Austria Web Accessibility Compliance

Austria has a well-established web accessibility legal framework, predating the EAA:

• Web-Zugänglichkeits-Gesetz (WZG): Austria's Web Accessibility Act, enacted in 2019, transposed the EU Web Accessibility Directive (2016/2102). It requires all federal, state (Länder), and municipal public sector websites and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 AA via EN 301 549
• Bundes-Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz (BGStG): The Federal Disability Equality Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in access to goods and services, including digital services offered by private businesses
• EAA transposition (Barrierefreiheitsgesetz — BaFG): Austria transposed Directive (EU) 2019/882 through the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz. Since June 28, 2025, private sector digital services including e-commerce, banking, and transport must meet accessibility requirements

Austria's nine federal states (Bundesländer) have also enacted their own disability equality laws, though the WZG and BaFG apply uniformly at federal level.

Austrian accessibility requirements closely follow European harmonized standards:

• EN 301 549 v3.2.1: The European harmonized standard for ICT accessibility, directly referenced by the WZG and the EAA transposition. This standard incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA for web content
• WCAG 2.1 AA: The technical baseline — covering perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness. Austrian requirements include text alternatives, keyboard accessibility, minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio, and responsive design
• Accessibility statement (Barrierefreiheitserklärung): Public sector bodies must publish an accessibility statement in German detailing the level of conformance, known issues, contact information for accessibility feedback, and the enforcement procedure
• ÖNORM standards: Austrian Standards International (ASI) publishes ÖNORM standards that complement EN 301 549, particularly for Austrian-specific use cases in public administration

The Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs provides guidance documents and best practices for implementing accessibility requirements.

Austria's enforcement structure combines dedicated monitoring with complaint-based mechanisms:

• Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG): Designated as the monitoring body for public sector web accessibility under the WZG. The FFG conducts regular accessibility audits of federal websites and publishes monitoring reports to the European Commission
• Federal Social Office (Sozialministeriumservice): Handles complaints under the Bundes-Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz. Individuals can file complaints about inaccessible digital services, triggering a mandatory conciliation process
• Market surveillance for EAA: Under the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz, designated market surveillance authorities can issue corrective measures, restrict market access, or impose fines on non-compliant private sector services
• Conciliation procedure (Schlichtungsverfahren): Before court action, Austrian law requires a conciliation attempt through the Federal Social Office. If conciliation fails, the complainant can pursue damages through civil court

Penalties under the BaFG for private sector non-compliance include fines up to EUR 80,000 for serious violations and product withdrawal from the market.

Run a free CompliScan scan to identify WCAG 2.1 AA violations on your Austrian website. Our automated audit maps directly to EN 301 549 criteria referenced in the WZG and BaFG.

Austria-specific compliance steps:

• Public sector (WZG): Use scan results to update your Barrierefreiheitserklärung (accessibility statement) with accurate conformance status and known issues
• Private sector (BaFG/EAA): Audit your e-commerce, banking, or service platforms immediately — EAA enforcement has been active since June 2025
• German-language content: Ensure all German-language content including Umlaute, special characters, and PDF documents are accessible
• Ongoing monitoring: CompliScan Shield ($49/mo) provides weekly scans to maintain compliance between FFG audit cycles

Shield Pro ($149/mo) adds daily scans and PDF reports suitable for regulatory documentation. For Austrian agencies and consultancies managing multiple public sector clients, the Agency plan ($299/mo) covers up to 50 sites.