• A woman's right hand touches different letters on a metal plate containing the Braille alphabet. Blind people can read texts using Braille.
  • A woman's right hand touches different letters on a metal plate. The letters are in the Braille alphabet. Blind people can read texts using Braille.

Implementing accessibility in companies

  • In Germany and Austria, there is no retroactive obligation to ensure accessibility for existing products and services. There are transition periods of up to five years after the law comes into force for adapting products and services to the accessibility provisions.
  • Companies with more than 10 employees and an annual turnover of over €2 million have to ensure the accessibility of their services and/or products. Exemptions apply for micro-enterprises with less than 10 employees and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total of no more than €2 million.
  • Further exemptions are possible… …if implementing accessibility requirements results in a disproportionate organisational or financial burden and requires that a product/service be fundamentally changed. …if a company wants to make use of this exemption, they have to assess the burden and document this assessment, retaining the documentation for 5 years. Micro-enterprises are not required to prepare documentation.
  • Failure to comply with accessibility requirements may result in administrative penalty proceedings. In Austria, the Social Ministry Service is the authority responsible for such proceedings. It may impose fines of up to €80,000 for violations. In Germany, fines ranging from €10 to €100,000 can be imposed for infringements.
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