National standards must not conflict with European regulations. It is therefore only a matter of time before DIN 18040 ‘Barrier-free construction – Planning principles’ is adapted to the requirements of the new DIN EN 17210 ‘Accessibility and usability of the built environment – Functional requirements’. Once it comes into force, this standard will create a uniform basis for barrier-free construction throughout Europe for the first time. One of the key changes is that the maximum permissible height difference for door thresholds will be reduced to ten millimetres – previously it was twenty millimetres. In addition, barrier-free thresholds must be bevelled or rounded in future. These requirements apply to the planning, construction and furnishing of barrier-free flats, residential buildings and their outdoor facilities. Another important point is the linguistic clarification: the term ‘threshold-free’ is replaced by ‘level transitions’ in order to avoid unclear or absolute formulations.

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