EN 301 549 — Complete Guide to EAA Technical Standard 2026

EN 301 549 is the European standard for accessibility requirements for ICT products and services. It is the technical backbone of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and is based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA with additional requirements for hardware, software, and documentation.

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about EN 301 549 — from its requirements and scope to how it aligns with WCAG and how to test your website for compliance.

What is EN 301 549?

EN 301 549 is the European standard for accessibility requirements for ICT (Information and Communication Technology) products and services. It was developed by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and is the technical standard referenced by the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

The standard covers a wide range of ICT, including:

• ✅ Websites and web applications
• ✅ Mobile apps and software
• ✅ Hardware and self-service terminals
• ✅ Documentation and support services
• ✅ Electronic documents (PDFs, Word, Excel)

EN 301 549 and WCAG — How They Align

EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA as its core web accessibility requirements. The standard includes:

• Chapter 9: Web content requirements (WCAG 2.1 Level AA)
• Chapter 10: Non-web documents (PDFs, Word, Excel)
• Chapter 11: Software and mobile apps
• Chapter 12: Documentation and support services
• Chapter 13: Hardware and self-service terminals

EN 301 549 Requirements — Complete Checklist

1. Web Content (WCAG 2.1 Level AA)

Perceivable — Can users perceive the content?

• ✅ Alt text for all images (WCAG 1.1.1)
• ✅ Color contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text (WCAG 1.4.3)
• ✅ Text resizable up to 200% without breaking (WCAG 1.4.4)
• ✅ Captions for all video content (WCAG 1.2.2)

Operable — Can users navigate and interact?

• ✅ All functionality works with keyboard (WCAG 2.1.1)
• ✅ Visible focus indicators (WCAG 2.4.7)
• ✅ Skip navigation link (WCAG 2.4.1)
• ✅ Logical tab order (WCAG 2.4.3)

Understandable — Can users understand the content?

• ✅ All form fields have visible labels (WCAG 3.3.2)
• ✅ Clear error messages (WCAG 3.3.1)
• ✅ Language declaration (WCAG 3.1.1)
• ✅ Consistent navigation (WCAG 3.2.3)

Robust — Can assistive technologies read the content?

• ✅ ARIA labels for custom components (WCAG 4.1.2)
• ✅ Screen reader support (WCAG 4.1.2)
• ✅ Valid HTML (WCAG 4.1.1)

2. Non-Web Documents (PDFs, Word, Excel)

EN 301 549 requires all electronic documents to be accessible:

• ✅ PDFs must be tagged with proper reading order
• ✅ Alt text for all images in documents
• ✅ Language specification for documents
• ✅ Form fields with proper labels
• ✅ Bookmarks for long documents

3. Software and Mobile Apps

EN 301 549 covers software and mobile applications:

• ✅ Keyboard accessibility for all functions
• ✅ Screen reader compatibility (VoiceOver/TalkBack)
• ✅ Color contrast for all UI elements
• ✅ Touch target size of 44x44px minimum
• ✅ Focus indicators visible

4. Hardware and Self-Service Terminals

EN 301 549 includes hardware requirements:

• ✅ Accessible controls and indicators
• ✅ Tactile and visual feedback
• ✅ Height and reach considerations
• ✅ Audio output for information

EN 301 549 vs WCAG — What's the Difference?

While EN 301 549 is based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA, it includes additional requirements:

• Scope: EN 301 549 covers web, software, hardware, and documents; WCAG covers web only
• Requirements: EN 301 549 includes hardware-specific requirements not in WCAG
• Audience: EN 301 549 is for ICT procurement; WCAG is for web content
• Enforcement: EN 301 549 is required by EAA; WCAG is referenced by many laws

How to Check If Your Website Meets EN 301 549

Step 1: Use a Free EAA Compliance Checker

Visit AccessiTool's free EAA compliance checker and enter your website URL. Get a detailed report in 60 seconds.

Step 2: Review Your Compliance Report

You'll receive a compliance score (0-100%), a list of violations, warnings, and passed checks — plus specific fix recommendations.

Step 3: Fix Critical Issues First

Start with missing alt text, low color contrast, keyboard accessibility, and form labels — these are the most common violations.

Step 4: Retest and Document

After making fixes, run another scan and save your PDF report for legal documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions — EN 301 549

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