Since 2021, websites of government institutions must be digitally accessible. This will soon become an obligation for a broader target group. What does this mean for your website?
About 2 million people in the Netherlands have a disability. To ensure that websites become digitally accessible to everyone, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have been drawn up. Most websites are not accessible to people with disabilities. For example, if someone has a visual or hearing impairment, this will affect the interaction with your website. We previously wrote a blog about the WCAG guidelines.
Because a lot has been written in the media about obligations for government institutions, you may wonder what the situation is with websites, apps and web shops of commercial companies. What almost no one knows is that all companies are already obliged to offer products and services as accessible as possible, including digitally! This is regulated in the 'Equal Treatment Act on the Grounds of Disability or Chronic Illness', which came into effect in 2017.
This law is not currently actively enforced. But something is going to change. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been tightened and this has consequences for certain commercial sectors. Transport services, financial services and e-commerce companies that focus on consumers must be digitally accessible by June 28, 2025.
Do you do business outside Europe? These regulations do not only apply within Europe. Legal requirements have been in place in the United States and Canada for years, and significant fines are imposed if you are unable to make your website accessible.
Is your company active in transport services, financial services or e-commerce? Then check whether your website meets the success criteria by performing a free quick scan on the WCAG website. This allows you to test some of the success criteria and you will receive an overview of the errors and points of interest within a few minutes. If you want a more extensive investigation, you can check all the criteria yourself using this checklist or have a professional audit carried out.
As a commercial company, you currently have the choice to make your website or application digitally accessible. It is not only an added value for the users, but also for your business objectives to be accessible to as many people as possible. Did you know that approximately 25% of Dutch people have a disability and may therefore have difficulty using your website? If your website is not accessible, there is a good chance that people who cannot use your website optimally will drop out and go to a website that is suitable. Websites that are not accessible are also less good for your SEO results and you will also miss out on visitors. With a digitally accessible website you can enormously increase your reach!
Are you active in transport services, financial services or e-commerce? Then get started now on making your website digitally accessible. After all, it is July 2025. Moreover, it contributes to a greater reach.
Would you like to know more about a digitally accessible website? See how we developed a digitally accessible website for Farent or read more about what the WCAG guidelines exactly mean . And of course we are ready to answer all your questions. Contact us!