The Design for All approach means design for human diversity, inclusion and equality. Its aim is to enable maximum use of products, goods and services.
Accessibility is important as EU member states are preparing for the implementation of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The mandatory accessibility requirements for products and services laid down in the EAA must be fulfilled starting June 2025. The requirements are also meant to be used in a wider application to show compliance with accessibility requirements in other union acts of e.g., procurement and for EU funding.
The EAA states in the recitals (no. 50) that: “…accessibility should be achieved by the systematic removal and prevention of barriers, preferably through a universal design or ‘design for all’ approach, which contributes to ensuring access for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.”
CEN/CLC JTC 12 ‘Design for all’ develops standards for human diversity, inclusion and equality and was responsible for the development of the European Standard on Design for All, published 2019, EN 17161 'Design for All – Accessibility following a Design for All approach in products, goods and services - Extending the range of users'. This standard was a result of Mandate M/473 ‘Design for all’ (see more information on this standard below).
A new mandate (M/587) requesting, among others, the revision of EN 17161 as well as two new standards was signed 2022. Within the framework of M/587, CEN/CLC JTC 12 ‘Design for all’ is working on the revision of EN 17161:2019. The aim is to harmonize it with the EAA.
Two new standards that will be added to the CEN/CLC JTC 12 work programme are:
- Harmonised standard setting up accessibility of non-digital information related to products;
- Harmonised standard of support services related to products and services (help desks, call centres, technical support, relay services and training services).
This work is financed by an EC/EFTA Specific Grant Agreement for Action.
EN 17161 is a consistent way for organizations to manage accessibility through a Design for All approach, so that products and services can be accessed, understood and used by all people.
EN 17161 'Design for All - Accessibility', when implemented in an organization stimulates innovation, increases markets as well as contributes to sustainable development and human rights by:
- Preparing for compliance with the European Accessibility Act;
- Integrating the Design for All approach with their management systems, e.g., ISO 9001 or 14001;
- Demonstrating related technical capability and capacity, which can be required in public procurement and for EU funding;
- Involving diverse users (including non-users) in the development activities to extend the range of users;
- Improving accessibility in products and services to benefit all users;
- Following design processes that integrate human-centred design to achieve accessibility and securing it end-to-end;
- Developing new features, elements or functions where accessibility requirements are not yet fully established.
