MeAC – Measuring Progress of eAccessibility in Europe

Legislation/regulations

There does not appear to be any direct legislative or regulatory measure regarding accessibility of websites apart from the Danish “sector responsibility” policy, where all stakeholders/actors have an obligation to provide measures for including disabled people in workplaces and society more generally. The Danish Parliament also passed Parliament Resolution B103 of September 2007 on the use of mandatory open standards for software in the public sector which has relevance.

Other initiatives

Although Denmark has adopted a non-legislative approach towards accessibility of public websites, the use of WAI guidelines has been made mandatory by the public sector as of 1st January 2008 by means of a formal agreement which spans the federal, regional and local district levels. This agreement is as a result of Parliament Resolution B103 of September 2007 on the use of mandatory open standards for software in the public sector. Prior to the resolution, the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation carried out a national review, and the results indicated that there are still major obstacles for eAccessibility on public websites. Consequently, the Danish Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation launched a number of measures directed towards improving the current state of affairs. To begin with, mandatory use of accessibility standards is followed by an obligation to explain non-compliance to the agreement (i.e., a comply or explain principle). Moreover, from 2008 onwards there will be an annual benchmarking that evaluates all public websites against WCAG AA criteria, and the results will be published on the internet.

In response to the finding that web developers can find it difficult to apply the existing guidelines, in 2008 the National IT and Telecom Agency is to launch an improved online guidance effort about web accessibility issues including explanatory text, practical examples and a video. Already in April 2004 a public procurement accessibility toolbox was released by the agency which includes a section on web accessibility.  A second edition of the toolbox was published in 2005.

Netsteder.dk is a collection of guidelines for webmasters of public websites on how to make public websites eAccessible. The guidelines cover all aspects of eAccessibility as promoted by the WAI guidelines. Netsteder.dk was initially created by a working group in the National IT and Telecom Agency.

The Top of the Web or ‘Best on the Net’ initiative (http://www.bedstpaanettet.dk) is a yearly quality screening of public websites. The competition has been run each year since 2001. Top of the Web promotes general usability and accessibility in web design where public websites are awarded an accolade [“Net crowns”].

There is no specific policy measure to achieve accessibility of private websites.

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