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Web Accessibility Directive

Also called
Directive (EU) 2016/2102
Last reviewed

Was due , Directive (EU) 2016/2102, public sector mobile apps

Key facts

Jurisdiction
European Union
Sector
Public sector
Applies to
Public sector bodies in EU member states, such as national, regional, and local authorities and bodies governed by public law, and their websites and mobile apps.
Standard
EN 301 549 (harmonized standard); its web clauses follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA
Dates
  • : Public sector websites published after September 23, 2018
  • : Older public sector websites
  • : Public sector mobile apps

What it requires

Public sector websites and mobile apps must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Meeting the harmonized standard EN 301 549 gives a presumption that the requirements are met.

Each website and app needs a published accessibility statement, a way for people to report problems and ask for content that is not accessible, and a link to the national enforcement procedure.

The dates have passed. Websites published after September 23, 2018 had to comply from September 23, 2019, older websites from September 23, 2020, and mobile apps from June 23, 2021.

How it is enforced

Each member state monitors a sample of public sector websites and apps and reports the results to the European Commission every three years. Each country also runs an enforcement procedure that people can turn to when a public body does not respond to a report.

Sources

  1. Directive (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 bodiesEUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. Checked .
  2. Web accessibilityEuropean Commission, Shaping Europe's digital future, 2026. Checked .
  3. EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03): Accessibility requirements for ICT products and servicesETSI, CEN and CENELEC. Checked .
  4. Web Accessibility Directive: Standards and harmonisationEuropean Commission. Checked .

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