Legal accessibility terminology

 

Directive EU 2016/2102

In this site, Directive EU 2016/2102 refers to the EU Web Accessibility Directive (full name: Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies).

This law was passed in 2016 and is being enforced from 2019 onwards. It is the cornerstone of digital accessibility in Europe; find out more in our European legislation page!

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Learn more about European accessibility legislation

Decision EU 2018/2048

In this site, Decision EU 2018/2048 refers to the EU Web Accessibility Implementing Decision (full name: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/2048 of 20 December 2018 on the harmonized standard for websites and mobile applications drafted in support of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council).

It constitutes a minor update to Directive EU 2016/2102. Find out more in our European legislation page!

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Decision EU 2018/1523

In this site, Decision EU 2018/1523 refers to the Accessibility Statement Implementing Decision (full name: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523 of 11 October 2018 establishing a model accessibility statement in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies).

It provides a model for the accessibility statement mentioned in Directive EU 2016/2102. Find out more in our European legislation page!

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Standard EN 301 549

In this site, Standard EN 301 549 refers to the Digital Accessibility European Standard (full name: Harmonized European Standard on Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services), which has a section regarding the web.

The text of Directive EU 2016/2102 refers to version 1.1.2 (2015-04) of this standard, which itself refers to WCAG 2.0. However, as a result of Decision EU 2018/2048, the implementation should be based on version 2.1.2 (2018-08), which refers to WCAG 2.1. Find out more in our European legislation page!

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Learn more about European accessibility legislation

Act FI 306/2019

In this site, Act FI 306/2019 refers to the Finnish Act on the Provision of Digital Services (in Finnish: Laki digitaalisten palvelujen tarjoamisesta 306/2019), which is the Finnish implementation of Directive EU 2016/2102.

Find out more in our Finnish legislation page!

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Finnish legislation

Regulation EE 2019/20

In this site, Regulation EE 2019/20 refers to the Estonian Requirements for the accessibility of websites and mobile applications, and the rules for publishing information describing accessibility (in Estonian: Veebilehe ja mobiilirakenduse ligipääsetavuse nõuded ning ligipääsetavust kirjeldava teabe avaldamise kord), which is the Estonian implementation of Directive EU 2016/2102.

Find out more in our Estonian legislation page!

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Learn more about Estonian accessibility legislation

Regulation LV 2018/611

In this site, Regulation LV 2018/611 refers to the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Regulation no. 611, Procedures by which authorities place information on the Internet (in Latvian: Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 611, Kārtība, kādā iestādes ievieto informāciju internetā), which is the Latvian implementation of Directive EU 2016/2102.

Find out more in our Latvian legislation page!

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Directive EU 2019/882

In this site, Act EU 2019/882 refers to the European Accessibility Act (full name: Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services).

This law was passed in 2019 and will be enforced from June 2025 onwards. While Directive EU 2016/2102 and Act FI 306/2019 only cover the digital services of public sector bodies, this act will have a broader reach in both the public and private sectors.

Find out more in our European legislation page!

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Learn more about future accessibility legislation

Public sector body

In this site, as in Directive EU 2016/2102 Article 3(1), a public sector body is defined as a state, regional or local authorities, as well as private bodies that meet public needs and are mostly publicly funded.

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Digital services

In this site, as in Act FI 306/2019, digital services are defined as websites and mobile applications.

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