Commission welcomes agreement to make public sector websites and apps more accessible

Negotiators of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed last night on the first EU-wide rules to make the websites and mobile apps of public sector bodies more accessible, especially for the blind, the deaf and the hard of hearing. The Directive will cover public sector bodies’ websites and mobile apps, from administrations, courts and police departments to public hospitals, universities and libraries. Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, welcomed the agreement: “Internet accessshould be a reality for everyone.Leaving millions of Europeans behind is not an option. Last night’s agreement is an important step towards a Digital Single Market, which is about removing barriers so that all Europeans can get the best from the digital world.”Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, said: “It is not acceptable that millions of European citizens are left behind in the digital society. The agreement that we have just reached will ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the internet and mobile apps, to participate in society to a fuller extent and to lead a more independent life.” A press release is available here in all EU languages