Products and services covered
The European Accessibility Act covers products and services that have been identified as being most important for persons with disabilities while being most likely to have different accessibility requirements across EU countries.
The Commission consulted stakeholders and experts on accessibility and took into account the obligations deriving from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
These products and services include:
- computers and operating systems
- ATMs, ticketing and check-in machines
- smartphones
- TV equipment related to digital television services
- telephony services and related equipment
- access to audio-visual media services such as television broadcast and related consumer equipment
- services related to air, bus, rail and waterborne passenger transport
- banking services
- e-books
- e-commerce
Benefits
The European Accessibility Act benefits both businesses and persons with disabilities
Businesses benefit from:
- common rules on accessibility in the EU leading to costs reduction
- easier cross-border trading
- more market opportunities for their accessible products and services
Persons with disabilities and older people benefit from:
- more accessible products and services in the market
- accessible products and services at more competitive prices
- fewer barriers when accessing transport, education and the open labour market
- more jobs available where accessibility expertise is needed
Implementation
Member States had to incorporate the European Accessibility Act into their national law by June 2022.
The Commission monitors the complete and correct implementation and transposition of the Act.
To foster cooperation on the application and implementation of the Act, the Commission set up an expert group composed of national administrations, national market surveillance authorities, Civil Society Organisations representing persons with disabilities, as well as accessibility experts and industries.
AccessibleEU also supports the application of key EU laws on accessibility through training and capacity building.
Related documents
- The Directive on the accessibility requirements for products and services (EEA)
- Impact assessment report, which is supported by studies addressing the EU legislative situation on accessibility and the market impact analysis for the relevant products and services.
- Impact assessment's executive summary and its annexes
- results of stakeholders' consultations:
