Accessibility Statement

Here you can find the accessibility statement for the https://website www.umweltprobenbank.de

This accessibility statement applies to the version of this website currently accessible on the Internet at https://www.umweltprobenbank.de.

The website is also available in easy language.

The Federal Environment Agency strives to make its Federal Environmental Specimen Bank website accessible without barriers in accordance with national legislation implementing Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

The legal basis is the German Disability Equality Act (BGG), the Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV 2.0) and the harmonized European standard EN 301 549 as amended.

Status of compatibility with the requirements

The accessibility requirements result from §§ 3 paragraphs 1 to 4 and § 4 of BITV 2.0, which was issued on the basis of § 12d BGG.

The verification of compliance with the requirements is based on a self-assessment conducted in November 2025 and March 2026 with the BIK BITV Self-Assessment by DIAS GmbH (BITV Self-Assessment). Furthermore, the website was checked with the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool and with Microsoft Accessibility Insights (Accessibility Insights). In addition to manual testing using the BITV self-assessment and automated accessibility testing, a manual accessibility evaluation took place.

The audit was carried out by innoQ Deutschland GmbH.

Based on the review, the website is partially compliant with the aforementioned requirements.

Content that is not accessible

The content listed below is not accessible for the following reasons:

  • The charts displayed as a result of data research are not fully accessible at zoom levels of 200% or higher. While the data points scale, the lines and bars do not. This leads to overlaps that make it impossible to fully understand trends (WCAG Success Criterion 1.4.4 “Resize Text”). The charts are generated by an embedded third-party tool. We have no means of resolving the described issues ourselves. However, we will contact the tool provider and are working with them to address these issues within one year.

  • The map view for sampling areas is not operable for keyboard users. While location points can receive focus, they cannot be selected using the keyboard (WCAG Success Criterion 2.1.1 Keyboard). The tab order is confusing (WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.3 Focus Order), the focus indicator does not persist (WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible), and the entire map is hidden from assistive technologies despite containing focusable elements (WCAG Success Criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value). We are reviewing the technical options for resolving the issues described. If a technical solution is feasible, we will make every effort to resolve the issues within one year.

  • The modal dialog used to display an enlarged image is not accessible. The dialog lacks the correct role (WCAG Success Criterion 4.1.2), cannot be closed via keyboard (WCAG Success Criterion 2.1.1 Keyboard), the focus is not visible when the dialog opens (WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible), and when open, focus is not properly trapped within the dialog as expected (WCAG Success Criteria 2.4.3 Focus Order, 3.2.1 On Focus, 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap). We are reviewing the technical options for resolving the issues described. If a technical solution is feasible, we will make every effort to resolve the issues within one year.

  • The carousel on the home page is not accessible because it cannot be paused, stopped, or hidden (WCAG Success Criterion 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide). The focus indicator is not visible when interacting with the controls (WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible), and it is possible to navigate via keyboard to elements that are marked as hidden for assistive technologies (WCAG Success Criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value). The carousel will be replaced by an accessible highlight box within a year.

  • Some publications are missing alternative text, or the alternative text does not convey all information contained in the images (WCAG Success Criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content). We are committed to resolving these issues within one year.

  • In some places, the contrast between foreground and background is insufficient.

  • Some links are not sufficiently labeled for screen readers.

  • For some elements, the applied focus is not clearly visible.

  • In isolated cases, misleading sensory characteristics are used in references.

  • Some of the PDF documents provided on the website (reports and standard operating procedures) are not fully accessible. PDF documents published before September 2009 have not been revised, as they are not required for active administrative procedures (§ 2 (2) No. 2 BITV 2.0). Accessibility improvements have been made to the remaining documents; however, some issues persist, particularly missing or insufficient alternative text for images (WCAG Success Criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content), incorrect table structures (WCAG Success Criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships), and insufficient color contrast in headings and title pages (WCAG Success Criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)). We are committed to resolving these issues within one year.

Creation of this accessibility statement

This declaration was created on February 8, 2022 and updated on April 10, 2026.

The assessment is based on the BITV self-assessment of DIAS GmbH conducted on December 10, 2024 by innoQ Deutschland GmbH, Krischerstr. 100, 40789 Monheim am Rhein.

Feedback and contact details

Have you noticed any deficiencies in the barrier-free access to content on https://www.umweltprobenbank.de? If so, please feel free to contact us.
By e-mail to:
upb(at)uba.de.
The data protection regulations will of course be observed.
By mail to:
Umweltbundesamt
P.O. Box 1406
D-06813 Dessau-Roßlau

Arbitration procedure

Pursuant to Section 16 of the BGG, there is an Arbitration Service available under the Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Persons with Disabilities. The Arbitration Service is responsible for resolving disputes between persons with disabilities and federal public authorities.

You can involve the Arbitration Service if you are not satisfied with the responses you receive via the contact options above. This is not about determining who “wins” and who “loses”, the aim is to find a joint out-of-court solution to the problem with the help of the Arbitration Service.

The arbitration procedure is free of charge. You do not need to engage legal counsel.

You can find detailed information about the arbitration procedure on the Arbitration Service website. This includes information on how the arbitration procedure works and how to submit a request for arbitration. Requests can also be submitted in “Leichte Sprache” (easy read language) or German Sign Language.

You can contact the Arbitration Service at the following address:

Arbitration Service pursuant to the German Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities under the Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Persons with Disabilities
Mauerstraße 53
10117 Berlin
Germany

Phone: +49 (0)30 18 527-2805
Fax: +49 (0)30 18 527-2901
E-mail: info@schlichtungsstelle-bgg.de
Website: www.schlichtungsstelle-bgg.de/Webs/SchliBGG/EN/home/english-node.html