European Accessibility Act 

Firms that provide in-scope services must:

• Make information publically available on how the service is accessible
  This must be done in a written and oral format, in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities. This information should be included in general terms and conditions, or an equivalent document.
• Ensure all websites, apps, and mobile-based services are built in a way that:
  • Consumers can perceive (see or hear) the content
  • Consumers can operate and navigate them
  • The content is easy to understand
  • The technology is reliable and works across different platforms and devices.

Firms must provide consumers with clear, easy-to-understand information about:

• How a service works
• How the products used in the service are connected to it
• How accessible those products are
• Whether the products work with assistive devices (like screen readers or braille displays)

This information must be:

• Provided in multiple formats – such as text, audio, or video – so that people with different needs can access it
• Easy to understand – using plain language and avoiding jargon
• Perceivable – so that consumers can clearly see or hear it
• Presented in text formats that people can easily convert into other formats – like braille, large print, or audio.
• Presented with fonts that are large enough for consumers to read them easily in different environments
• Provided with text or audio descriptions if using images, videos, or other non-text content.
• Designed so that electronic content (e.g. on a website or app) is easy to see, navigate, and understand, while working consistently across devices.

• Where a firm uses products to provide a service, those products must be designed so that people with disabilities can use them easily.

Firms that provide support services (like a call centre, help desk, or technical support) must:

• Make sure consumers can contact them in accessible ways (e.g. an alternative to the phone for those who are deaf or hard of hearing)
• Offer information about how accessible their services are
• Explain how their services work with assistive technology (like screen readers or hearing aids)

Central Bank of Ireland is responsible for overseeing firms providing banking services for consumers. Therefore, under the EAA, and in relation to banking services for consumers, we are responsible for:

• Supervising compliance with the regulations – ensuring credit institutions, payment providers, and other financial firms follow EAA accessibility requirements
• Enforcing standards – taking action if firms fail to meet accessibility obligations
• Providing consumers with information, through our website, regarding our role as applicable to the EAA.

The EAA is enacted into Irish legislation by the European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023 (EEA Regulations). The Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for national implementation of the EAA.