General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG)

Contents: General information.

With its 33 sections, the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG) offers protection to everyone in Germany against discrimination on the grounds of age, gender, sexual identity, religious affiliation, racism, anti-Semitism, chronic illness or disability. It applies to the areas of employment, everyday life and finding accommodation. The Act came into force on 18 August 2006 and was last updated in 2022.

The General Act on Equal Treatment distinguishes between disadvantage and discrimination. Discrimination exists only if there are no valid grounds to justify the disadvantage. Such grounds must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.