The Internet has become a part of everyday life and digital inclusion efforts by the European Commission remain key in order to ensure that everybody can contribute to and benefit from the digital economy and society. Web accessibility supports social inclusion for people with disabilities as well as other disadvantaged groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities, to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Internet.

As from September 2018, all public sector websites need to conform to the new European accessibility directive. The directive ensures that all public sector organisations’ websites and apps are accessible, using existing accessibility standards. It aims to unify the standards throughout all EU member states, and requires that all members have a process in place for testing, and ensuring an on-going commitment to accessibility moving forward. All member states need to comply with the directive from September 2018.

The Directive sets forward a minimum base standard for compliance, monitoring, and evaluation across Europe. Member states will be permitted to introduce additional requirements for public sector accessibility on a national basis as they see fit.