From June 28, 2025, the Accessibility Act in Austria and the Accessibility Reinforcement Act Germany came into full force. This law requires many companies to design their digital products and services as accessible PDFs. This is particularly relevant for website operators, online store owners, and booking platform providers — as well as anyone who provides PDF documents digitally. (Sources: USP & ITZ)
But what exactly does „barrier-free“ mean in the context of PDF files? And how can legal requirements such as the BaFG be fulfilled with technical standards such as PDF/UA?
What is PDF/UA?
PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) is an international standard (ISO 14289) that regulates how PDF documents must be created so that they are accessible to all people - including those with visual, hearing or cognitive impairments. The standard ensures that:
- Contents is readable for screen readers ,
- A meaningful navigation structure (e.g. headings, lists) is in place,
- Alternative texts for images are provided,
- The document can be operated with a keyboard,
- and Metadata such as language and title are correctly set.
Why is PDF/UA so important from 2025?
The BaFG (Austria) and BFSG (Germany) implement the European Directive (EU) 2019/882. This obliges many companies to make digital information accessible - also in the form of accessible PDFs.
Particularly affected are:
- e-commerce services (e.g. web stores),
- digital booking systems (e.g. tourism portals),
- Publishers with digital publications,
- Banks,
- Transportation companies,
- Telecommunications provider,
- as well as public authorities and other service providers with online offerings.
Accessible PDFs / UA-compliant documents are a central component of the required digital accessibility. From 2025, companies that do not provide accessible PDFs risk not only fines of up to € 80,000, but also a loss of reputation. (Source: USP)
How an accessible PDF works
A PDF is considered an accessible PDF if it meets the following requirements:
- Tagged PDF- All content must be provided with structural tags (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables).
- Alternative texts for images- Every graphic needs a meaningful descriptive text.
- Reading order- The sequence of content must be logical and linear.
- Navigation elements- Tables of contents, bookmarks and links must function correctly.
- Contrast and font size- Texts should be customizable and designed with sufficient contrast.
How companies should prepare now
The effort involved in converting to accessible PDFs can be considerable, depending on the scope of the content. It is therefore advisable to take the following steps now:
- Check PDF workflows: Which tools and templates are used? Do they support PDF/UA?
- Train employees: Designers, editors and developers should be trained in accessible document creation.
- Check existing PDFs: Tools such as the PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) can be used to check PDFs for conformity.
- Implement standards: Rely consistently on PDF/UA in new projects.
- Obtain advice: Agencies or specialists for digital document management can provide support with implementation.
How neeyo helps with the implementation of PDF/UA
As a specialized partner in the field of customer communication management (CCM) neeyo supports companies on their way to barrier-free communication - from analysis and technical implementation to ongoing quality assurance.
Our services in the area of PDF/UA:
- Shipping-specific selection Whether accessibility is necessary (digital) or not (print)
- Automated tagging of sections (headings, continuous text, etc.)
- Logical reading order through the document structure
- Language tags are set automatically
- Possibility to add all other metadata manually (Alternative texts for images, tables, etc.)
Conclusion: Start now - with neeyo as your partner
PDF/UA is not just a legal obligation, but a sign of digital responsibility and inclusive communication. Our neeyo Suite fulfills the standards for PDF/UA and the Accessibility Act with ease. With neeyo as your partner, you don't have to worry about compliance and can concentrate on your core business!
Markus Gruber
Co-CEO & sales force at neeyo