achieve digital accessibility with (IT-related) design, information and documentation obligations is extensive. Non-compliance not only entails the threat of official sanctions (in particular fines of up to EUR 100,000, prohibition orders, product recall obligations), but also lawsuits from consumers and authorized associations as well as warnings from competitors.
When implementing the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR), many companies waited far too long before dealing with the legal requirements - history could repeat itself with the BFSG. Although there is still a good year to go, time is of the essence because technical implementation in particular can be time-consuming. Entrepreneurs and companies should therefore act now.
In our webcast, together with our partner - the software company prodot GmbH from Duisburg - we show why coordinated legal and IT-technical advice is essential regarding achieving the goals of digital accessibility and the legally compliant implementation of the requirements of the BFSG. In addition to a presentation of the legal requirements of the BFSG regarding digital appearance (websites, apps, etc.), our webcast will provide practical insights into the implementation process for accessible websites and a legal and technical project approach.
Following their technical contributions, the speakers will of course also be available for a detailed Q&A. Please feel free to ask your questions for the Q&A section when you register.
We look forward to your participation in our webcast!
Information
Webcast in German language – please feel free to contact our experts for explanations in English language.
For organizational questions, please contact
Madeleine A. Thrun
Tel: +49 211 87724645
E-Mail: athrun@deloitte.de
Your Contact
Sebastian von Rüden, LL.M. (Univ. of Edinburgh)
Sebastian von Rüden joined Deloitte Legal as a Partner in July 2019 in the area of Digital Law. He is a certified specialist for intellectual property law as well as for information technology. Sebastian has more than 18 years of professional experience in advising and representing domestic and international companies and corporations, private equity companies, medium-sized companies and start-up companies with a focus on the interface area of intellectual property/information technology, IP-portfolio management as well as intellectual property management and licensing systems. Sebastian also regularly advises on IP-transactions as well as on the restructuring of IP-portfolios. Furthermore, Sebastian represents his clients in IP-infringement proceedings as well as in disputes regarding product counterfeiting and misleading advertising. Before joining Deloitte Legal, Sebastian was responsible for the IP-practice of a commercial law firm associated with another big-four audit firm and worked as a certified specialist for intellectual property law in his own firm. He speaks German and English fluently. Publications: Freudenberg/Holinski/von Rüden, Trials and Tribulations regarding the Transfer Pricing of Trademarks, IWB 2016, issue number 6, pages 216-224 Freudenberg/Holinski/von Rüden, Trials and Tribulations regarding the Attribution of Brand Ownership, IWB 2016, issue number 2, pages 64-74
Dr. Till Contzen
Till is a Partner at Deloitte Legal and Service Line Lead Digital Law, focusing on IT/IP law. Since becoming a lawyer in early 2012, Till has focused on all information technology-related legal matters. He has advised numerous clients in the modernization and outsourcing of IT services and the digitization of business processes. Additionally, he routinely advises clients in the development, implementation and distribution of complex IT solutions such as the ERP and CRM systems as well as migration into cloud environments and procurement in the area of ‚Everything-as-a-Service‘ (XaaS). Due to his in-depth understanding of technologies, Till is highly skilled in translating complex technical topics into legal language. Not only has he advised clients in the legal challenges of a project, he has also assisted his clients in navigating the numerous organizational, economical and procedural challenges which they face in the lifecycle of a project.
