Each new year comes with new regulations. One regulation that is not much talked about is the EU Directive 2019/882. It is the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and it will come into force by national legislation, at the latest on 28.06.2025.

You will notice its effect, as it defines the accessibility of all websites as soon as they offer any services. These rules are relevant, for example, for webshops and social media platforms. It will help make websites accessible to everyone and reduce barriers.

It might also affect you if you are a doctoral student and will publish your thesis soon. The directive defines e-book accessibility requirements. I did not find any exemption for e-thesis, so you should familiarize yourself with the legislation and ask your publisher or lawyer for details. Or you can use this information as extra motivation to complete your PhD before 28.06.2025.

What concerns me most at this moment is that e-books could end up on a “blacklist” for non-compliance with technical specifications.

This directive also defines accessibility requirements for devices like computers, laptops, smartphones, smart TVs, e-book-readers, self-service terminals, and their operating system. The logical consequence is that specific devices might become illegal in the EU market soon, and the market surveillance authorities could ban them.

Links:

Directive 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services: 🌐https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882

Blog post about accessible e-books: 🌐https://blog.streetlib.com/what-are-accessible-ebooks-and-how-to-align-with-new-european-guidelines/

EN 301 549 accessibility requirements for ICT products 🌐https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301500_301599/301549/03.02.01_60/en_301549v030201p.pdf