Companies to widen access to services for disabled customers under EU law

A wide variety of products and services will become more accessible for people with disabilities or other impairments, as well as for older people, under new EU rules.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which has now come into force, builds on existing Luxembourg law, with a transition period until 2030 for companies and most public bodies to implement the legislation.

The existing Luxembourg legislation deals with buildings and infrastructure, for example in specifying which types of buildings must be fully accessible, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Family Affairs told the Luxemburger Wort.

The new EU directive requires products and services to be barrier-free, which according to the ministry, includes the likes of laptops, smartphones, tablets, ATMs, electronic communication, e-commerce and passenger transport. “The aim is also to make various products and services accessible to people with disabilities,” the spokesperson said.

Specific adaptations

Under the new rules, websites and apps must be designed in such a way that they can be used with a screen reader or a special keyboard, the ministry noted. Screen readers are primarily used by blind people, while special keyboards are also used by people with other physical impairments.

For passenger transport – whether by air, rail, boat or bus – information must be provided on the accessibility of the means of transport, a requirement which also applies to associated infrastructure and buildings. In addition, assistance measures for people with disabilities or restrictions must be guaranteed.

Videos must be subtitled so that people with hearing difficulties can understand the content, meaning that the likes of ATM cash machines will also be impacted as they will have to be equipped with a voiceover function in future. This will allow visually impaired or blind people who have difficulty reading the screen, or cannot read it at all, to have the individual steps for banking services explained to them via headphones.

There will also be another change impacting people with learning disabilities. Information on banking services must be formulated in simple language and not using terminology beyond the European B2 language level.

Responsibility for conformity

The transposition of the EAA into national law has also led to the creation of a new authority in Luxembourg. The Office for the Supervision of the Accessibility of Products and Services (OSAPS) will be responsible for assisting businesses in complying with the EAA regulations, according to the Ministry of Family Affairs. The OSAPS will also serve as a contact point for consumers who wish to report breaches of the regulations.

The EU directive affects the private sector and certain public sector organisations, in particular the mobility sector. Small busineses with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover of no more than €2 million are exempt from the obligations under the EAA.

(This article was originally published by the Luxemburger Wort. Translated by AI, with editing and adaptation by Alex Stevensson.)