German government urged to adopt stronger disability accessibility law

Germany, home to over 13 million people with disabilities, is obligated under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure barrier‑free access. A draft amendment to the Disability Equality Act (BGG) currently falls short: it introduces a non‑discrimination rule for the private sector but omits effective enforcement tools, excludes compensation claims, labels building adaptations as “disproportionate,” and postpones the removal of barriers in federal buildings until 2045.

A parliamentary proposal titled “Accessibility for a modern and inclusive society” calls for mandatory accessibility requirements for private providers, the elimination of blanket exemptions, a legally enforceable right to reasonable accommodations, strengthening of the mediation board, a reversal of the burden of proof in discrimination cases, and the removal of structural barriers in federal buildings by 2036.