European policy, legislation and standards

Accessibility work in the EU is based on the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which both the European Commission and all member states have ratified.

In order to comply with the UNCRPD, multi-year policies are developed at EU level. During the period of 2021-2030, the key policy is the “Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities”. The aim of this strategy is to improve the lives of persons with disabilities in Europe and around the world.

Within the strategy, the European Commission states that “accessibility is an enabler of rights, autonomy and equality”. The strategy presents research funding as well as flagship initiatives as well as legislation.

European legislation on accessibility

During recent years, the EU has gone from only a handful of member states having national legislation on accessibility at different levels, to having EU-wide legislation based on common minimum requirements.

The Procurement Directive points out that public sector bodies and other organisations in scope of the directive shall take accessibility requirements into account. However, there is no real enforcement.

The Web Accessibility Directive requires websites and mobile apps of public sector bodies and bodies governed by public law to meet minimum accessibility requirements specified in Annex A of the EN301549.

The European Accessibility Act will require economic operators (manufacturers, distributers, importers etc) of certain products and services to meet minimum accessibility requirements from 28 June 2025. The technical specifications of this legislation are currently being developed.

European accessibility standards

European accessibility legislation usually describes the scope: who needs to be accessible and what needs to be accessible. The technical specifications on how accessibility requirements are met, are described in so called harmonised European standards, (EN), which act as presumed conformance. The standards are voluntary – if you would like to meet the requirements in some other way, you are welcome to.

The main harmonised European standard for accessibility of ICT is the EN301549 “Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services”. This standard was initially developed to support the procurement directive, and later became the presumed conformance for the Web Accessibility Directive. Currently, the EN301549 is being revised and updated to act as presumed conformance to the European Accessibility Act, under Mandate 587.

Mandate 587

The mandate covers several standards and requires the European Standardisation Organisations (ETSI, CEN and CENELEC) to update the following standards:

• EN 301549 “Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services”.
• EN 17161 “Design for All – Accessibility following a Design for All approach in products, goods and services – Extending the range of users”
• EN 17210 “Accessibility and usability of the built environment – Functional requirements”

The standardisation bodies are also mandated to develop new standards:

• Non-digital information
• Support services
  (help desks, call centres, technical support, relay services …)
• Emergency communications
  (including the public safety answering point)

As well as the review of two technical reports:

• TR 101 551 Guidelines on the use of accessibility award criteria suitable for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe

• TR 101 552 Guidance for the application of conformity assessment to accessibility requirements for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe

Funka Foundation Chair Susanna Laurin is Chair of the ETSI/CEN/CENELEC Joint Technical Body eAccessibility, responsible for the revision of the EN301549.