EN 301 549 is a European standard that specifies accessibility requirements for information and communications technology (ICT) products and services. Developed by the European standardization bodies CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI, it is the primary technical standard referenced by European accessibility legislation.
EN 301 549 sets accessibility requirements for a wide range of ICT, including websites, mobile applications, electronic documents, software, hardware devices, and telecommunications services. The standard is designed to help ensure that people with disabilities can use ICT products and services on an equal basis with others.
The current version is EN 301 549 v3.2.1, published in March 2021 and harmonised on August 18, 2021. This version replaced the previous v2.1.2 (August 2018).
A new version, EN 301 549 v4.1.1, is planned for release in 2026. This upcoming version will incorporate WCAG 2.2 AA and include significant updates to requirements related to Real-Time Text, further aligning with the European Accessibility Act.
EN 301 549 v3.2.1 integrates the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 in its entirety. The standard maps WCAG requirements across three contexts:
Conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA is equivalent to meeting clauses 9.1 through 9.4 and the conformance requirements in clause 9.6 of EN 301 549 for web content.
EN 301 549 includes requirements that go beyond WCAG 2.1, covering areas such as:
This means that meeting all WCAG 2.1 success criteria alone does not guarantee full conformance with EN 301 549.
The EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102), adopted on October 26, 2016, requires public sector bodies across EU member states to make their websites and mobile applications accessible. EN 301 549 is referenced as the harmonised standard that provides a presumption of conformity with the Directive.
The WAD applies to:
The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882), which became applicable on June 28, 2025, extends accessibility requirements to private sector products and services. EN 301 549 serves as the primary technical reference for EAA compliance. See the European Accessibility Act guide for detailed information.
EN 301 549 has been adopted beyond the European Union:
EN 301 549 is organized into the following key sections:
General statements about the functional accessibility that ICT must provide, including use without vision, with limited vision, without hearing, with limited hearing, without speech, with limited manipulation, and with limited cognition.
Requirements that apply to all ICT, including closed functionality, biometrics, and preservation of accessibility information.
Requirements for telecommunications, including audio bandwidth, real-time text, caller ID, and video communication.
Requirements for video playback, captions, audio description, and user controls for caption and audio description features.
Requirements for physical ICT products, including standard connections, color requirements, operable parts, and physical dimensions for accessibility.
Direct application of WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA success criteria to web content.
WCAG 2.1 success criteria adapted for electronic documents, with the term "document" substituted for "web page."
WCAG 2.1 success criteria adapted for software, including platform accessibility services, assistive technology interoperability, and documented accessibility usage.
Requirements for product documentation and support services, including accessibility features documentation and accessible help desk services.
Requirements for relay services and emergency telecommunications.
WCAG Pulse provides automated testing against WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 standards, which directly maps to the web content requirements in EN 301 549 Chapter 9:
EN 301 549 includes requirements beyond web content (hardware, telecommunications, documents, software) that require separate evaluation methods. WCAG Pulse addresses the web content component, which is typically the largest compliance area for organizations.