98%
of websites are inaccessible to people with disabilities
1.5
billion people with disabilities who deserve equality
20%
of the world's population who have a disability
The EU is committed to making its websites accessible and is actively working to improve the experience of all users by enhancing accessibility and usability. This work involves ensuring that products and content meet current standards, particularly those listed in dir (EU) 2016/2102 and 2019/882 (EAA).
The directives require public sector organizations and certain categories of individuals to apply Policy Document EN 301 549 to their websites and online tools.
Web accessibility is a process, so to strive for the highest level of compliance and accessibility you need to rely on expert consultants.
As such, we always recommend combining the automated services of accessWidget software with our consultancy services that will help you understand the legal requirements and execute them according to best practices (those defined by AgID), so that you can work together to achieve the highest possible level of compliance for your website.
The European Directives that regulate the topic of web accessibility at supranational level are:
DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/2102 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 26 October 2016
on the accessibility of public sector bodies' websites and mobile applications
DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/882OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 17 April 2019
on accessibility requirements for products and services
WCAG 2.1 is a 1,000-page guide explaining how accessible websites should look and function for people with disabilities, a group that comprises about 20 per cent of the world's population.
The WCAG covers the needs of a wide range of disabilities, in particular blind people and their use of screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA and Voiceover, people with motor disabilities and their needs for keyboard navigation, people suffering from epilepsy, colour blindness, cognitive and learning disabilities and other visual impairments.
The first WCAG were published in 1999, revised in 2008 as WCAG 2.0 and updated again in 2018 in the form we use today, the 2.1
WCAG 2.1 at AA level: GUIDELINES ESTABLISHING THE STANDARD FOR WEB ACCESSIBILITY LEGISLATION.
THEY HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY A NON-LEGAL BODY, FOR THIS REASON THEY HAVE NO LEGAL VALUE. WCAG2.1AA INSPIRE LEGISLATION;