Accessibility statement

What we check

We look on the home page for a link to an accessibility statement, in German, English, French or Italian, such as "Barrierefreiheit", "Zugänglichkeit", "Accessibility" or "Accessibilité", in the link text or in the address.

• If the link is missing, there is a note.
• If it exists, we load the page: is it reachable? Does it contain text? Does it name a standard such as WCAG 2.2, EN 301 549 or a national standard of the market (BITV in Germany, Section 508 in the US, eCH-0059 in Switzerland)? An error page or an empty page is a warning, a statement without a standard a note.

Whether the details in the statement are correct we cannot judge. That is what the other checks in the accessibility area are for.

Why it matters

Around a fifth of the population lives with a disability, many more with age-related impairments. For them the accessibility statement is what the privacy policy is for everyone: a binding account of where they stand.

A good statement answers three questions:

1. How accessible is the website? Against which standard and at which level, such as WCAG 2.1 AA, and who checked it.
2. Where does it still fall short? Known shortcomings, such as old PDFs without tags or a video without captions, and by when they will be fixed.
3. Whom do I contact? A contact address for problems, with an answer within a reasonable time.

For public bodies the statement is mandatory in the EU, the UK and Switzerland, in the EU since 2025 also for online shops, banks and many services. Public tenders regularly require it. For everyone else it is a sign of care that visitors and Google notice.

How to fix it

Create a page "Accessibility" and link it in the footer next to imprint and privacy policy. Content:

• Scope: which website or app the statement applies to.
• State of accessibility: "This website conforms to WCAG 2.1 level AA" or "partially conforms". Name who checked and when.
• Known shortcomings: concrete and honest, with a planned date for fixing them.
• Contact: email and telephone for feedback, with a promise of how fast answers come.
• Date of the statement and of the last review.

For the EU the model statement of the EU Commission is authoritative; the UK government publishes a sample statement for public sector websites, and the W3C offers a generator for any website.

WordPress and builders

A normal page is enough. Make sure it appears in the footer menu so that it is reachable from every page.

How to check it yourself

Scroll to the very bottom of the home page. Do you find a link to accessibility next to imprint and privacy policy? Open it: does it say against which standard the website was checked and whom to contact?

Frequently asked questions

Is a statement mandatory?

For public bodies in the EU, the UK and Switzerland, yes. Since June 2025 the European Accessibility Act also requires information on accessibility for online shops, banks and many services aimed at EU customers. In the United States there is no statement duty, but federal agencies follow Section 508 and lawsuits under the ADA often concern websites.

The website is not accessible yet. Is a statement still worthwhile?

Yes. An honest statement that names known shortcomings and offers a contact address is better than none. People with disabilities learn what to expect and where to get help.

How much does the statement count in the score?

Little, at most 4 of 100 points in the accessibility area. The statement does not make a website more accessible, but it shows that someone cares.