Web accessibility for beginners

It can seem complicated, but let's unravel it together.

November 14, 2024

Let’s face it – web accessibility laws can seem like a maze of technical terms and confusing abbreviations. But don’t throw in the towel just yet! We’re here to break it down for you, cutting through the clutter to focus on what really matters.

Web accessibility dictionary

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
An international organization working to develop web standards.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
A set of guidelines, made by W3C, covering a wide range of recommendations for making web content more accessible. The newest published version is the WCAG 2.2.
EN 301 549
The European Standard for digital accessibility, including the full set of recommendations in WCAG 2.1 as well as a couple more guidelines. However, the standard is expected to be updated with the new recommendations in WCAG 2.2 in 2025.
Web Accessibility Directive (WAD)
An EU directive enacted in 2016, enforcing requirements for web accessibility in the public sector. The law requires the affected organizations to follow the guidelines in EN 301 549.
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
An EU act enacted in 2019, requiring an array of private businesses to comply to accessibility standards. EAA will become effective on June 28th, 2025. The law requires the affected businesses to follow the guidelines in EN 301 549.

Understanding the accessibility laws

The Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) primarily targets public sector websites and applications. However, the game is changing with the introduction of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). By June 2025, a wider range of private companies will also be required to implement accessibility measures.

The EAA specifically covers products and services including:

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

These businesses must comply with the standards set out in EN 301 549. The latest version, EN 301 549 V3.2.1, is primarily based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Introduction to WCAG 2.2: New guidelines for web accessibility News | Knowledge

Stay up to date

As mentioned, W3C has already published an updated version of their recommendations called WCAG 2.2. These updates are expected to be incorporated into a new version of EN 301 549 sometime in 2025. So, it's a smart move to just bite the bullet and start aligning with these upcoming requirements now. For instance, WCAG 2.2 introduces new guidelines regarding the size and spacing of interactive elements on your website – think buttons and links. Of course, this requirement is designed to help people with disabilities such as shaky hands and arthritis. But let’s be honest – we've all felt the frustration of having fingers that seem too big when trying to press the tiny buttons on our smartphone screens.

Web AccessibilityWhitepaper

Still curious?

If you still want to know more, or if you just didn’t get your questions answered, you can read our whitepaper all about web accessibility. It goes more into depth giving you the full overview of the need-to-know information, as well as other nice-to-know info on how to utilize accessibility to your own advantage. Download the whitepaper on the linked page.