Web Accessibility Directive

• July 24, 2023
• Andrew

The Internet has become a part of everyday life and digital inclusion efforts by the European Commission remain key in order to ensure that everybody can contribute to and benefit from the digital economy and society. Web accessibility supports social inclusion for people with disabilities as well as other disadvantaged groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities, to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Internet.

As from September 2018, all public sector websites need to conform to the new European accessibility directive. The directive ensures that all public sector organisations’ websites and apps are accessible, using existing accessibility standards. It aims to unify the standards throughout all EU member states, and requires that all members have a process in place for testing, and ensuring an on-going commitment to accessibility moving forward. All member states need to comply with the directive from September 2018.

The Directive sets forward a minimum base standard for compliance, monitoring, and evaluation across Europe. Member states will be permitted to introduce additional requirements for public sector accessibility on a national basis as they see fit.

Web Accessibility Essentials
During the MCA’s on-going monitoring work whereby public sector websites are proactively assessed on a continuous basis, it was observed that a few issues come up over and over again. To assist website owners, designers and developers to better understand what is normally required to meet the W3 WCAG criteria, a number of “Essential Guides” have been compiled that aim to simplify further the WCAG criteria requirements and as much as possible, ensure that even non-technical personnel may comprehend what is needed to create an accessible website.

Useful Links
Web Accessibility Directive
MCA Monitoring and Reporting Process
ETSI EN 301 549
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1
FITA Resources
Contents of Accessibility Statement
Report on the outcome of the monitoring and use of the enforcement procedure as per the Web Accessibility Directive

Links to Web Accessibility Presentations by MCA/FITA
Web Accessibility – MCA
Web Accessibility – Fita

Forms
Public Sector Website Accessibility Complaint Form
Web Accessibility Exemption Form