In line with EU accessibility regulations, we've made significant updates to Nettailer's standard design and layout. Accessibility compliance is now a core focus across all new developments and will become a legal requirement in 2025. This is part of our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive platform.
What is EN 301 549 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)?
EN 301 549 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are both accessibility standards in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). EN 301 549 and WCAG complement each other to ensure that ICT products and services in the EU are accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities and others with specific needs.
EN 301 549 is a European standard for accessibility and inclusive design
EN 301 549 is a European standard specifically for accessibility and inclusive design in the European Union (EU).
It covers a wide range of ICT products and services, including website accessibility, software user interfaces, mobile devices and more.
This standard can be downloaded here.
WCAG is a global standard for web content
WCAG by W3C is a global standard specifically for accessibility of web content. It provides guidelines and success criteria for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.
The criteria in WCAG are divided into three different levels; A, AA and AAA. In order to achieve the accessibility requirements in the DOS Act, levels A and AA must be met.
Level A is the lowest level of ambition, i.e. the highest priority criteria are found at this level.
Level AA is the basis for the accessibility requirements in EN 301 549 and thus for legal requirements in the EU.
Level AAA is the highest level of ambition. Consider meeting these criteria as well.
How are EN 301 549 and WCAG related?
Although EN 301 549 covers a wider range of ICT products and services, the EN standard refers to WCAG as a means of meeting accessibility requirements for web content.
In other words, EN 301 549 contains the WCAG guidelines for web content accessibility, making it mandatory for organizations in the EU to follow WCAG when implementing EN 301 549.
EN 301 549 and WCAG complement each other to ensure that websites, e-services and mobile apps in the EU are accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities and others with specific needs.
This standard can be downloaded here.
The Act on Accessibility to Digital Public Services (DOS Act)
The law contains provisions that mean that services and information that a public actor provides through a website or mobile application must be accessible. Such digital service must meet the requirements to be
possible to perceive
manageable
understandable
robust
By following a special European standard (EN 301 549 V3.2.1), which in turn is based on WCAG 2.1, websites and mobile applications can live up to the requirements.
The law also contains provisions that public actors must provide a so-called accessibility statement, which, among other things, must describe how the website or application in question lives up to the requirements.
Do you have your own design?
If you're not using Nettailer standard design but your own, with your own uploaded css it might result in that your Nettailer doesn't meet all the requirements.
If you have questions about this, please contact our support team.