Particle.news

German Cabinet Approves Disability Equality Bill Expanding Accessibility

The draft goes to parliament under pressure from advocates for binding private‑sector obligations.

Overview

  • The proposal sets a 2045 deadline for making publicly accessible parts of federal buildings barrier‑free.
  • Private providers would be obliged to offer reasonable accommodations case by case, without detailed, across‑the‑board construction requirements.
  • If accommodations are refused, affected people could seek a free mediation process, with possible suits for removal or injunction afterward, while damages are limited to public bodies.
  • The plan broadens barrier‑free communication in federal administration and creates a competence center for Easy Language and German Sign Language.
  • Disability groups and officials, including VdK’s Verena Bentele and federal commissioner Jürgen Dusel, criticize the draft as lacking enforceable duties and sanctions and as falling short of UN‑CRPD standards.