The European Accessibility Act: A New Era for Inclusive Publishing

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Portion of an ereading device screen with the EU flag and title European Accessibility Act displayed

The much awaited European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been transformative for the publishing industry. The directive took effect on June 28, for new products and services stating that digital publications, ereading software and devices, and ecommerce platforms be accessible to people with disabilities.

The EAA isn’t just about compliance; it’s an opportunity for publishers to expand their markets, enhance the user experience and champion a more inclusive digital world. The DAISY Consortium has been at the forefront of preparations and has been instrumental in helping publishers realise their inclusive publishing dreams. The tools and solutions developed by the DAISY team are now considered vital parts of accessibility workflows and we encourage everyone to check out and make use of these easy and free to use resources. These include:

The EAA and the Publishing Industry

The implementation of the EAA holds immense importance for the publishing industry, both ethically and strategically as we have looked at throughout the Countdown to the EAA webinar series. Publishers should continue to:

Conduct thorough audits: Assess all existing digital content, websites, and platforms to identify gaps. This is an ongoing process

Frontlist Content: Focus on making all new publications “born accessible” immediately.

Develop a Strategic Roadmap for Backlist: Create an approach for remediating older titles, prioritizing high-demand content.

Invest in Training and Expertise: Equip staff with the necessary knowledge and skills in accessible design and content creation.

Collaborate with Industry Partners: Work with other stakeholders in the publishing ecosystem, including technology providers and accessibility experts, to share best practices and find solutions.

Maintain Transparency: Be open about accessibility efforts and provide clear accessibility statements to users.

We have been encouraged by how much of this is already in place. For those publishers who are playing catch up, we receommend our article Hurry! If You Don’t Know about the EAA, You Need To!

Celebrating EAA This Week

There have been many articles and posts this week celebrating the EAA and we have selected a few that are particularly useful:

Our congratulations to everyone for all their hard work in preparing for the EAA. We look forward to being able to report on ongoing efforts and next steps as we navigate the initial phases of implentation.