Certified associations have, within the area of discrimination of people with disabilities according to § 14 BGG, the right to sue in the form of a representative action in administrative and social law proceedings.

The possibility of a representative action only exists in certain cases of infringements of rights, usually in terms of discrimination against a person with disability through a public authority. § 7 BGG regulates who a public authority is. Discrimination exists when there is a different treatment of people with and without disabilities without justification, resulting in a disabled person experiencing thereby disadvantages. The state has the obligation to guarantee accessibility in buildings and needs to conveniently provide people with disabilities access to information from departments. Only associations which are acknowledged through the federal ministry of labour and social affairs (BMAS) can sue in the form of a representative action. If the preconditions in § 15 III BGG are given, recognition can be granted. Therefore, an association has to (1) constantly support the interests of people with disabilities, (2) represent the interests of people with disabilities at federal level, (3) exist at least three years at the moment of recognition, (4) offer a proper task fulfilment, type and scope of the previous occupation of the members as well as the performance of the association need to take in consideration. The association has to be free of the corporation tax.