The National Disability Authority (NDA) is pleased to support the online publication on the 2 September 2026 of EN 301 549 V4.1.1 the European standard on accessibility requirements for ICT products and services.
This standard updates EN 301 549 V3.2.1 which was published in 2021. Its headline change is a shift in the web content baseline from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 to WCAG 2.2.
The NDA/Centre for Excellence in Universal Design staff have been heavily involved in contributing to the update through the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) working committee on this standard.
What was published — and what has not been published yet?
The European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) has published the formal text of the standard on their website. The standard is co-authored by ETSI, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC). This is an important milestone, but it is not the point at which V4.1.1 becomes legally binding.
The updated standard becomes legally binding once the European Commission cites the standard in the Official Journal of the European Union. This is currently expected on 16 December 2026. Until then, the standard currently in force remains V3.2.1 (2021), built on WCAG 2.1.
In other words: formal legal effect hasn't started yet, but the definitive technical text organisations will need to work toward is now public.
Why it matters for the European Accessibility Act and the EU Web Accessibility Directive
EN 301 549 is the technical reference point for both major EU accessibility laws:
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a European Directive that contains accessibility requirements for a range of products and services. The Act commenced on 28 June 2025. These requirements apply to any company trading in the EU, regardless of where it is based. Applying EN 301 549 is a way to demonstrate conformity with EAA requirements. V4.1.1 is the first version of the standard developed specifically with the EAA in mind. It adds a new annex mapping the standard's clauses directly to the EAA's essential requirements.
The Web Accessibility Directive (WAD), which governs public-sector websites and mobile applications, has relied on EN 301 549 since 2021. V4.1.1 updates the equivalent mapping annex for the WAD as well.
Once cited in the Official Journal, conformance with V4.1.1 will create a "presumption of conformity" with both laws. This means that organisations that meet the standard's requirements are presumed to meet their legal obligations under each directive.
The move from WCAG 2.1 to WCAG 2.2
The most important technical changes are in the clauses covering web content, non-web documents and software. These now reference WCAG 2.2 Level AA instead of WCAG 2.1. Learn more about the differences between WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.2.
What organisations should do now
Because V3.2.1 remains the legally cited standard until the Official Journal reference is published, there is no immediate compliance deadline attached to this release. But with the WCAG 2.2 baseline now fixed in the published text, organisations have a clear target. Preparing for WCAG 2.2 AA and new EN 301 549 requirements now means a smoother transition when the standard takes formal legal effect.
This standard is relevant to the provision of information, services and products. Organisations are advised to factor WCAG 2.2 AA and new EN 301 549 requirements into procurement planning and processes. For those involved in procurement, a technical report published in early 2026, TR 101 551 V2.1.1 (2026-02) CEN/CLC/ETSI Guidelines for public procurement of ICT products and services in the EU; Accessibility award criteria and conformity assessment, will prove a useful resource.
Learn more about the EU Web Accessibility Directive, or for information about the European Accessibility Act visit our EAA overview page.