Accessibility Statement
Accessibility Statement
Pursuant to the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523 of 11 October 2018 establishing a model accessibility statement in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies.
The State of Styria takes great care to ensure the accessibility of its website 
www.verwaltung.steiermark.at and any associated sub-servers in line with the Web Accessibility Act (Web-Zugänglichkeitsgesetz, WZG), as amended to implement the Directive (EUR-Lex - 32016L2102 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)) (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies (Official Journal L 327 of 2 Dec. 2016, p. 1).
This Accessibility Statement applies to the website www.steiermark.at.
Status of conformance with requirements
Given the following non-conformities and exceptions, this website is partially compliant with conformance level AA of the "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - WCAG 2.1" (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (w3.org) and/or the applicable European Standard EN 301 549 V2.1.2 (2018-08).
The alternative text is missing from some older images, meaning that such information is not accessible for screen reader users. This means that WCAG success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-Text Content) is only partially met. We are planning to add a text alternative to all non-decorative images in 2022. All new images will be published together with a text alternative.
On some web pages, there are videos from third-party providers such as Youtube. The provision of alternatives to image and sound cannot be ensured for this content, as it is beyond the sphere of influence of the Office of the Styrian Government. This means that success criteria of WCAG Guideline 1.2 may only be partially met.
The text of some of the links does not yet describe where the link leads to. The purpose of some links is also not always clear from the immediate context, such as the paragraph where the link is located. This means that WCAG success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (in context) is not met. We are continuously working to resolve this shortcoming.
Level 2 and 3 headings are missing on some pages. This means that WCAG success criterion 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels) is not met. We are planning to resolve the problem while rearranging our website in 2023.
Some content that requires user input does not have labels or instructions, which means that WCAG success criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions is not met. We are planning to resolve the problem while rearranging our website in 2024.
Many of our pdf files and Word documents are not accessible. Some of them are, for example, not tagged, which means that users of screen readers cannot read and use them or can only do so to an insufficient degree with structural information. This means that WCAG success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value) is not met. We are planning to replace these documents with accessible pdf files in 2024.
Disproportionate effort
Our videos are streamed and published on the YouTube video platform. It is not possible to provide the required audio descriptions for some of these videos, which means that WCAG success criterion 1.2.5 (Audio Description (Prerecorded)) is not met. We are of the opinion that solving this problem would mean a disproportionate effort in terms of accessibility provisions.
The contents are not within the scope of the applicable legislation
PDF and Word files created before 23 September 2018 are not accessible. Some of them are, for example, not tagged, which means that users of screen readers cannot read and use them or can only do so to an insufficient degree with structural information. This means that WCAG success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value) is not met. We do not intend to replace PDF and Word files published before 23 September 2018 that are not required for ongoing administrative procedures, because they are exempt from Directive (EU) 2016/2102.
Some videos recorded before 2019 are missing subtitles, meaning the spoken content is not accessible for deaf users. We are not planning to add subtitles to these videos as they are exempt from Directive (EU) 2016/2102 as part of the archive.
Live videos have no subtitles, which means that WCAG success criterion 1.2.4 (Captions Live) is not met. We are not planning to add captions to live videos, because live, time-based media are exempt from Directive (EU) 2016/2102. If live videos refer to information that is related to health, welfare and public safety, Austrian Sign Language interpretation is provided, as well as speech-to-text transcription/captions afterwards.
Third-party content, such as studies or presentation materials from external speakers, that is not within the sphere of influence of the Ministry of Social Affairs is exempt from Directive (EU) 2016/2102. No statement regarding conformity with accessibility regulations can be made for such third-party content.
Preparation of this Statement of Accessibility
This Statement was created on 04 April 2022.
The compliance of the website with the Web Accessibility Act (Web-Zugänglichkeitsgesetz, WZG) to implement the requirements of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 was assessed by an independent body according to WCAG 2.0 at conformity level AA in December 2019. The assessment included an-depth examination of the entire www.verwaltung.steiermark.at server. Individual page content is regularly checked by the web editorial team when new content is published.
This Statement was last updated on 04 April 2022.
Feedback and contact information
Provisions and services on this website are constantly being improved, exchanged and expanded. Usability and accessibility are a central concern for us when doing so.
If you notice any barriers that prevent you from using our website - issues not described in this statement, deficiencies in the compliance with accessibility regulations - please let us know by e-mail addressed to ‑redaktion@steiermark.at. We will review your request and contact you as soon as possible.
Please describe the problem(s) and quote the URL(s) of the site(s) or document(s) of concern.
Contact:
Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung/Office of the Styrian Government
LAD Referat Kommunikation
Hofgasse 16, 8010 Graz
Enforcement proceedings
If the response from the contact above is not satisfactory, you may also file a complaint with the ombudsman of the Equal Opportunity Office of the State of Styria.
Contact
Ombudsstelle der Landes-Gleichbehandlungsbeauftragten
Burgring 4, 8010 Graz
Phone: +43 (316) 877-5841
Fax: +43 (316) 877-4827
E-Mail: gleichbehandlung@stmk.gv.at
The Ombudsman Office of the Equal Opportunities Office of Styria is the point of contact for complaints regarding the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of the State of Styria and its institutions, and checks whether they comply with the provisions of the Styrian Web Accessibility Act.
Please note the following
Before contacting the Ombudsman's Office of the Styrian Equal Opportunities Office, please make use of the contact option indicated in the accessibility statement on the website or mobile application concerned. If this first contact does not result in a satisfactory solution, feel free to contact the ombudsman of the Styrian Equal Opportunities Office.
Send an e-mail to gleichbehandlung@stmk.gv.at and state the following:
- first name and surname
- personal contact data
(e.g. e-mail address, phone number, address)
- website or mobile application concerned
(Please quote the internet address [URL] and/or the full name of the application.)
- precise description of barrier
(Please explain the problem and/or the suspected violation of the accessibility regulations - if necessary, you may also suggest a possible solution.)
- Have you already contacted the body that operates the website or mobile application concerned?
(If yes, have you already received a reply?)
The complaint will be examined to determine whether there has been a violation of the provisions of the Styrian Web Accessibility Act on the part of the State or any of the State institutions.
If the complaint is justified under the Styrian Web Accessibility Act, the Equal Opportunities Officer of the State of Styria will make recommendations for action and suggest measures to resolve present shortcomings.
The operator of the website or mobile application concerned will then have two months to resolve any shortcomings after having been requested to take action by the Styrian Equal Opportunities Officer.
You will, in any case, receive feedback from the Equal Opportunities Officer of the State of Styria to inform you about the way in which the complaint is to be handled plus a corresponding statement of reasons.
The Equal Opportunities Officer makes every effort to handle complaints as quickly as possible.
Optional content: additional information and operating assistance
The website www.verwaltung.steiermark.at was last subject to a complete technical overhaul in January 2021.
The Internet and Media Technology Unit of the Office of the Styrian Government strives to make its internet provision as accessible as possible, and since 2008 has been following the WCAG 2.1 Guidelines for accessible content in accordance with the national legislation "E-Government Act 2004" and the applicable relevant anti-discrimination provisions.