WZG (Austrian Web Accessibility Act)
The WZG requires the Austrian federal government and federally linked bodies to make websites and apps accessible.
TL;DR
The Web-Zugänglichkeits-Gesetz (WZG, BGBl. I Nr. 59/2019) transposes Directive (EU) 2016/2102 for the Austrian federal level (§ 1(2) WZG). It applies to websites and mobile applications of the federal government and of federally linked bodies (§ 2(1) WZG), not to the Länder or municipalities. Obliged bodies make their services perceivable, operable, understandable and robust (§ 3(1) WZG), publish an accessibility statement (§ 4(1) WZG) and answer reports of shortcomings within two months (§ 4(3) WZG). The WZG contains no penalty provision.
What is the WZG?
The WZG is the Austrian federal act on accessible websites and mobile applications of the federal government. It transposes Directive (EU) 2016/2102 (§ 1(2) WZG). It covers websites and mobile applications of the federal government and of bodies established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character, that have at least partial legal capacity and are mainly financed or supervised by the federal government or other such bodies, or whose organs are mostly appointed by them (§ 2(1) no. 1 and 2 WZG). Websites and apps of public service broadcasters are excluded (§ 2(1) WZG).
- Requirements: websites and apps must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust (§ 3(1) WZG). Content that conforms to harmonised standards whose references are published in the Official Journal of the EU is presumed to meet the requirements covered by those standards (§ 3(2) WZG).
- Statement: the accessibility statement must be published in an accessible format, kept up to date and reachable from the home page (§ 4(1) and (2) WZG).
- Reports of shortcomings: the body examines every report, takes measures where necessary and communicates the result and the measures taken or planned within two months. It also answers enquiries about exempted, inaccessible content within two months (§ 4(3) WZG).
- Monitoring: the competent body monitors on a recurring basis, submits a report to the European Commission every third year and examines complaints (§ 5(1) no. 1 and 2 WZG). As long as no regulation designates another body, the FFG is competent (§ 5(2) WZG).
- Key dates: websites not yet published when the WZG entered into force from 23.09.2019; websites already published from 23.09.2020; mobile applications from 23.06.2021 (§ 10 WZG).
The WZG contains no penalty provision. The FFG states that neither the EU Directive nor the WZG provides for sanctions or penalties.
Germany and Austria compared
Both countries regulate web accessibility for their federal bodies separately, but they differ on response deadlines and exemptions.
Germany
Federal public bodies are covered by § 12a BGG and the BITV 2.0. Conformity is presumed where services meet harmonised standards named in the Official Journal of the EU (§ 3(2) BITV 2.0). Archives that are not needed for active administrative procedures and have not been updated or revised after 23.09.2019 are exempt (§ 2(2) no. 2 BITV 2.0). The BITV 2.0 has no separate exemption for older office files. The body replies to reports within one month at the latest (§ 12b(4) BGG).
Austria
The WZG applies only to the federal government and federally linked bodies (§ 2(1) WZG). The Länder and municipalities are covered by state laws; according to the FFG, nine state laws transpose the Directive, see the article on municipalities and state laws. Among other things, § 2(3) WZG exempts office files published before 23.09.2018 that are not required for ongoing administrative procedures (lit. a), third-party content neither funded, developed nor controlled by the body (lit. e), archives that are not needed for ongoing administrative procedures and have not been updated or revised after 23.09.2019 (lit. i), and content whose accessibility would impose a disproportionate burden (lit. j).
| Point | Austria (WZG) | Germany (BGG, BITV 2.0) |
|---|---|---|
| Response deadline | two months (§ 4(3) WZG) | one month (§ 12b(4) BGG) |
| Office files before 23.09.2018 | exempt unless required for ongoing administrative procedures (§ 2(3) lit. a WZG) | no separate exemption |
| Archives | exempt (§ 2(3) lit. i WZG) | exempt (§ 2(2) no. 2 BITV 2.0) |
Practical example
A PDF form that a federally linked body published before 23.09.2018 does not fall under the exemption for older office files if it is required for an ongoing administrative procedure (§ 2(3) lit. a WZG). Suppose the body publishes application forms as PDF, guidance notes as Word files and presentations in PowerPoint. A user reports that a form cannot be completed with a screen reader. The body examines the report and communicates the result and the measures taken or planned within two months (§ 4(3) WZG). Commissioning a service provider does not change the obligation: only third-party content that the body neither funds, develops nor controls is exempt (§ 2(3) lit. e WZG). If you need to convert PDF, Word or PowerPoint files for a federal body, you can have accessible documents prepared.
Frequently asked questions
Does the WZG apply to municipalities and the Länder?
Does the WZG require WCAG or PDF/UA?
Are there penalties for breaching the WZG?
See also
- Accessibility statement
- Web Accessibility Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/2102)
- BITV 2.0 (German Barrier-free Information Technology Ordinance)
- Disproportionate burden
Sources
- Web-Zugänglichkeits-Gesetz (WZG), consolidated version, § 1 Abs. 2, § 2 Abs. 1 Z 1 und 2 und Abs. 3 lit. a, e, i, j, § 3 Abs. 1 und 2, § 4 Abs. 1 bis 3, § 5 Abs. 1 Z 1 und 2 und Abs. 2, § 10 WZG, ris.bka.gv.at
- FFG digitalbarrierefrei.at: Legal framework, Abschnitte WAD (EN 301 549 V3.2.1, WCAG 2.1 AA), WZG, Sanktionen, 9 Landesgesetze, digitalbarrierefrei.at
- Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung (BITV 2.0), § 2 Abs. 2 Nr. 2, § 3 Abs. 2 BITV 2.0, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz (BGG), § 12a Abs. 1, § 12b Abs. 4 BGG, gesetze-im-internet.de