The document summarizes EU actions on web accessibility, including policy initiatives, standardization activities, projects, and studies. Key points: 1. Several policy initiatives since 2000 encouraged web accessibility but with limited success, as public websites remain less than 55% accessible. New proposals aim to establish mandatory accessibility standards through public procurement and a Web Accessibility Directive. 2. A European standard on eAccessibility requirements is being developed through Mandate 376 and will reference WCAG 2.0 AA success criteria. 3. Projects and studies have assessed progress and promoted accessibility, finding variation across EU countries and room for improvement in meeting diverse user needs.

1. EU actions on WebAccessibility
ECC-Net- Web and Communication
Workshop
21.11.2013
Ramón Sanmartin Sola
Unit ´Digital Social Platforms”
DG Communication Networks, Content and
Technology

2. Types of actions
1. Policy initiatives
2. Standardisation activities
3. Projects
4. Studies

3. 1. Policy – Former Initiatives
• Many initiatives at European level in Web-Accessibility since
2000
• “Soft law” = Encouragements and Commitment
• Initiatives coming from the three main European
institutions: the Commission, the European Parliament and
the Council

4. 1. Policy – Former Initiatives
European Commission
o eEurope Action Plan (2000) and Communication on eEurope 2002: Accessibility of
Public Web Sites and their Content (2001)
oCommunications on eAccessibility (2005)
oTowards and accessible information society (2008)
European Parliament
oResolution on the Commission Communication on eEurope 2002
Council
oResolutions on eEurope Action Plan (2002)
oRiga Ministerial Declaration (2006)
oConclusions on the EC Communication on the accessible information society (2009)

5. 1. Policy – Former Initiatives
• In addition to the European efforts, there have been parallel
actions:
 National measures: 24 Member States
 International measures: United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (UNCRPD) signed by all MS and
ratified by 25 = ACTUAL COMMITMENT

6. 1. Policy – Present situation
• Despite all these efforts, the situation of WebAccessibility in the EU today:
 Low accessibility of public sector websites: less
than 55% of websites accessible
 Diverging and uncoordinated efforts: leading
to varying national specifications

7. 1. Policy – Line to take
• So what now?
o “Soft EU law" + National initiatives => “Harder EU law"
o Harder law: current & upcoming complementary legislative
proposals
1. Proposal for new Public Procurement Directive
2. Proposal for a Directive on the accessibility of public sector bodies´
websites (Web-Accessibility Directive)
3. European Accessibility Act

8. 1. Policy – Public Procurement Dir.
• Currently under negotiation
• Establishes obligation to take into account accessibility
criteria in technical specifications of public contracts
"For all procurement the subject of which is intended for use by persons [...] those
technical specifications shall, except in duly justified cases, be drawn up so as to
take into account accessibility criteria for people with disabilities or design for all
users."
• In opposition to encouragement of the existing version (2004)
"Whenever possible, technical specifications should be defined as to take into account
accessibility criteria for people with disabilities or design for all users“

9. 1. Policy – Public Procurement Dir.
• What does this actually mean? What are the practical
effects?
 Upcoming EU standard on eAccessibility (EN 301549),
including requirements on web-content (WCAG 2.0 Level AA)
+
 Procurers tend to use available relevant standards =
 Obligation to include WCAG 2.0 Level AA in technical
specifications for public contracts for websites => PUBLIC
SECTOR WEBSITES PROCURED TO BE ACCESSIBLE

10. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
• Identification of the problem:
o Non-functioning of the internal market for provision of webaccessibility;
• Drivers to the problem:
o Fragmentation due to different national web accessibility
(WA) specifications
o Uncertainty for the procurers / owners

11. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
• Consequences
Problems for public administrations:
o Cost for alternative service provision and higher tender prices
o Criticism on social and public responsibility
Problems for citizens:
o Low accessibility of public sector websites
o Digital Social exclusion
Problems for web-developers:
o Difficulties for SMEs to operate cross-borders
o Limited interoperability of assistive technologies

12. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
• The proposal establishes harmonised accessibility
requirements for a set of public sector bodies´ websites
Requirements
• In line with Principles of WCAG 2.0:
Websites to be accessible in “an adequate way for user´s perception, operation and
understanding” and “in a way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of
user agents and assistive technologies at Union and international level”
Scope
• Websites owned by public sector bodies
• offering 12 types of essential services for citizens

13. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
(1) Income taxes: declaration, notification of assessment
(2) Job search services by labour offices
(3) Social-security benefits: unemployment benefits, child allowances, medical costs
(reimbursement or direct settlement), student grants.
(4) Personal documents: passports or driving license
(5) Car registration
(6) Application for building permission
(7) Declaration to police, e.g. in case of theft
(8) Public libraries, e.g. catalogues and search tools
(9) Request and delivery of birth or marriage certificates
(10) Enrolment in higher education or university
(11) Notification of change of residence
(12) Health-related services: interactive advice on the availability of services, online
services for patients, appointments.

14. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
Use of standards
•Presumption of conformity with requirements for websites
which meet future European harmonised standard
•Harmonised standard to point to WCAG 2.0 AA
•Possible to update the content of the standard (i. e. WCAG 3.0)
without changing the legislation
Monitoring and reporting
•Compulsory monitoring and reporting to the Commission
•Harmonized monitoring methodology to be decided by MS and
the EC

15. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
Additional measures
oEncouragement to extend the scope of the implementation to
public sector websites => To foster spill-over effect
oProvide statement on the accessibility
oEncouragement to develop mechanisms for consultations,
cooperation and exchange of best-practices with industry and
civil society
Timeline
oFixed deadlines for transposition (mid2014) and
implementation (2015)

16. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
• Opportunities to be created
For citizens:
o Improved access to essential 'basic public services‘
For industry:
o Easier and cheaper to operate EU-wide
o Better growth conditions for SME´s (clear and consistent use
of technical criteria)
For public administrations
o Efficiency/effectiveness, reduced need for helpdesk support
o Fulfil social responsibility and commitments

17. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
• Summary & explanations
What´s the objective?
o Tackle the problem of the internal market on web-accessibility
o by establishing harmonised requirements for a specific set of
websites and, at the same time,
o help MS to fulfil their commitments and ensure webaccessibility in EU
Why set of websites?
o It´s a “Silver bullet” – Obligation on a set of websites that will
generate a “spill-over” effect to national legislations
• Proposal is now under discussion at Parliament and Council

18. 1. Policy – Web-Accessibility Directive
• Main amendments tabled at the EP
Scope
o Extension to cover "all public sector websites" and "websites
providing services of general interest"
o Extension to cover mobile applications
Timeline for implementation
o Two different deadlines: 1) Closer deadline (2015) for new
content 2) Later deadline (2017) for existing content
• Internal Market and Consumer Affairs (IMCO) Committee to
vote on 28th November > Vote in EP's plenary

19. 1. Policy – European Accessibility Act
o Expected to cover web-accessibility, in particular private
sector
o Complementary to and not in conflict with the WebAccessibility Directive
o Currently under preparation by DG JUST

20. 2. Standardisation activities
• Mandate 376
o Mandate 376 to the European Standardisation Bodies to
deliver a European standard on accessibility requirements of
public procurement of ICT products and services, but can be
used for other cases
o Final draft of EN 301549 is to be voted by National
Standardisation Organisations
o Estimated publication date is February 2014
o Web-content requirements: WCAG 2.0 AA

21. 3. Projects
• Funding to different Research and Development projects:
o eAccess+: Establishing a cooperative platform for supporting and
improving the implementation of eAccessibility throughout Europe
o WAI-ACT: Collaborative environment to result in
o Expanded European and international cooperation on the
development of accessibility solutions for people with disabilities;
o Internationally harmonised evaluation methodologies;
o A coordinated research agenda on eAccessibility
o European Internet Inclusion Initiative (EIII): building a new combination of
existing tools to support crowd source enabled user testing, automated
evaluation and surveillance of the web and audio-visual media.

22. 4. Studies
• Funding for many studies, consultations and surveys on WebAccessibility in Europe:
o Measuring Progress of eAccessibility in Europe (MeaC I)
o Economic Assessment for Improving e-Accessibility Services and Products
o Monitoring eAccessibility (MeaC II)
o Web-accessibility in European countries: level of compliance with latest
international accessibility specifications, notably WCAG 2.0, and
approaches or plans to implement those specifications
o Study on assessing and promoting e-Accessibility

23. 4. Studies
• Some results from the 'Study on assessing and promoting eAccessibility'
o Progress on policy side, with almost all MS with some type of obligation or
policy, and some having strengthened or developed existing approaches
o Much room of improvement for levels of WA being achieved across EU and
lower level of WA than in comparison countries (AU, NO, CA and US)
o Considerable variation across MS in the levels of WA
o Tendency to work towards WCAG 2.0 guidelines, but variations on the
aspects of WA that seem to be given emphasis
o Tendency for accessibility requirements of blind end-users; with poorer
performance in meeting requirements of users with hearing impairments

24. Thank you!