EN 301 549 accessibility compliance scanner

EN 301 549 is the European standard that sets out accessibility requirements for information and communication technology. It covers websites, software, hardware, mobile applications, and documents. For web content, EN 301 549 requires conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The standard was developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and is the technical reference for digital accessibility law across the EU, including the European Accessibility Act and the EU Web Accessibility Directive.

EN 301 549 compliance is required across a broader set of organisations than many realise:

• All EU public sector bodies, under the EU Web Accessibility Directive.
• ICT vendors and suppliers selling products or services to EU public sector organisations.
• Private sector organisations now in scope under the European Accessibility Act, which became enforceable in June 2025.
• Organisations outside the EU that supply digital products or services to EU customers or public bodies.

EN 301 549 sets out accessibility requirements across several categories of information and communication technology:

• Web content (Welcoming Web's focus): Must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, covering text alternatives, keyboard navigation, colour contrast, accessible forms, and consistent navigation.
• Software accessibility: ICT software must be operable and understandable by all users, regardless of disability.
• Documentation and support: Organisations must provide accessible formats for product documentation and user support materials.
• Accessibility in procurement: Public procurement processes must include EN 301 549 accessibility criteria when evaluating ICT products and services.

Welcoming Web scans against WCAG 2.2, which covers all WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria and adds newer requirements, meaning the platform identifies every EN 301 549 web content gap and more.

The European Accessibility Act is an EU law that became enforceable in June 2025. It requires that a wide range of digital products and services meet accessibility standards. EN 301 549 is the technical standard the EAA references, meaning conformance with EN 301 549 is how organisations demonstrate they meet the EAA's accessibility requirements. The two work together: the EAA defines the legal obligation and EN 301 549 defines the technical means of meeting it.

Welcoming Web does not certify compliance and cannot guarantee a legal or regulatory outcome. The platform scans your website against WCAG 2.2 criteria (which covers EN 301 549's web content requirements), identifies failures, suggests fixes for supported issue types, and maintains a dated record of your remediation work. Meeting EN 301 549 requires your site to conform to the defined criteria across all relevant content, which the platform supports but cannot determine on your behalf.

The EAA enforcement deadline has passed, making EN 301 549 compliance a current legal obligation rather than a future one. Staying compliant requires ongoing effort:

• Scan your website on a schedule so new failures are caught as content and functionality change.
• Keep a documented record of issues found and remediation activity taken, as procurement and regulatory processes require this evidence.
• Integrate EN 301 549 web content requirements into your design and development process before pages are built.
• Test with assistive technology users periodically, as automated scanning identifies a significant proportion of failures but not all of them.
• Keep staff informed as EN 301 549 versions update and as EAA enforcement develops across EU member states.

For public sector organisations, failure to meet EN 301 549 requirements under the EU Web Accessibility Directive can result in formal complaints, regulatory action, and mandatory remediation orders. For private sector organisations now in scope under the EAA, non-compliance risks enforcement action by national authorities, exclusion from public procurement processes, and reputational damage in markets where accessibility is increasingly expected by customers and enterprise clients. A documented record of scanning and remediation activity is essential evidence in any regulatory review.