Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (EN 301 549:2021, IDT)

Note: The title and standard designation number for this NOI (originally published on March 1, 2022) were updated by the responsible SDO on February 20, 2024. 

Technical Committee on Accessibility Requirements for Information and Communication Technology Products and Services will work towards the adoption in its entirety of the European harmonized standard “EN 301 549, Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services”.  The European Harmonized standard has been supported by over 75 countries at various levels of jurisdiction. Various Canadian federal departments have done economic analysis on the implementation of the harmonized standard, and have been overwhelmingly in support of its adoption. Consultation with persons with disabilities and stakeholders have taken place and various pilot projects, including compliance tests and translation assistance have been implemented to ensure that the standard is appropriate for the Canadian market. The adoption of this standard represents a fundamental step in accessible Canadian procurement advancement.

Specifically, the EN 301 549’s scope is as follows:

“[This document] specifies the functional accessibility requirements applicable to ICT products and services, together with a description of the test procedures and evaluation methodology for each accessibility requirement in a form that is suitable for use in public procurement within Europe. [This document] might be useful for other purposes such as procurement in the public and private sector.”