From June 28, 2025, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) will come into force in Germany. It is based on the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and pursues an important goal: digital participation for all people, especially for people with disabilities and older people.
This means that from this date onwards, all newly published eBooks must be accessible.
In some circumstances, however, you are exempt from this obligation - you can find out more about this at the end of this article.
What is an accessible eBook?
An accessible eBook is designed in such a way that it can also be used by people with disabilities - e.g. using screen readers or other assistive technologies.
The following points are particularly important:
- ePUB 3 format
Only the ePUB 3 format supports all relevant accessibility functions. - Clear separation of content and design
Use semantic markup such as for headings - not just visual highlighting. - Accessible navigation
A structured table of contents and well-organized chapters help with orientation. - Alternative texts for images
Images, graphics and visual content require descriptive alt texts. - Restrained formatting
Avoid excessive bold, italics or underlining in body text. Ensure sufficient contrast (e.g. black text on a light background).
Further helpful information can be found in the official guidelines of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association:
To the guide
Who is exempt from the accessibility requirement?
Under certain conditions, you are exempt from the implementation obligation:
- Microenterprises
You have fewer than 10 employees and less than €2 million in annual sales or total assets. - Disproportionate burden
If the implementation of accessibility would involve disproportionately high costs. - Fundamental change
If your work would lose its character as a result of the conversion (e.g. in the case of comics or graphically complex content).
Important: These exceptions must be justified, documented and proven upon request.
If you publish an eBook via FEIYR and you fall under one of these exceptions, please contact our support team - with the subject:
"Excluded from accessibility" and state the specific reason in your message.
Tools & support
We support you in creating accessible eBooks!
All eBook conversions that you carry out through us from June 2025 onwards will automatically meet the new requirements.
A recommended free tool for creating accessible ePUB files from Word documents: WordToEPUB from the DAISY Consortium.
Together for more inclusion
Accessibility is not a trend, but a sign of quality and respect for all readers.
Let's make a contribution to digital inclusion together!