Comparison of Accessibility in EU Public Sector Websites

Abstract

The European Parliament stresses that the Internet is now an essential tool not only for accessing information and communicating with others, but also for many other daily activities, as it allows access to many services. Therefore, it is very important in the process of enabling participation in democracy and social inclusion. European Parliament has ensured that current standards for its products and content are met, including those to be heard in the EU Web Accessibility Directive, which came into force in December 2016. EU members have committed to taking appropriate measures to ensure access for people with disabilities on an equal basis with others from September 2018. Almost three years have passed since this law came into force and it is questionable how the law has been interpreted and applied to websites of public bodies and services. This paper examines the extent to which the legislation has affected the accessibility of public sector websites of EU member countries.