Accessibility Act: Accessibility will become mandatory by 2023
Web accessibility for private individuals and public administration
From 2020 onwards, public administrations are required by law to publish the accessibility objectives of their websites and renew them annually. Starting in 2025, this responsibility will also extend to large companies and organizations, as established by the European Accessibility Act. This European regulation requires that no inaccessible products or services be marketed in the European market.
By 2022, Italy will have to fully implement this directive, outlining specific rules for the various sectors. All websites, applications, and IT products will have to comply with the accessibility provisions, which will become mandatory by 2025.
Una modifica del decreto legge "Semplificazioni", pubblicato sulla Gazzetta Ufficiale e in vigore dal 17 luglio 2020, ha esteso le norme italiane sull'accessibilità ICT alle grandi imprese, anticipando così le direttive comunitarie che l'Italia dovrà adottare entro il 2022.
Italy stands out in Europe for its advanced legislation, guaranteeing people with disabilities the right to access public administration web services and apps. Furthermore, employees with disabilities must be provided with workstations adapted to their specific needs. Public administrations must comply with the accessibility requirements established by the AGID guidelines for the procurement of ICT products; contracts that do not comply with these guidelines are considered null and void.
Although attention often focuses on public administrations, Law 67/2006 remains in force, requiring the elimination of discrimination against people with disabilities, including in the private sector, with the provision of compensation for damages.
The European Accessibility Act, approved in 2019 and effective from June 2025, is a key directive affecting businesses and organizations, including sectors such as transportation, media, e-commerce, and finance. Italy must implement this directive by 2022, otherwise no inaccessible products or services will be allowed to be marketed in the European Union.
The digital accessibility rules also extend to large operators outside of public administrations, with revenues exceeding five hundred million euros in the last three years. Their ICT product purchases must also comply with accessibility requirements, becoming mandatory by 2025.
Accessibility Statement for Large Operators
All companies with an average turnover of more than €500 million must publish an accessibility statement on their website, following AGID guidelines. This statement must be updated annually and include information on the website or app's level of compliance, any exemptions, and how to report accessibility issues.
https://www.agid.gov.it/it/design-servizi/accessibilita/linee-guida-accessibilita-privati
For those who do not comply: financial sanctions
Those who fail to comply with accessibility regulations could be subject to fines of up to 5 percent of their turnover if they fail to comply within the established timeframe.
Although the required requirements apply to all large companies, micro-enterprises are not yet subject to these obligations by 2025.
Sources: Full text of the European Accessibility Act Directive (Italian version)
