Harmonising Accessibility in the EU Single Market: Challenges for Making the European Accessibility Act Work

Anna Katarzyna Drabarz

doi:10.31743/recl.9465

Abstract

In the last decade, accessibility has become a buzzword not only among actors of the civil society advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities but also among the legislators in the European Union. The EU has adopted a series of binding regulations aiming at approximating the common understanding of accessibility and Member States’ approach to operationalising the right. Being part of EU harmonised law, the European Accessibility Act has already been considered a milestone in the process. The choice of an approach / approaches will decide about a success of its transposition into Member States legal systems.

Highlights

TOWARDS EU ACCESSIBILITY 2.0Accessibility brings harmony – this statement of an axiological nature has obtained a new dimension within the recent legislative and standardising works of the European Union
What other measures may support the harmonisation of accessibility requirements for products and services in the EU? first and foremost, I wish to inspire a multidimensional discussion on different aspects of the ongoing transposition of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in Member States which, by engaging all groups of stakeholders, can have a positive impact on legislative works
The EAA’s provisions take into account needs of different groups of consumers and it is highly welcome that the EAA directly stipulates that Disabled Persons’ Organisations (DPOs) are to work with national authorities, other stakeholders, and the European Commission to advise them during the implementation of the Act and they will be involved in future reviews of the Act

Summary

INTRODUCTION

By 2014, the EU had already adopted a number of legal acts harmonising accessibility requirements for goods and services to contribute to completing the EU internal market and opening up possibilities for economic operators to sell their products throughout the EU3 and regulations on the rights of persons with reduced mobility in the area of transport. The EAA obliges EU Member States to design and execute the most efficient legal developments in compliance with the objectives and minimum requirements set in the directive The quality of this important regulation and the level of harmonisation to be obtained depend on the approaches adopted by each Member State. What other measures may support the harmonisation of accessibility requirements for products and services in the EU? first and foremost, I wish to inspire a multidimensional discussion on different aspects of the ongoing transposition of the EAA in Member States which, by engaging all groups of stakeholders, can have a positive impact on legislative works

THE SINGLE MARKET PERSPECTIVE IN THE EAA

THE HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE IN THE EAA

Findings

CONCLUSIONS