Digital accessibility: a legal obligation

Situation

I'm applying online for a university program. Having upper limb motor problems, I can't use a mouse. I can't complete the application using a keyboard. I'm stuck. I'm being discriminated against for lack of accessibility. This constitutes a crime punishable by law.

Information

Article 47 of Law No. 2005-102 of 11 February 2005, for equal opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with disabilities, establishes the obligation of accessibility of online digital services and products, under penalty of sanctions.

The goal is to enable people with disabilities to fully use digital technology, whether it be emails, forms, social networks, websites, educational tools, business applications, etc. All of this must be able to be used without any blockages.

Digital accessibility is mandatory primarily for public services and private companies delegated with a public service mission.

These obligations are based on the General Reference Framework for Improving Accessibility (RGAA), itself derived from international standards (WCAG extension). To be declared compliant, a website or application must meet all of the criteria of the standard.

Failure to comply with these rules can result in public services being fined up to 75 euros.

Accessibility monitoring and control is ensured by theAudiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (Arcom).

Our recommendations

Design all your digital productions with accessibility in mind from the start. It will be much more expensive to correct them later.

If you are unfamiliar with the criteria of the standard, it is advisable to base your projects on the four main principles of digital accessibility listed by the WCAG: digital must be perceptible, usable, understandable and robust.

And if you use service providers, make sure they are competent in this area. Currently, there are a certification for developers et a certification for auditors (those who assess the reality of compliance with the standard).

Explore more!

Status

Sent to staff: April 22, 2025

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