Switzerland Web Accessibility Compliance

Switzerland has its own accessibility framework, independent of but aligned with EU requirements:

• Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz (BehiG) — Disability Discrimination Act: Enacted in 2004, the BehiG prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in access to public services. Article 14 specifically requires that internet-based services of the federal government be accessible to persons with sensory or motor disabilities
• Behindertengleichstellungsverordnung (BehiV): The implementing ordinance for BehiG, which specifies technical requirements including reference to WCAG standards for web accessibility
• eCH-0059 standard: The Swiss E-Government standard for accessible web content, referencing WCAG 2.1 AA. Updated regularly by the eCH association (the Swiss standards body for e-government)
• P028 — Guidelines for the Swiss Confederation: The federal administration's binding guidelines requiring all confederation websites to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, including a conformance assessment methodology

While Switzerland is not bound by the European Accessibility Act, Swiss businesses serving EU customers must comply with the EAA for their EU-facing digital services. Additionally, Switzerland's bilateral agreements with the EU often lead to voluntary alignment with EU digital standards.

Switzerland has developed a detailed technical framework through the eCH standardization process:

• eCH-0059 (Accessibility Standard): The primary Swiss standard for web accessibility. References WCAG 2.1 Level AA and adds Swiss-specific guidance for multilingual content (German, French, Italian, Romansh), PDF accessibility, and government digital services
• WCAG 2.1 AA: The technical baseline for federal and cantonal government websites. All four WCAG principles apply — perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness
• Multilingual requirements: Swiss websites frequently serve four language communities. Each language version must independently meet accessibility standards, with correct lang attributes and accessible language-switching mechanisms
• PDF accessibility: Switzerland places significant emphasis on accessible PDF documents for government communications. eCH-0059 includes specific requirements for tagged PDFs meeting PDF/UA (ISO 14289) standards
• Swiss Design System: The federal administration maintains a standardized design system with pre-tested accessible components for government websites

The Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT/BIT) provides technical guidance and testing support for federal accessibility compliance.

Swiss accessibility enforcement operates at federal and cantonal levels:

• Federal level: The Federal Bureau for the Equality of People with Disabilities (EBGB/BFEH) oversees BehiG implementation. It provides advice, monitors compliance, and can support legal proceedings against non-compliant federal services
• Cantonal level: Switzerland's 26 cantons have varying levels of accessibility requirements for their own websites and services. Some cantons (notably Zurich, Bern, and Basel) have adopted strict accessibility policies aligned with eCH-0059
• Legal action: Under BehiG, persons with disabilities can file complaints with the responsible federal authority or bring civil action. Organizations representing persons with disabilities (such as Pro Infirmis) also have standing to file collective complaints
• Private sector: BehiG primarily applies to public services. However, the general anti-discrimination principle and increasing market expectations are driving private sector adoption. Swiss businesses serving EU customers must additionally comply with the EAA for those markets

Switzerland does not have a formal monitoring body equivalent to EU member states, but the Access for All Foundation (Zugang für alle) conducts independent accessibility assessments and publishes annual reports on Swiss website accessibility.

Run a free CompliScan scan to identify WCAG 2.1 AA violations on your Swiss website. Our scanner checks against the same WCAG criteria referenced by eCH-0059 and P028 guidelines.

Switzerland-specific compliance steps:

• Federal administration: Use CompliScan to verify compliance with P028 guidelines and eCH-0059 before internal audits or Access for All assessments
• Cantonal websites: Ensure your cantonal services meet the accessibility standards adopted by your canton — most reference WCAG 2.1 AA through eCH-0059
• Multilingual audit: Scan each language version (DE, FR, IT, RM) separately to ensure independent WCAG compliance across all language variants
• EU market access: If your Swiss business serves EU customers, use CompliScan to verify EAA compliance for your EU-facing digital services

CompliScan Shield ($49/mo) provides weekly scans for continuous compliance. Shield Pro ($149/mo) adds daily scans and PDF reports. For Swiss agencies managing federal and cantonal client sites, the Agency plan ($299/mo) covers up to 50 sites.