EN 301 549 Compliance

Accessibility is a top priority for organizations across the European Union (EU)—and for many, it’s a legal mandate. Under the EU Web Accessibility Directive (WAD), public-sector agencies in Europe must make their websites and mobile apps accessible to people with disabilities. Meanwhile, most private businesses that serve consumers in the EU need to meet the digital accessibility requirements of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). Both EU laws share a common standard for compliance: EN 301 549.

EN 301 549 is a European standard that specifies accessibility requirements for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services. Developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), and European Technical Standards Institute (ETSI), EN 301 549 provides clear guidelines for making a wide range of technologies and devices—including hardware, software, websites, mobile apps, and telecommunications equipment—accessible to people with disabilities. It harmonizes existing digital accessibility standards across EU Member States, offering a common framework for evaluating and creating accessible ICT in the EU.

How does EN 301 549 support compliance with EU accessibility laws?

Conforming to EN 301 549 is recommended or required for compliance with most major digital accessibility laws in the EU. Public-sector organizations in Europe must ensure their websites and mobile apps meet EN 301 549 standards to comply with the EU WAD. Additionally, EN 301 549 conformance is a best practice for EAA compliance. To demonstrate that they satisfy the EAA’s functional accessibility requirements, private businesses covered by the law should bring their digital products and services into alignment with EN 301 549.

What is the relationship between EN 301 549 and WCAG?

EN 301 549 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are closely linked, as EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG as its foundation for web and digital accessibility requirements. Specifically, the latest version of the European standard, EN 301 549 v 3.2.1, includes the full text of WCAG 2.1. This integration ensures consistency with global accessibility best practices. However, while EN 301 549 addresses broader ICT accessibility, including hardware and telecommunications, WCAG focuses primarily on web and mobile content.

If your organization aims to conform with EN 301 549, you can begin by implementing digital accessibility best practices, including:

• Ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers: To meet EN 301 549 standards, digital experiences must work with screen readers and other assistive technologies. You can improve screen reader compatibility by taking actions like using a logical heading structure, incorporating descriptive link text, and properly labelling form fields and other interactive elements.

• Offering flexible input methods: Users must have multiple options for inputting information. Make sure that users can navigate web pages, complete forms, and take other actions with the keyboard and alternative input devices—not just with a mouse or pointer.

• Providing alternatives for visual and auditory content: Make information available to users in more than one sensory format. For example, add meaningful alt text to images, and ensure video content includes closed captions as well as audio descriptions of visuals.

Regular testing performed by experts, using both automated tools and manual evaluation with assistive technology, will help you identify issues that must be resolved to achieve EN 301 549 conformance. Notably, because EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA, if your digital experiences already meet this global standard, you’re well on your way to conforming with EN 301 549, too.

Achieve EN 301 549 conformance with an expert partner

At first, navigating the intricacies of the EAA, WAD, and EN 301 549 can feel overwhelming. A trusted third-party digital accessibility solution provider can help you confidently navigate the European digital accessibility landscape and satisfy both regional and national compliance requirements.

Level Access has over two decades of experience empowering organizations across sectors and industries to meet accessibility standards, including EN 301 549. Our unified solution combines advanced technology with manual testing, training, and legal expertise so you can swiftly achieve legal compliance, provide equitable experiences for all users, and maintain accessibility over time.