Product Accessibility Requirements.

The European Accessibility Act specifies detailed requirements for making products accessible to people with disabilities. These requirements cover both general aspects applicable to all products and specific requirements for certain product categories.

This page presents the product requirements from Annex I of the European Accessibility Act, which outlines detailed accessibility specifications that products must meet to be compliant.

Products covered by the EAA include:

• Consumer computer hardware systems and operating systems
• Self-service terminals (ATMs, ticketing machines, check-in machines)
• Consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capability used for electronic communications
• Consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capability used for accessing audiovisual media services
• E-readers

All products covered by the EAA must meet these general accessibility requirements:

1. Accessible Information. Product information (including instructions, packaging, etc.) must be:
   • Available through more than one sensory channel (visual, auditory, tactile)
   • Presented in an understandable way
   • Perceivable by users with different abilities
   • Presented with adequate contrast and font size
   • Available in text format that can be used to generate alternative formats
2. Accessible User Interface. The product's user interface and functionality must be accessible by:
   • Providing information through more than one sensory channel
   • Offering alternatives to speech for communication and operation
   • Allowing flexible magnification, contrast, and brightness adjustments
   • Providing alternatives when color is used to convey information
   • Avoiding triggering seizures and allowing enough time for user interaction
   • Providing alternatives to fine motor control operations
   • Avoiding designs requiring extensive reach or strength
   • Considering light sensitivity and minimizing photosensitive triggers
3. Assistive Technology Support. Products must be compatible with assistive technologies, including:
   • Screen readers and alternative input devices
   • Hearing aids and cochlear implants
   • Assistive listening devices
4. Support Services. Help desks, call centers, and technical support must provide information about product accessibility in accessible formats.

Self-service terminals such as ATMs, ticket machines, and check-in kiosks must meet these specific requirements:

• Include text-to-speech technology when terminals have text input or output capabilities
• Allow the use of personal headsets when audio output is provided
• Support alternative input methods when timed responses are required (voice, touch, etc.)
• Provide visual alternatives for audio content and audio alternatives for visual content
• Avoid visual patterns that could cause seizures
• Be compatible with assistive technologies
• Support high color contrast for important information
• Be physically accessible, with all interactive elements reachable by users with different abilities

These requirements apply to terminals including but not limited to:

• Payment terminals and banking ATMs
• Transport ticketing and check-in machines
• Public information kiosks
• Self-service shopping checkout machines

Consumer computing hardware systems and operating systems must:

• Support text-to-speech functionality for text content
• Provide reliable connection to assistive technologies
• Enable keyboard control for all functions that normally require mouse or touch input
• Allow for alternative input methods (head tracking, eye tracking, voice control, etc.)
• Permit customization of display settings (color, contrast, font size, etc.)
• Include accessibility features that protect user privacy
• Allow users to disable automatic features that might interfere with assistive technologies
• Support interoperability with assistive technologies through standard communication protocols

These requirements apply to personal computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, along with their operating systems.

E-readers must meet these specific accessibility requirements:

• Support text-to-speech technology to enable reading by blind and low-vision users
• Ensure that accessibility features are not blocked by digital rights management or security measures
• Include accessibility metadata to help users find accessible content
• Support reflowable text that can be adjusted for size, spacing, and color
• Enable navigation through content via multiple methods (table of contents, page numbers, search)
• Support bookmarks, highlights, and notes in accessible formats
• Maintain compatibility with screen readers and other assistive technologies
• Allow for customization of display settings (contrast, brightness, color themes)

These requirements ensure that e-readers and their content are accessible to people with various disabilities, including visual, cognitive, and motor impairments.

To comply with the European Accessibility Act, manufacturers must:

• Incorporate accessibility features during product design and development
• Document how products meet the accessibility requirements
• Create a technical file demonstrating conformity with the requirements
• Apply the CE marking to products that meet the requirements
• Publish accessibility information along with product information
• Maintain records of compliance for at least five years after the product is placed on the market

If full compliance with certain requirements would require a fundamental alteration to the product or create a disproportionate burden, manufacturers may apply for exemptions. However, this requires thorough documentation and justification.