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Cezary Tomczyk
Cezary Tomczyk

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European Accessibility Act

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a legislation that aims to improve the accessibility of products and services in the European Union. Here are some key points:

*The EAA requires that certain products and services, such as websites, mobile applications, and electronic documents, comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.

  • The Act applies to EU member states and will be implemented in 2025.
  • The EAA covers a wide range of products and services, including:
    • Websites and mobile applications
    • Electronic documents, such as PDFs and e-books
    • Self-service terminals, such as ATMs and ticket machines
    • Computers and operating systems
  • The Act requires that these products and services be accessible to people with disabilities, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities.
  • The EAA also requires that accessibility information be provided to users, such as accessibility statements and contact information for accessibility support.
  • The Act will be enforced through a combination of national laws and EU regulations, and non-compliance can result in fines and other penalties.

In terms of WCAG compliance, the EAA requires that products and services meet the following success criteria:

  • Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
  • Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
  • Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
  • Robust: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Overall, the European Accessibility Act is an important step towards improving accessibility in the EU, and organizations should start preparing now to ensure compliance with the Act's requirements.

Read in details in the article "European Accessibility Act in questions and answers".

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