EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102)
Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies (the Web Accessibility Directive, WAD). WAD entered into force on 22 December 2016, Member States transposed it by 23 September 2018 (Article 12), and the substantive obligations apply on staggered dates per Article 12(3): 23 September 2019 for websites published on or after 23 September 2018; 23 September 2020 for all other public-sector websites; 23 June 2021 for mobile applications. WAD imposes on public-sector bodies (broadly defined to cover State, regional, local authorities, bodies governed by public law + associations) the obligation to make their websites and mobile applications accessible by complying with the four POUR principles (Perceivable + Operable + Understandable + Robust) from WCAG 2.x. The presumption of conformity (Article 6) is established through the harmonised standard EN 301 549 (currently EN 301 549 v3.2.1, expected to evolve to v4.x with WCAG 2.2). Article 5 provides a disproportionate-burden exception with documented cost-benefit analysis. Article 7 requires a model accessibility statement + feedback mechanism + enforcement procedure link on every covered website. Article 8 imposes a periodic 3-year monitoring + Commission reporting obligation on Member States. WAD is complemented by the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) which extends accessibility requirements to private-sector products and services starting from 28 June 2025. WAD is the public-sector-only baseline; EAA is the wider private-sector cousin. Both directives reference EN 301 549 as the harmonised standard. Future evolution includes the ongoing EN 301 549 v4.x transition aligning with WCAG 2.2 + Mobile Accessibility Project + the Commission's planned consolidated 2026-2027 accessibility-framework communication.
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Framework Domains (7)
WAD: Accessibility Requirements (POUR Principles)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.4 | Accessibility requirements - POUR principles (WAD Article 4) |
WAD: Accessibility Statement, Feedback Mechanism and Enforcement Procedure
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.7 | Accessibility statement, feedback mechanism and enforcement procedure (WAD Article 7) |
| WAD-Art.7(4) | Additional measures + EU accessibility-statement guidance + training (WAD Article 7(4)) |
WAD: Disproportionate Burden Exception
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.5 | Disproportionate burden exception (WAD Article 5) |
WAD: Monitoring, Reporting and Commission Review
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.14 | Reporting and Commission review (WAD Article 14) |
| WAD-Art.8 | Monitoring and reporting by Member States to Commission (WAD Article 8) |
| WAD-Art.9 | Enforcement procedure at Member State level (WAD Article 9) |
WAD: Presumption of Conformity via EN 301 549
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.6 | Presumption of conformity via harmonised standard EN 301 549 (WAD Article 6) |
WAD: Subject Matter, Scope and Definitions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.1(4)_1(5) | Exclusions from scope (WAD Articles 1(4) and 1(5)) |
| WAD-Art.1_2 | Subject matter, scope and definitions (WAD Articles 1-2) |
WAD: Transposition, Application Timeline and Coordination with EAA
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| WAD-Art.10_11 | Exercise of delegation + committee procedure (WAD Articles 10-11) |
| WAD-Art.12_13 | Transposition + staggered application dates (WAD Articles 12-13) |
| WAD-Art.15 | Entry into force and addressees (WAD Article 15) |
| WAD-EAA-Coordination | Coordination with European Accessibility Act (EAA, Directive (EU) 2019/882) |
Maps to 2 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102)?
EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) is a compliance framework from European Union with 7 domains and 14 controls. Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies (the Web Accessibility Directive, WAD). WAD entered into force on 22 December 2016, Member States transposed it by 23 September 2018 (Article 12), and the substantive obligations apply on staggered dates per Article 12(3): 23 September 2019 for websites published on or after 23 September 2018; 23 September 2020 for all other public-sector websites; 23 June 2021 for mobile applications. WAD imposes on public-sector bodies (broadly defined to cover State, regional, local authorities, bodies governed by public law + associations) the obligation to make their websites and mobile applications accessible by complying with the four POUR principles (Perceivable + Operable + Understandable + Robust) from WCAG 2.x. The presumption of conformity (Article 6) is established through the harmonised standard EN 301 549 (currently EN 301 549 v3.2.1, expected to evolve to v4.x with WCAG 2.2). Article 5 provides a disproportionate-burden exception with documented cost-benefit analysis. Article 7 requires a model accessibility statement + feedback mechanism + enforcement procedure link on every covered website. Article 8 imposes a periodic 3-year monitoring + Commission reporting obligation on Member States. WAD is complemented by the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) which extends accessibility requirements to private-sector products and services starting from 28 June 2025. WAD is the public-sector-only baseline; EAA is the wider private-sector cousin. Both directives reference EN 301 549 as the harmonised standard. Future evolution includes the ongoing EN 301 549 v4.x transition aligning with WCAG 2.2 + Mobile Accessibility Project + the Commission's planned consolidated 2026-2027 accessibility-framework communication. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) have?
EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) has 14 controls organised across 7 domains. The largest domains are WAD: Transposition, Application Timeline and Coordination with EAA (4 controls), WAD: Monitoring, Reporting and Commission Review (3 controls), WAD: Accessibility Statement, Feedback Mechanism and Enforcement Procedure (2 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) map to?
EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) maps to 2 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are EN 301 549 - Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (21% coverage), European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) (14% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with EU Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102) compliance?
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