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European Accessibility Act In force Unlisted

Overview

Jurisdiction
European Union
Topic
-
Instrument type
Directive
Reference number
2019/882
Valid from
2019-06-27
Valid to
2030-06-28
Modified date
2026-08-06
Listed at
Unlisted draft
Withdrawn at
-
Description
Harmonises accessibility requirements for certain products and services, including computers, self-service terminals, electronic communications, audiovisual media, transport, banking services, e-books and e-commerce.

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Sources

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Rule sets

Label Effective
Companies placing covered products on the market 2025-06-28 — 9999-12-31
Applies from milestone:
Application Start (2025-06-28)
Expires at milestone:
-
Conditions:
  • Products contains No Linked Attribute Value “consumer general purpose computer hardware systems” “operating systems for consumer general purpose computer hardware systems” “payment terminals” “automated teller machines” “ticketing machines” “check-in machines” “interactive self-service terminals providing information” “consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capability used for electronic communications services” “consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capability used for accessing audiovisual media services” “e-readers”
Non-microenterprise providers of covered services 2025-06-28 — 9999-12-31
Applies from milestone:
Application Start (2025-06-28)
Expires at milestone:
-
Conditions:
  • Activities contains No Linked Attribute Value “electronic communications services” “services providing access to audiovisual media services” “air passenger transport services” “bus passenger transport services” “rail passenger transport services” “waterborne passenger transport services” “consumer banking services” “e-books and dedicated software” “e-commerce services”
  • Employee count >= 10 employees

Questions this regulation asks

Attributes only this regulation asks about — criteria no general attribute expresses. A company answers each once.

This regulation asks no questions of its own — every condition uses a general attribute.

Obligations

Title Kind Rule set
Accessible product design and manufacture Governance -
Description:
Manufacturers must design and manufacture products so that they comply with the applicable accessibility requirements.
Frequency:
Event-triggered
Check frequency:
Event-triggered
Products/Services:
Consumer computer hardware and operating systems, payment terminals, certain self-service terminals, interactive consumer terminal equipment for electronic communications or audiovisual media services, and e-readers
Checking responsibility:
Manufacturer; checked by market surveillance authorities
Check method:
Conformity assessment under Annex IV and CE marking
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 7(1)
Source excerpt:
When placing their products on the market, manufacturers shall ensure that the products have been designed and manufactured in accordance with the applicable accessibility requirements of this Directive.
Technical documentation and declaration of conformity Record Keeping -
Description:
Manufacturers must draw up technical documentation, carry out or have carried out the conformity assessment, draw up an EU declaration of conformity and affix the CE marking.
Frequency:
Event-triggered
Check frequency:
Event-triggered
Products/Services:
Products within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Manufacturer; competent national authorities upon reasoned request
Check method:
Review of technical documentation and conformity assessment
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 7(2)
Source excerpt:
Manufacturers shall draw up the technical documentation in accordance with Annex IV and carry out the conformity assessment procedure set out in that Annex or have it carried out. Where compliance of a product with the applicable accessibility requirements has been demonstrated by that procedure, manufacturers shall draw up an EU declaration of conformity and affix the CE marking.
Ongoing production conformity and product identification Governance -
Description:
Manufacturers must establish procedures to maintain conformity of series production, ensure product identification and provide their contact details.
Frequency:
Continuous
Check frequency:
Continuous
Products/Services:
Products within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Manufacturer
Check method:
Review of production procedures and product identification
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 7(4)
Source excerpt:
Manufacturers shall ensure that procedures are in place for series production to remain in conformity with this Directive.
Instructions and safety information Record Keeping -
Description:
Manufacturers and importers must ensure that products are accompanied by understandable, accessible instructions and safety information.
Frequency:
Continuous
Check frequency:
Continuous
Products/Services:
Products within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Manufacturers and importers
Check method:
Review of product documentation and labelling
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 7(7)
Source excerpt:
Manufacturers shall ensure that the product is accompanied by instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users.
Corrective action and reporting non-compliance Record Keeping -
Description:
Where non-compliance is suspected, manufacturers and importers must immediately take corrective action or, where appropriate, withdraw the product, inform authorities and keep a register of non-compliant products and complaints.
Frequency:
Event-triggered
Check frequency:
Event-triggered
Products/Services:
Products within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Manufacturers and importers
Check method:
Monitoring complaints and non-compliance; notification to authorities
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 7(8)
Source excerpt:
manufacturers shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring that product into conformity, or, if appropriate, to withdraw it.
Accessible service provision Governance -
Description:
Service providers must design and provide services in accordance with the applicable accessibility requirements.
Frequency:
Continuous
Check frequency:
Continuous
Products/Services:
Services within the scope of the Directive, including electronic communications, audiovisual media access, certain passenger transport, consumer banking, e-books and e-commerce
Checking responsibility:
Service provider; authorities responsible for checking service compliance
Check method:
Review of service design, operating procedures and accessible information
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 13(1)
Source excerpt:
Service providers shall ensure that they design and provide services in accordance with the accessibility requirements of this Directive.
Information on service conformity Record Keeping -
Description:
Service providers must prepare and publicly provide accessible information explaining how the service meets the accessibility requirements and keep it while the service is in operation.
Frequency:
Continuous
Check frequency:
Continuous
Products/Services:
Services within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Service provider
Check method:
Review of general terms and conditions or an equivalent document
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 13(2)
Source excerpt:
Service providers shall prepare the necessary information in accordance with Annex V and shall explain how the services meet the applicable accessibility requirements.
Ongoing service conformity Governance -
Description:
Service providers must establish procedures to maintain continuing conformity and adequately take account of relevant changes.
Frequency:
Continuous
Check frequency:
Continuous
Products/Services:
Services within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Service provider
Check method:
Monitoring changes to the service, requirements, standards and technical specifications
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 13(3)
Source excerpt:
service providers shall ensure that procedures are in place so that the provision of services remains in conformity with the applicable accessibility requirements.
Corrective action for non-compliant services Other -
Description:
In the event of non-compliance, service providers must immediately take corrective measures and inform the competent national authorities.
Frequency:
Event-triggered
Check frequency:
Event-triggered
Products/Services:
Services within the scope of the Directive
Checking responsibility:
Service provider
Check method:
Handling non-compliance and notifying competent national authorities
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 13(4)
Source excerpt:
In the case of non-conformity, service providers shall take the corrective measures necessary to bring the service into conformity with the applicable accessibility requirements.
Disproportionate-burden assessment Due Diligence -
Description:
Economic operators must assess and document whether accessibility requirements result in a fundamental alteration or disproportionate burden and retain the assessment for five years.
Frequency:
Event-triggered
Check frequency:
Event-triggered
Products/Services:
Products and services for which the economic operator relies on fundamental alteration or disproportionate burden
Checking responsibility:
Economic operator; market surveillance or service-compliance authorities
Check method:
Assessment under Annex VI criteria and provision upon request
Rule set:
-
Source reference:
Article 14(2)
Source excerpt:
Economic operators shall carry out an assessment of whether compliance with the accessibility requirements referred to in Article 4 would introduce a fundamental alteration or, based on the relevant criteria set out in Annex VI, impose a disproportionate burden

Measures

No measures.

Penalties

Description Kind Rule set
Member States must provide effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for companies' infringements of national provisions implementing the Directive; the text does not specify the penalty types or amounts. Other -
Responsible authority:
Authorities designated by the Member States
Source reference:
Article 30(1)
Source excerpt:
Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented.
For non-compliant products, market surveillance authorities may require corrective action and subsequently require withdrawal from the market. Prohibition of Sales -
Responsible authority:
Market surveillance authorities
Source reference:
Article 20(1)
Source excerpt:
Market surveillance authorities shall require the relevant economic operator to withdraw the product from the market
Where formal non-compliance persists, Member States may restrict or prohibit making a product available on the market or ensure its withdrawal from the market. Other Prohibitions and Exclusions -
Responsible authority:
Relevant authorities of the Member State
Source reference:
Article 22(2)
Source excerpt:
Where the non-compliance referred to in paragraph 1 persists, the Member State concerned shall take all appropriate measures to restrict or prohibit the product being made available on the market or to ensure that it is withdrawn from the market.
Penalties must be accompanied by effective remedial action where a company is non-compliant. Other -
Responsible authority:
Member State authorities
Source reference:
Article 30(2)
Source excerpt:
Those penalties shall also be accompanied by effective remedial action in case of non-compliance of the economic operator.

Milestones

Date Type Description
2019-04-17 Adopted Directive adopted
Source reference:
Final act
Source excerpt:
Done at Strasbourg, 17 April 2019.
2019-06-27 Entry into Force Directive enters into force
Source reference:
Article 34
Source excerpt:
This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
2022-06-28 Transposition Deadline Deadline for adopting and publishing national transposition measures
Source reference:
Article 31(1)
Source excerpt:
Member States shall adopt and publish, by 28 June 2022, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive.
2025-06-28 Application Start Application of national transposition measures begins
Source reference:
Article 31(2)
Source excerpt:
They shall apply those measures from 28 June 2025.
2025-06-28 Application Start Application to products placed on the market and services provided after this date
Source reference:
Article 2(1)
Source excerpt:
This Directive applies to the following products placed on the market after 28 June 2025:
2027-06-28 Application Start Latest possible application date for emergency-communications requirements
Source reference:
Article 31(3)
Source excerpt:
Member States may decide to apply the measures regarding the obligations set out in Article 4(8) at the latest from 28 June 2027.
2030-06-28 Other End of the transitional period for service providers' continued use of certain products
Source reference:
Article 32(1)
Source excerpt:
Member States shall provide for a transitional period ending on 28 June 2030 during which service providers may continue to provide their services using products which were lawfully used by them to provide similar services before that date.
2030-06-28 Other Deadline for the Commission's first report
Source reference:
Article 33(1)
Source excerpt:
By 28 June 2030, and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall submit ... a report on the application of this Directive.

Linked regulations

Type Regulation
Cites Consumer Rights Directive