The European accessibility act is a directive that aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent rules in Member States.
Businesses will 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 elderly people will 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
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 diverging 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 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
Preparatory documents
- the 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.
- the impact assessment's executive summary and its annexes
- results of stakeholders' consultations: general public consultation, targeted consultation with SMEs