Digital accessibility has long ceased to be a “nice-to-have”; it is a clear obligation. In Germany, the BITV 2.0 has applied to public bodies since 2018. With the Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG), starting in June 2025 many private companies as well – especially in e-commerce, finance and the service sector – are obligated to make their digital offerings accessible in accordance with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act. The benchmark for this is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1, Level AA).
Liferay as a strong foundation for digital accessibility
Liferay already provides a very good foundation for accessible portals out of the box. The platform delivers clean HTML, a clear structuring of content, full support for screen readers and keyboard navigation, as well as mobile-friendly layouts. As a result, Liferay already achieves a high accessibility score “out of the box”, which we specifically extend and optimize.
In addition, we rely on proven tools such as Eye-Able (for high-contrast views, read-aloud functions or individually adjustable font sizes), Siteimprove (for continuous BITV and SEO checks) or axe DevTools/WAVE(for detailed developer tests). In this way, we combine the technological strength of Liferay with modern tools for genuine inclusion.
Our approach
Accessibility does not happen by chance – it has to be planned and verified. Together with our customers, we proceed in four steps:
-
Analysis & audit: Review of the legal requirements (BITV, WCAG 2.1 AA, BFSG) and inventory of existing systems.
-
Accessible design & development: Creation of Liferay themes, navigation and applications according to clear accessibility guidelines.
-
Testing & certification: Automated checks, manual tests with screen readers (NVDA, JAWS) and official BITV test procedures with partners.
-
Training & operations: Editorial teams receive clear guidelines and training so that content is maintained accessibly over the long term.
Accessible portals not only fulfill legal obligations, they also create genuine participation and better user experiences for everyone. With Liferay as the technical foundation, complemented by tools such as Eye-Able and Siteimprove, modern, legally compliant and inclusive digital portals can be implemented successfully.
Would you like to make your portal ready for the upcoming requirements of WCAG 2.1, BITV 2.0 and BFSG? Get in touch with us – we will support you from analysis to certification.
