Jump to content

Web Accessibility Directive

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Mgifford (talk | contribs) at 20:20, 3 January 2022 (Updating references and adding more context about going above the minimum). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Directive on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications also known as Directive (EU) 2016/2102 was adopted by the EU in 2016. [1] This Directive applies to public sector organizations of member states of the EU. The goal was to ensure that all public sector organizations were accessible for the 80 million people with disabilities in the EU.[2]

This EU Directive gave each member state until 2018 to be transposed into national legislation.[3] Each member country is responsible for implementing national legislation that conforms.[4][5] A minimum level of harmonization is required which Member States must maintain. National legislation can exceed these minimum requirements, and some countries have chosen to do so. In transposing this EU Directive to national legislation, there was no need to extend it beyond the public sector organizations, but France chose to ego beyond the minimum.[6]

The EU's new European Accessibility Act complements the Web Accessibility Directive and applies to the private sector, thus impacting a much larger number of people.

Implications of this Directive

The governments of Member States' are required to:

  • addresses websites and apps of public sector organizations;
  • refers to specific standards, such as EN 301 549;
  • requires the publication of an accessibility statement for websites and mobile apps;
  • calls for a feedback mechanism for users to flag accessibility problems[7];
  • expects regular accessibility monitoring and corresponding public reports by Member States.:[8]

Timeline for Implementation

  • September 23, 2018 - Member States must transpose this Directive to national legislation[9]
  • September 23 2019 - all new public sector websites must conform
  • September 23 2020 - all public sector websites must conform
  • June 23 2021 - all mobile apps must conform[10]
  • December 23 2021 - member states' websites will need to be monitored and publicly reported[11]
  • 23 June 2022 - European Commission to carry out a review of the application of this directive (Article 13)[12].

Accessibility Monitoring and Reporting

Member States' have assigned organizations which are in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Web Accessibility Directive.[13]. Among other tasks, these organizations are responsible for regular monitoring of public sector sites[14], review disproportionate burden cases and accessibility statements, and guarantee both accessibility compliance and effective handling of feed-back given by users.

Example Reports

References

  1. ^ "EDF Toolkit on the Web Accessibility Directive" (PDF).
  2. ^ "The European Web Accessibility Directive". 3PlayMedia.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "EU Directive on the Accessibility of Public Sector Websites and Mobile Applications".
  4. ^ "How we're helping public sector websites meet accessibility requirements". UK's GDS.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Ireland's National Disability Authority: EU Web Accessibility Directive". Ireland's National Disability Authority.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ "Website accessibility for persons with disabilities: minimum harmonization creates fragmentation". Lexology.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "The EU Web Accessibility Directive: A practical guide for the public sector". Open Access Government.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Web Accessibility".
  9. ^ "EUR-Lex - 32016L2102 - EN". EUR-Lex.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies".
  11. ^ "Shaping Europe's digital future POLICY Web Accessibility".
  12. ^ "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 bodies".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Member States' bodies in charge of monitoring the Web Accessibility Directive". EC Shaping Europe’s digital future.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Web Accessibility". EC Shaping Europe’s digital future.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)


Flag of EuropeJustice icon

This article relating to European Union law is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Web_Accessibility_Directive&oldid=1063579647"