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Inclusivity and Accessibility

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Technical Bodies

The adoption of the European Accessibility Act (Directive EU 2019/882) in 2019 was a big step forward for the inclusion of 87 million persons with disabilities in Europe. The directive includes common accessibility requirements for a wide range of products and services and ensures that designers and producers of accessible products and providers of accessible services face fewer barriers to operating in the internal market.

European standardization has a key role to play in ensuring the proper functioning of the EU internal market for accessible products and services by developing consensus-based requirements and specifications.

European Standards are powerful tools to promote products and services that people with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities, can use on an equal basis with others. Persons with disabilities and ageing people, among others, benefit directly from a product, good or service that is easy to access, understand, and use.

Accessibility is also recognized as a human right by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and is at the core of the EU Disability Strategy.

MORE INFORMATION ON ACCESSIBILITY

7 Technical Bodies responsible

CEN/TC 10 Lifts, escalators and moving walks
CEN/TC 122 Ergonomics
CEN/TC 293 Assistive products and accessibility
CEN/TC 320 Transport - Logistics and services’ CEN-CENELEC and ETSI JWG ‘eAccessibility'
CEN-CENELEC JTC 11 Accessibility in the Built Environment
CEN-CENELEC JTC 12 Design for All
CEN/CLC/ETSI/JWG eAcc eAccessibility
Standards
CTA ACCESSIBILITY IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

In 2026, CEN/CLC/JTC 11 'Accessibility in the built environment' will continue with the revision of EN 17210 'Accessibility and usability of the built environment – Requirements and recommendations' to address the latest legislative developments.

This standard will describe functional requirements and recommendations for an accessible and usable built environment, following a Universal Design/Design for All approach. This will facilitate equitable and safe use for a wide range of users, including persons with disabilities. It will also describe performance requirements applicable for an accessible and usable built environment.

CTA OTHER STANDARDS

Under standardization request M/587, the CEN/CLC/ETSI/JWG 'eAccessibility' will continue with the revision of EN 301549 ‘Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services’.

This standard – developed by CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI, the three European Standardization Organizations (ESOs) – describes accessibility requirements for ICT products and services.

Through an agreement between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the three ESOs, the accessibility requirements contained in this document will be consistent with other global accessibility requirements.

In addition, two existing CEN Technical Reports (TRs) on the public procurement of accessible ICT, focusing on conformity assessment and award criteria, will be revised in 2026:

  • CEN/CLC/ETSI TR 101551 ‘Guidelines on the use of accessibility award criteria suitable for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe’, and
  • CEN/CLC/ETSI/TR 101 552 ‘Guidance for the application of conformity assessment to accessibility requirements for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe’.

Also working under standardization request M/587, CEN/CLC/JTC 12 ‘Design for All’ will work on the revision of EN 17161 ‘Design for All approach – Managing accessibility of products and services’. This document can enable an organization to:

  • design, develop, and provide products and services so that they can be accessed, understood, and used by the widest range of users, including persons with disabilities;
  • extend their range of users by identifying diverse needs, characteristics, capabilities, and preferences, by directly or indirectly involving users, and by using knowledge about accessibility in its procedures and processes; and

meet applicable statutory and regulatory requirements as

Standardization requests from EC/EFTA