1. Overview
EN 301 549 is the European standard that turns accessibility law into testable requirements. Its full title is "Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services". WCAG describes an accessible web page. EN 301 549 goes wider. It says which requirements apply to any piece of information and communication technology (ICT), from a web page to a payment terminal. It also gives a test for each requirement. Version 4.1.1 (September 2026) is the first version written to support the European Accessibility Act (EAA). It is the version this course uses.
This lesson treats the standard as a document. It covers:
- who publishes it
- how it reached its current shape
- how its clauses and annexes fit together
- what "shall" and "should" mean
- how the "Where ICT…" precondition at the start of every requirement decides what applies to your product.
The exercise at the end is to scope a real product against the standard.
Unlock the rest of this lesson
You have read the free preview of How EN 301 549 works in Module 3: EN 301 549. The full lesson, its knowledge check and the module certificate come with a plan, bought here on the web.
Buy a plan here with a card and the rest of the course unlocks. You will sign in first, with Apple or Google, which is what the plan is attached to. No iPhone or Mac needed.
Free with no account: the first lesson, Why accessibility, and who it is for, the European Accessibility Act flashcards and the overview of every lesson.
Sources
- ETSI, CEN and CENELEC, EN 301 549 V4.1.1 (2026-09), Foreword, Introduction, clauses 1, 3.1, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0 and 14, Annex A, Annex C and Annex E, available from the ETSI standards server.
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 (the European Accessibility Act), Article 15 and Annex I.
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, the Recommendation that clauses 9, 10 and 11 reference, and the Understanding WCAG 2.2 documents.
