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Public Sector Accessibility Requirements
Prioritize essential public-service journeys where barriers can block access to rights, benefits, and time-critical services.
For high-impact citizen services, use User Journey Scanning to test full service flows end to end, or use the Chrome extension for fast checks on forms and service content during updates.
Public sector evidence to prioritize
- Eurostat reports that 72% of individuals in the EU used public authorities' websites or apps in 2025.
- Eurostat reports very high public-service digital usage in some countries, including Denmark at 98% and Finland, Sweden, and the Netherlands at 96%.
- Eurostat reports that 26% of individuals in the EU encountered difficulties when using the internet in 2025, highlighting delivery risk for essential services.
- The Web Accessibility Directive (EU) 2016/2102 sets accessibility obligations for public-sector websites and mobile applications; WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical technical baseline used across EU programs.
What is required
- The European Accessibility Act became enforceable on 28 June 2025.
- EN 301 549 is the core technical standard used in EU accessibility programs.
- For web content, WCAG 2.1 Level AA remains the practical baseline under EN 301 549.
Journeys to prioritize first
- Find service information and eligibility requirements
- Submit applications, claims, and supporting documents
- Book appointments and complete payment steps
- Track request status and receive service updates
- Access support in plain language across channels
Data-driven WCAG checks
| Priority area | Why it matters | What to track |
|---|---|---|
| Service form completion | Inaccessible forms can block access to benefits and required services. | Application completion rate and drop-off by step |
| Content clarity and comprehension | Complex language can make eligibility and next steps hard to understand. | Plain-language comprehension success rate |
| Navigation and wayfinding | Complex navigation can delay time-sensitive tasks. | Task completion time and navigation error rate |
| Document and notice accessibility | Inaccessible notices and PDFs can block legally required information. | Accessible document pass rate |
PDF compliance
If your customer journey includes statements, contracts, invoices, or policy documents, validate PDFs as part of the same release process. WCAG and EN 301 549 expectations apply to document access, not only web pages.
Scan PDF compliancePrimary sources
Next step
Run a scan on your highest-risk journeys, then use platform workflows to track fixes over time.