News item | 27-06-2025 | 10:00 AM
Everyone must be able to participate equally in society. With the European Accessibility Directive, which comes into effect on 28 June, that equivalence for people with disabilities is considerably improved. This law regulates that all products and services that fall under the directive must be accessible to everyone, so that people with a disability can also use this.
This mainly concerns digital products and services. The European Accessibility Directive makes an important contribution to the implementation of the UN Convention for Handicap. With this Convention, the Netherlands has committed itself to improving the position of people with disabilities in society.
Important step
State Secretary Pouw-Verweij (VWS): “It is essential that everyone can participate in our society, also digital. This law is therefore an important step in the right direction. These new accessibility requirements offer people with a disability more freedom and independence. For example, they are not dependent on arranging their banking affairs, buying a train ticket or online shopping. Moreover, it is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs.”
Digital products and services
The directive increases the accessibility of digital products and services in particular. This is of great importance, because we are becoming more digital as a society. The guideline applies to, among other things, telephones, computers, pin devices, mobile apps and web stores. The guideline prescribes accessibility requirements such as the possibility of turning the sound of a product harder and adjusting the brightness on a screen. Also consider an accessible help desk function and an understandable instructions.
Supervision
From 28 June, entrepreneurs (producers, suppliers, retailers or buyers) are obliged to make products and digital services that fall under the guideline accessible to people with disabilities. Various supervisors supervise compliance with the directive:
- National Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) for all products that fall under the guideline such as ATMs, televisions, computers or e-readers;
- Inspection for living environment and transport (ILT): for elements of passenger transport by plane, bus, train and by water;
- Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) for banking services for consumers and e-trade services of a financial nature;
- Commissariaat for the Media (Commissariaat) for e-books and services that provide access to audiovisual media services;
- Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) for e-trading services and electronic communication services;
- JENV inspection for the emergency number 112.
If a company does not comply with the directive, the supervisor can give a warning or impose a fine.
Anyone who encounters products or services that do not meet the accessibility requirements can report this to the relevant regulator. Through this decision tree you can find what you should be with. If you need help to use the decision tree, you can call the telephone number 1400.
Transitional period
New products that will be marketed or offered on the market from 28 June must meet the requirements of the European Accessibility Directive. For products and services that were trade in trade before 28 June, a transitional period applies in most cases. The duration of it differs per product. It may therefore happen that not all products immediately meet the new requirements after the entry into force of the Directive. For services, the transition period is only on products that are necessary for the service. If companies also provide services to new customers (or new contracts to existing customers), they must therefore ensure that their services suffer from 28 June 2025.