{"id":993002,"date":"2026-10-11T16:08:43","date_gmt":"2026-10-11T16:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/"},"modified":"2026-10-12T12:41:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T12:41:39","slug":"digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to the BFSG, one phrase comes up surprisingly often: \u2018We\u2019ve still got until 2030, after all.\u2019 To be honest, this is one of the most costly misunderstandings surrounding digital accessibility. Whilst the year 2030 is mentioned in the law, it means something quite different from what most people think. And the deadline that will actually affect businesses in the coming months is not set out in any law at all, but in a standard.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is precisely why we have put together this overview. I will show you which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter, what lies behind each of these dates, and what specific conclusions you should draw from them. We keep this article up to date; the information is current as of October 2026.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-die-fristen-der-digitalen-barrierefreiheit-auf-einen-blick\">Digital accessibility deadlines at a glance<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following overview summarises all the deadlines that are currently relevant to businesses and public bodies in Germany. These are categorised in the sections below. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Date<\/th><th>What happens<\/th><th>To whom it may concern<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>since 2019 and 2020<\/td><td>Public sector websites must be accessible (BITV 2.0); mobile apps have been required to be accessible since 23 June 2021<\/td><td>Public authorities, local authorities and publicly owned municipal utilities<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>28th June 2025<\/td><td>The BFSG and the European Accessibility Act apply<\/td><td>Companies offering products and services to consumers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>since September 2025<\/td><td>The Federal State Market Surveillance Agency (MLBF) operates nationwide<\/td><td>all companies subject to the BFSG<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2nd August 2026<\/td><td>AI Regulation: Notices regarding AI interaction must be accessible (Art. 50)<\/td><td>Providers of chatbots and AI assistants<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2nd September 2026<\/td><td>EN 301 549 V4.1.1 published, based on WCAG 2.2<\/td><td>Businesses and public bodies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>expected to be December 2026<\/td><td>Reference to EN 301 549 V4.1.1 in the Official Journal of the EU<\/td><td>Businesses and public bodies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2nd December 2027<\/td><td>Obligations relating to high-risk AI, for example in recruitment, including accessibility<\/td><td>Providers of such AI systems<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>at the earliest by the end of 2027<\/td><td>WCAG 3.0 is expected to become a Candidate Recommendation<\/td><td>anyone who uses WCAG as a benchmark<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>27 June 2030<\/td><td>End of the transition period for products introduced before 2025 and for existing contracts<\/td><td>Service provider<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>up to 15 years after commissioning<\/td><td>Continued operation of self-service terminals installed prior to 28 June 2025<\/td><td>Operators of vending machines and terminals<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-warum-2030-keine-schonfrist-fur-ihre-website-ist\">Why 2030 is not a grace period for your website<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s start with the misunderstanding. The BFSG has been in force since 28 June 2025, with no general grace period. The much-cited year 2030 comes from Section 38 of the BFSG, which governs only two narrowly defined cases.  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Service providers may continue to use products which they lawfully put into service before 28 June 2025 for the purposes of their services until 27 June 2030. Contracts concluded before that date may remain in force unchanged until 27 June 2030 at the latest.  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Self-service terminals that were in operation before 28 June 2025 may continue to operate until the end of their economic life, but for no longer than 15 years after they were first put into service.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 15-year rule is certainly relevant for banks, transport companies and retail chains with cash machines, ticket machines or check-in terminals. However, it does not apply to terminals installed from 28 June 2025 onwards: these must meet the requirements from the outset. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether and to what extent these rules apply to websites and apps at all is a matter of debate amongst legal experts. You should therefore not rely on them. At the very latest when you further develop your online shop, introduce new features or publish new content, it will become difficult to invoke grandfathering provisions. And a website that is constantly being updated is simply not a \u2018product put into use before 2025\u2019.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The only genuine exception applies to micro-enterprises that provide services: those with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than two million euros (Section 3(3) of the BFSG). This exception does not apply to products. To find out whether your business is affected, see our article \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/barrierefreiheit-website-pflicht-betroffen\/\">Accessibility as a website requirement: who is affected?<\/a>\u2019.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-die-frist-die-in-keinem-gesetz-steht-en-301-549-v4-1-1\">The deadline that isn\u2019t specified in any law: EN 301 549 V4.1.1<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now for the real \u2018aha\u2019 moment. The most important deadline in the coming months will not be set by the Bundestag, but by the European Commission. On 2 September 2026, the European standardisation organisations ETSI, CEN and CENELEC published the new version of EN 301 549. It is also the technical standard against which the BFSG, the European Accessibility Act and the BITV 2.0 will be assessed in practice.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key change: for websites, documents and software, the new version refers to WCAG 2.2 Level AA instead of WCAG 2.1 as was previously the case. However, it will only become legally binding once the Commission has published a reference to it in the Official Journal of the EU. This is expected to happen in mid-December 2026. From then on, compliance with the new version will give rise to a presumption that your website meets the requirements of the European Accessibility Act and the Web Accessibility Directive.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-was-die-referenzierung-im-amtsblatt-rechtlich-bedeutet\">The legal implications of a reference in the Official Journal<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A standard is not a law, and no one is obliged to comply with it to the letter. Nevertheless, its publication in the Official Journal is the most important event of the year. This is because anyone who complies with a harmonised standard benefits from what is known as the \u2018presumption of conformity\u2019: it is assumed that they also meet the legal requirements underpinning the standard.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whilst those who deviate from the standard are permitted to do so, they must then demonstrate themselves that their tender meets the requirements in some other way. In the event of a dispute, this is a considerably more difficult route to take. For this reason, market surveillance authorities, courts and tendering bodies in practice base their decisions on the version referred to in each case, and so the benchmark for everyone shifts with the deadline in December.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-was-der-wechsel-auf-wcag-2-2-konkret-bedeutet\">What the switch to WCAG 2.2 actually means<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practical terms, this means that anyone still carrying out accessibility checks against WCAG 2.1 is doing so against a standard that will be superseded before the end of this year. And an audit report or certificate from 2025 that is based on WCAG 2.1 will no longer reflect the current state of the art. At Levels A and AA, WCAG 2.2 introduces six new success criteria:  <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2.4.11 Focus not obscured (minimum): The focused element must not be completely obscured, for example by a fixed header or a cookie banner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2.5.7 Drag actions: Anything that works by dragging must have an alternative that involves a simple click or tap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2.5.8 Target size (minimum): Clickable areas must be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels in size or have sufficient spacing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3.2.6 Consistent support: Support options such as \u2018Contact\u2019 or \u2018Chat\u2019 are located in the same place on every page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3.3.7 Redundant entries: Data that has already been entered does not need to be typed in again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3.3.8 Accessible authentication (minimum): The login process must not require users to perform cognitive tests, such as typing out distorted characters, without providing an alternative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three further new criteria fall under Level AAA and are not required for compliance with the BFSG: 2.4.12 Focus Not Hidden (Enhanced), 2.4.13 Focus Indication and 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced). In return, 4.1.1 (Syntax Analysis) has been removed, as modern browsers resolve the underlying issue themselves. The good news is that if you comply with WCAG 2.2, you automatically comply with 2.1 as well. You can find full details of the standard on our pages on <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/en-301-549-standard\/\">EN 301 549<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wcag-2-2\/\">WCAG 2.2<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Practical tip<\/strong>: First, check the login page, shopping basket and contact form against versions 2.5.8 and 3.3.8. Buttons that are too small on smartphones and image CAPTCHAs during login are the new criteria on which existing websites most frequently fail \u2013 and they occur precisely in the processes that lead to a successful transaction. <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-die-erklarung-zur-barrierefreiheit-eine-frist-die-nie-endet\">The accessibility statement: a deadline that never ends<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One obligation is often overlooked amongst all these deadlines because it does not have a fixed date. Under Section 14 of the BFSG and Annex 3, service providers must provide information on how their services meet accessibility requirements. Under the BITV 2.0, public bodies must publish an accessibility statement setting out their current level of compliance and a feedback mechanism.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, this information is only as good as its date. If your website changes, so does its level of compliance; and with the switch to WCAG 2.2, the standard against which this level is measured also changes. A statement based on a WCAG 2.1 audit carried out in 2025 must therefore be reviewed by December at the latest. Our article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/erklaerung-zur-barrierefreiheit-pflichtinhalte\/\">accessibility statement<\/a> explains what needs to be included.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-die-versteckte-frist-in-ihren-vertragen\">The hidden deadline in your contracts<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One point, however, that hardly anyone mentions is that deadlines apply not only to you, but also to your service providers. A website relaunch that you commission from an agency today will often not go live until 2027 \u2013 in other words, long after WCAG 2.2 has become the standard. If the contract simply states \u2018accessible\u2019 or even \u2018in accordance with WCAG 2.1\u2019, you may well end up with a website that is already out of date by the time it launches.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should therefore explicitly stipulate in every new contract that the end result must comply with WCAG 2.2 Level AA and EN 301 549, as amended. Incidentally, this applies equally to software licences, e-commerce platforms, booking tools and applicant tracking systems. You should also request proof of compliance, such as a test report or a declaration of conformity from the provider. This single line in the contract will save you a great deal of trouble later on.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kontrolle-die-marktuberwachung-ist-langst-aktiv\">Monitoring: Market surveillance has long been in place<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since September 2025, the Federal States\u2019 Market Surveillance Authority for the Accessibility of Products and Services (MLBF) in Magdeburg has been operating nationwide. It is jointly funded by all 16 federal states, investigates reports from consumers and associations, and also carries out checks in accordance with a multi-year strategy that sets out its own priorities. Consumers and recognised associations may apply to the authority for proceedings under Section 32 of the Federal Consumer Protection Act (BFSG), and the authority must then give your company the opportunity to submit its comments.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, warning letters have been circulating since the summer of 2025. The question of whether competitors are even permitted to issue warnings for breaches of the BFSG has not yet been clarified by the highest court. Our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/abmahnung-barrierefreiheit-risiko-schutz\/\">warning letters, risk and protection<\/a> explains what you can expect in both cases and how you should respond.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ki-verordnung-zwei-termine-mit-bezug-zur-barrierefreiheit\">AI Regulation: two dates relating to accessibility<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The EU\u2019s AI Regulation also sets out deadlines that are directly related to digital accessibility. From 2 August 2026, chatbots and AI assistants must disclose that people are speaking to an AI. Under Article 50(5), this notice must comply with the applicable accessibility requirements. An AI notice that is not read out by a screen reader therefore does not fulfil this obligation.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second deadline relates to high-risk AI, such as systems that sort job applications or assess candidates. Under Article 16(l), their providers must ensure that the systems comply with the EU\u2019s accessibility requirements. Due to the so-called Digital Omnibus Package, this will apply from 2 December 2027 rather than from August 2026. You can read about what this means for recruitment in the article on <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/hr-barrierefreie-bewerbungsprozesse\/\">accessible job applications<\/a>, and how AI and accessibility are linked overall in the guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/ai-and-digital-accessibility-what-ai-can-detect-and-rectify-and-where-it-falls-short\/\">AI and digital accessibility<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-was-passiert-wenn-sie-eine-frist-verpassen\">What happens if you miss a deadline<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legal consequences are now fairly clearly defined. The market surveillance authority may request a statement from you, order you to take action within a specified timeframe and, as a last resort, prohibit the provision of the service. In addition, you may face fines of up to 100,000 euros and, depending on the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings, warnings from competitors and trade associations.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, there is another effect that is at least as significant, yet does not feature in any list of fines: in public tenders, contracting authorities must, under Section 121(2) of the German Act against Restraints of Competition (GWB), include accessibility criteria in the service specifications if the service is to be used by people. Anyone selling software, portals or digital services to public authorities, local authorities or municipal utilities therefore needs robust evidence \u2013 and, from December onwards, this must comply with WCAG 2.2. Without it, one is simply not competitive in the procurement process.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-offentliche-stellen-fristen-nach-bitv-2-0\">Public bodies: Deadlines under BITV 2.0<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For public authorities, local authorities and public-sector organisations such as municipal utilities, digital accessibility is not a new requirement. Under the EU Directive on the accessibility of public sector bodies\u2019 websites \u2013 which has been implemented in Germany via the BGG and the BITV 2.0 \u2013 new websites had to be accessible from September 2019 and older ones from September 2020, whilst mobile apps had to be accessible from 23 June 2021. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main change for public bodies, therefore, is the standard itself. BITV 2.0 refers to EN 301 549 via the harmonised standard. As it refers to version V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2 therefore also applies to administrative portals, online services and documents. Our page on <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/bitv-2-0\/\">BITV 2.0<\/a> explains the additional requirements set out in the BITV, such as information in plain language and German Sign Language.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-osterreich-und-schweiz-gleiche-frist-anderes-recht\">Austria and Switzerland: same deadline, different laws<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The European Accessibility Act has been in force in all EU Member States since 28 June 2025. In Austria, it has been transposed into national law through the Accessibility Act (BaSG), which came into force on the same date. The BaFG and the BFSG are therefore very similar in substance, but there are differences in the details regarding responsibilities and sanctions.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Switzerland, however, is not bound by the European Accessibility Act. Swiss companies offering products or services to consumers in the EU are nevertheless subject to these requirements, as the decisive factor is the market in which the offering is used. An online shop based in Zurich that sells to Germany must therefore meet the same requirements as a German shop.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wcag-3-0-kein-thema-fur-2026-aber-fur-ihre-planung\">WCAG 3.0: not on the agenda for 2026, but something to bear in mind for your planning<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The W3C is working in parallel on WCAG 3.0, a fundamentally new version with a different evaluation model. However, it remains at the working draft stage, having been last updated in March 2026. A Candidate Recommendation is expected by the end of 2027 at the earliest, and the final version is not expected before 2028.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Experience shows that it takes several more years before a standard or piece of legislation refers to WCAG 3.0. WCAG 2.2 was published in October 2023 and will not become the legal benchmark until EN 301 549 V4.1.1 comes into force at the end of 2026. So anyone working to WCAG 2.2 today is not investing in a stopgap solution. Our article <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wcag-2-2-was-hat-sich-geaendert-ifdb\/\">\u2018WCAG 2.2 Trends: What comes after 2.2\u2019<\/a> describes how the guidelines are evolving.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ihr-fahrplan-bis-ende-2027\">Your timetable until the end of 2027<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The deadlines provide a fairly clear roadmap. The order in which things are done is important here, as checking and rectifying issues take time, and this cannot simply be cut short. <\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>By 2026: Check your website, app and key documents against WCAG 2.2 Level AA, rather than 2.1.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By 2026: Amend existing and new contracts with agencies and software providers to include WCAG 2.2 and EN 301 549, as currently in force.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Before indexing in December: First, remove any barriers in the processes leading to completion \u2013 namely, forms, login, the shopping basket and payment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ongoing: Keep your accessibility statement up to date and amend it as soon as your website changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2027: Check that chatbots, AI assistants and AI-supported selection processes are accessible before the obligations for high-risk AI come into force.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ongoing: Monitor your website continuously and keep a record of checks and rectifications so that you can demonstrate that you have exercised due care.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wie-wir-sie-durch-die-fristen-begleiten\">How we guide you through the deadlines<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can get an initial overview free of charge with <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/access-score\/\">Access Score<\/a>, which shows you in just a few minutes how your website measures up against WCAG 2.2. Reliable evidence is provided by <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/access-ready\/\">Access Ready<\/a>, an in-depth audit involving real users of assistive technologies and the screen readers JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver, culminating in the award of a certificate. <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/access-guard\/\">Access Guard<\/a> then monitors your website on an ongoing basis and reports any new barriers as soon as they arise. For your PDFs, <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/access-doc\/\">Access Doc<\/a> ensures accessible documents through human review. And to ensure your team can confidently apply the new criteria themselves, there\u2019s the <a href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/access-academy\/\">Access Academy<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many inspections end with a report, leaving you to deal with it on your own. We support you from the initial scan right through to certification and keep you informed if a deadline is postponed or a new standard comes into force. That is precisely why we update this post regularly.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"ifdb-cta wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Not sure exactly what the BFSG means for your business? In 30 minutes, we\u2019ll work with you to clarify which obligations apply and what you should tackle first. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons ifdb-cta is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/ifdb\/30min\">Book a 30-minute Call<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-haufige-fragen-zu-den-fristen\">Frequently asked questions about deadlines<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gibt-es-beim-bfsg-eine-schonfrist-fur-websites\">Does the BFSG allow a grace period for websites?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is no general grace period. The Act has been in force since 28 June 2025. The transitional provisions in Section 38 of the BFSG primarily concern products already in use, existing contracts and self-service terminals. The only exceptions are micro-enterprises that provide services.   <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ab-wann-gilt-wcag-2-2-als-massstab\">From when will WCAG 2.2 be considered the standard?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As soon as EN 301 549 V4.1.1 is referenced in the Official Journal of the EU, which is expected to be in mid-December 2026. From then on, WCAG 2.2 Level AA will form the technical basis for the presumption of conformity. Anyone who is already testing against WCAG 2.2 today will be prepared.  <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gelten-die-fristen-auch-in-osterreich-und-der-schweiz\">Do these time limits also apply in Austria and Switzerland?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Austria, yes: the Accessibility Act implements the European Accessibility Act and has been in force since 28 June 2025. Switzerland is not directly bound by it, but Swiss companies must comply with the requirements as soon as they offer products or services to consumers in the EU. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to the BFSG, one phrase comes up&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":992238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-993002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal-compliance"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.6 (Yoast SEO v28.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026\/2027: What applies and when<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"2030 is not a grace period: Which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter \u2013 EN 301 549 V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2, the BFSG and the AI Regulation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"2030 is not a grace period: Which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter \u2013 EN 301 549 V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2, the BFSG and the AI Regulation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ifdb \u2013 digitale Barrierefreiheit &amp; BFSG-Konformit\u00e4t\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-11T16:08:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-12T12:41:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1066\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lukas Maximilian Langer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lukas Maximilian Langer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lukas Maximilian Langer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3dc6a516bc934cf80a07e460b9c29fab\"},\"headline\":\"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-11T16:08:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-12T12:41:39+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2933,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Legal &amp; Compliance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/\",\"name\":\"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026\\\/2027: What applies and when\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-11T16:08:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-12T12:41:39+00:00\",\"description\":\"2030 is not a grace period: Which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter \u2013 EN 301 549 V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2, the BFSG and the AI Regulation.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":1066,\"caption\":\"A modern meeting room with a round wooden table and orange designer chairs \u2013 IFDB GmbH\u2019s consultancy office for digital accessibility and BFSG compliance in Munich\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"ifdb\",\"description\":\"Audit, Zertifizierung und Haftungsschutz f\u00fcr digitale Barrierefreiheit\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"ifdb GmbH\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"ifdb GmbH\",\"alternateName\":\"ifdb\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/ifdb_logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/ifdb_logo.png\",\"width\":1366,\"height\":590,\"caption\":\"ifdb GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/ifdb.io\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/ifdb-io\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3dc6a516bc934cf80a07e460b9c29fab\",\"name\":\"Lukas Maximilian Langer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cdcdadbe9ee8fc0e930f7635b7f8ed5e82ca93088e944c2a2caec91811b70e6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cdcdadbe9ee8fc0e930f7635b7f8ed5e82ca93088e944c2a2caec91811b70e6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cdcdadbe9ee8fc0e930f7635b7f8ed5e82ca93088e944c2a2caec91811b70e6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Lukas Maximilian Langer\"},\"description\":\"Als Gr\u00fcnder der ifdb GmbH setzt sich Lukas Maximilian Langer daf\u00fcr ein, digitale Barrierefreiheit vom Pflichtthema zum Selbstverst\u00e4ndnis zu machen. Sein Ziel: Websites, Apps und Dokumente, die f\u00fcr alle zug\u00e4nglich sind \u2013 unabh\u00e4ngig von Einschr\u00e4nkungen.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/lukasmaximilianlanger\"],\"gender\":\"m\u00e4nnlich\",\"knowsAbout\":[\"Design\",\"Development\",\"digitale Barrierefreiheit\",\"EAA\",\"BFSG\",\"Marketing\",\"EN301549\"],\"knowsLanguage\":[\"Deutsch\",\"Englisch\",\"Spanisch\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Gr\u00fcnder\",\"worksFor\":\"IFDB GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifdb.io\\\/en\\\/author\\\/l-langerifdb-op\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026\/2027: What applies and when","description":"2030 is not a grace period: Which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter \u2013 EN 301 549 V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2, the BFSG and the AI Regulation.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when","og_description":"2030 is not a grace period: Which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter \u2013 EN 301 549 V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2, the BFSG and the AI Regulation.","og_url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/","og_site_name":"ifdb \u2013 digitale Barrierefreiheit &amp; BFSG-Konformit\u00e4t","article_published_time":"2026-10-11T16:08:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-12T12:41:39+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1066,"url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Lukas Maximilian Langer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Lukas Maximilian Langer","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/"},"author":{"name":"Lukas Maximilian Langer","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3dc6a516bc934cf80a07e460b9c29fab"},"headline":"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when","datePublished":"2026-10-11T16:08:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-12T12:41:39+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/"},"wordCount":2933,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg","articleSection":["Legal &amp; Compliance"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/","url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/","name":"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026\/2027: What applies and when","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-11T16:08:43+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-12T12:41:39+00:00","description":"2030 is not a grace period: Which digital accessibility deadlines in 2026 and 2027 really matter \u2013 EN 301 549 V4.1.1, WCAG 2.2, the BFSG and the AI Regulation.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IFDB_Konferenzraum-scaled-1.jpg","width":1600,"height":1066,"caption":"A modern meeting room with a round wooden table and orange designer chairs \u2013 IFDB GmbH\u2019s consultancy office for digital accessibility and BFSG compliance in Munich"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/digital-accessibility-deadlines-for-2026-and-2027-what-applies-and-when\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Digital accessibility deadlines for 2026 and 2027: What applies and when"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/","name":"ifdb","description":"Audit, Zertifizierung und Haftungsschutz f\u00fcr digitale Barrierefreiheit","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#organization"},"alternateName":"ifdb GmbH","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#organization","name":"ifdb GmbH","alternateName":"ifdb","url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ifdb_logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ifdb_logo.png","width":1366,"height":590,"caption":"ifdb GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ifdb.io\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ifdb-io\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/3dc6a516bc934cf80a07e460b9c29fab","name":"Lukas Maximilian Langer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcdadbe9ee8fc0e930f7635b7f8ed5e82ca93088e944c2a2caec91811b70e6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcdadbe9ee8fc0e930f7635b7f8ed5e82ca93088e944c2a2caec91811b70e6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdcdadbe9ee8fc0e930f7635b7f8ed5e82ca93088e944c2a2caec91811b70e6d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Lukas Maximilian Langer"},"description":"Als Gr\u00fcnder der ifdb GmbH setzt sich Lukas Maximilian Langer daf\u00fcr ein, digitale Barrierefreiheit vom Pflichtthema zum Selbstverst\u00e4ndnis zu machen. Sein Ziel: Websites, Apps und Dokumente, die f\u00fcr alle zug\u00e4nglich sind \u2013 unabh\u00e4ngig von Einschr\u00e4nkungen.","sameAs":["https:\/\/ifdb.io","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lukasmaximilianlanger"],"gender":"m\u00e4nnlich","knowsAbout":["Design","Development","digitale Barrierefreiheit","EAA","BFSG","Marketing","EN301549"],"knowsLanguage":["Deutsch","Englisch","Spanisch"],"jobTitle":"Gr\u00fcnder","worksFor":"IFDB GmbH","url":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/author\/l-langerifdb-op\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/993002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=993002"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/993002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":993015,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/993002\/revisions\/993015"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/992238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=993002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=993002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifdb.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=993002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}