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BGG – Federal Disability Equality Act: The Foundation of Inclusion in Germany

The Federal Disability Equality Act (BGG) is the central law for the equal treatment of people with disabilities in Germany. It provides the legal foundation for making public life and government services accessible. The BGG aims to eliminate and prevent discrimination against people with disabilities and ensure their equal participation in society. In the digital realm, the BGG serves as the “mother of all regulations,” forming the basis for more specific regulations such as the BITV 2.0.

Core principles of the BGG

Focus on accessibility in public spaces

The BGG defines accessibility comprehensively: not only buildings and transportation, but all information technology must be designed so that people with disabilities can access and use it in the usual manner, without special effort and generally without external help. The law thus sets the standard for the understanding of inclusion in Germany.

Equal treatment and prohibition of discrimination

A key element of the BGG is the prohibition of disadvantage by public authorities. The law obliges the state to actively remove barriers. This applies especially to communication: information must be provided in ways that are understandable to people with different impairments, for example through plain language or sign language.

Who does the BGG apply to?

Federal public authorities

The obligations of the BGG primarily target public authorities at the federal level. This includes federal agencies, offices, courts, and public law entities such as corporations, institutions, and foundations. When these authorities provide digital services, such as websites or apps, they must be accessible in accordance with § 12 BGG.

Significance for the private sector

Although the BGG directly applies only to public authorities, it sends a strong signal to the private sector. It provides definitions and standards that later became legally binding in laws such as the BFSG. In 2026, understanding the BGG is essential for private providers to grasp the underlying logic of Germany’s accessibility legislation.

Implementing digital accessibility

Connection to BITV 2.0

The BGG itself is a framework law. The concrete technical details, such as how to program a website accessibly, are specified in the Accessible Information Technology Ordinance (BITV). Complying with BITV ensures that the digital requirements of the BGG are met.

Right to information in plain language

According to the BGG, public authorities must ensure that essential information is also available in plain language. This helps people with cognitive impairments or limited language skills understand government services. In WordPress projects for public institutions, providing these language versions is often a mandatory requirement.

MH-Accessibility Pro: Supporting BGG objectives

Even though the BGG operates at a high level of abstraction, MH-Accessibility Pro helps implement practical accessibility requirements efficiently:

  • Cognitive accessibility: Features such as ADHD Mode and the Reading Mask support the BGG’s goal of enabling usage without special effort for users with cognitive impairments.
  • Visual adaptability: Tools for contrast and font size adjustment directly support the BGG objective of making information perceptible for all senses.
  • Documentation and transparency: Use our Statement Generator to create an accessibility statement for your project, as required by BGG and BITV.

Conclusion: Accessibility as a fundamental right

The Federal Disability Equality Act represents the state’s promise of participation. In 2026, implementing these objectives in the digital space is more important than ever. With MH-Accessibility Pro, you have a tool to professionally and legally implement high accessibility standards in WordPress projects.

Break down digital barriers. Use MH-Accessibility Pro to bring the goals of the BGG to life in your projects. View Pricing