Practical tips on digital accessibility
Tip 1–6 of 17
EN 301 549 V4.1.1 was adopted on 24 August 2026 and published on 2 September 2026. Presumption of conformity will only apply after citation in the Official Journal of the EU, expected around 30 November 2026. Until then, V3.2.1 remains the reference. National standards must adopt the new version by 31 May 2027 and withdraw conflicting standards by 31 May 2028.
EN 301 549EN 301 549 V4.1.1 was published on 2 September 2026. It is the first major revision of the European ICT accessibility standard since March 2021. The standard now references WCAG 2.2, adds user preference requirements (9.7, 10.7, 11.7), rebuilds real-time text requirements, and adds annexes linking it to the European Accessibility Act. Presumption of conformity will only apply after citation in the Official Journal of the EU.
EN 301 549Every EN 301 549 requirement has its own test in normative Annex C. A test has four fields (evaluation type, preconditions, procedure, result) and three possible outcomes: passed, failed, not applicable. The standard states it is not a testing methodology: sample selection, tools and reporting are left to the auditor.
EN 301 549Clauses 9.7, 10.7 and 11.7 of EN 301 549 V4.1.1 require websites, documents and software to respect user accessibility settings instead of overriding or blocking them. Exceptions apply when overriding is essential for content or function. This requirement is not in WCAG 2.2, so a classic WCAG audit will not cover it.
EN 301 549In Poland, only the public-sector accessibility statement has an official template: technical conditions from the Ministry of Digital Affairs version 2.0 of 31 July 2024. The service accessibility information required by the EAA has no official template. Audit and conformance reports have no mandatory form; the industry standard is the ITI VPAT® 2.5Rev template.
EN 301 549Clause 6 of EN 301 549 V4.1.1 covers ICT supporting two-way real-time communication, not only voice calls. The standard significantly expanded real-time text (RTT, clause 6.2) requirements and added clause 6.7 on total conversation — simultaneous video, text and voice. For banks this means reviewing video calls with advisors, hotlines and in-app communication.
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