Information on the complaints process

If you identify accessibility problems on a public authority website or mobile app, there are many ways to respond. We have provided a short step-by-step guide for you below.

Get in touch with the contact person for that organisation

The relevant contact person will be listed in the accessibility statement. Ideally, you will be able to solve the problem directly with the organisation in question.

Not been able to get in contact or no satisfactory result?

If you are unable to contact the institution, or if you have not achieved a satisfactory result after contacting it, you can contact the federal complaints office or the relevant regional complaints office.

If the complaint concerns a public website or app in a federal province, contact your regional complaints office directly. If the complaint concerns a digital service provided by the federal government, please contact the federal complaints office directly. If you do not know which complaints office is in charge, you can also contact the federal complaints office, which will forward your complaint to the right office in consultation with you.

Wait for response from the complaints office

The office you contacted will let you know how they will proceed with your request.
To provide the public with an overview, the federal complaints office has published answers to the most frequently asked questions from complainants. If you have questions for a complaints office in a federal province, you can find further information and contact details on the relevant overview page.

Initiate conciliation proceedings

The Disability Equality Package enshrines protection against discrimination for people with disabilities in many areas of daily life. In some instances, violations of the Web Accessibility Act (WZG) constitute disability discrimination. Should this be the case, you may apply for conciliation to the relevant regional office of the Social Ministry Service.
The conciliation proceedings are free and informal, and you do not require legal representation. As the claimant, you must credibly establish that there has been discrimination on the grounds of disability, but you are not required to present a disability pass or certificate.
You will find detailed information about the conciliation proceedings on the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs website (external link, content in German).
You may bring a person you trust or someone from the Federal Disability Ombuds Office with you to the conciliation meeting.

Contact the Federal Disability Ombuds Office:
Babenbergerstrasse 5/4, 1010 Vienna
Tel: 0800 80 80 16 (free of charge)
Email: office@behindertenanwalt.gv.at

File a lawsuit with the courts

If the conciliation proceedings with the Social Ministry Service do not reach a satisfactory outcome, your last option is to go to court. Confirmation that no agreement has been reached in the conciliation proceedings allows you to file a lawsuit with the competent court.
You will find detailed information about filing a lawsuit on the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs website (external link, content in German).