Accessibility statement
Quick explanation:
Each member state implements it into its own national law and designates a supervisory authority.
Therefore, the form must provide data specific to the country in which the website or application operates.
What is an Accessibility Declaration and why it matters
An Accessibility Declaration (sometimes called “Accessibility Statement”) is a public document
that explains to users how accessible a website or mobile application is. For public entities in many EU
Member States, publishing this declaration is a legal obligation. The document:
- describes the website’s compliance with the relevant accessibility standard (e.g. WCAG 2.1 AA);
- lists content or functionality that is not accessible and explains why;
- provides contact details so users can report accessibility problems;
- explains the remediation / appeals procedure and the supervisory authority to contact.
The Declaration is both a legal record and a practical user tool: it increases transparency, allows people
with disabilities to understand limitations, and provides a clear channel for reporting problems or requesting
alternative means of access.
Where to get the information (general guidance)
Most fields in the declaration are factual and come from internal records or official sources:
- Entity name, representative name, official addresses and oversight authority:
obtain from legal registration documents, organization website (About / Contact), or HR / administrative office. - Dates (publication, last major update, declaration creation/review):
use the date of first publication, the date of the last structural/UX/content redesign (not minor edits), and the
date when the declaration was written or reviewed. - Accessibility status, inaccessible content, disproportionate burden, out-of-scope content:
obtain from the accessibility assessment (self-assessment or external audit), automated scans and manual testing
reports, and decisions by the accessibility officer or project team. - Contact emails: use monitored mailboxes — do not publish personal emails unless authorised.
Step-by-step: Filling the “Accessibility Statement” tab in the widget
Open My sites, choose the site to edit, go to the Accessibility widget and the Accessibility Statement tab.
Complete the fields below.
Company name
What it is: the full legal name of the organisation responsible for the website.
What to enter: the registered/legal name (example: City of Kraków – Municipal Office,
University X, or the exact official name of the public body). Do not use abbreviations unless they are the
official registered name.
Where to get it: legal registration documents, official homepage (About or Contact page), or internal
administration records.
Country of operation
What it is: the country in which the entity operates and under whose legal jurisdiction the website falls.
What to enter: e.g. Poland. If the organisation operates in several countries, make clear which
legal framework the declaration refers to (for public entities in Poland it should reference Polish law).
Where to get it: organisation’s registration details or legal department.
What it is: name of the person who officially represents the entity (director, head, accessibility
coordinator or the person responsible for the declaration).
What to enter: full name (First name + Last name). If the organisation has an appointed accessibility
officer, enter that person’s name.
Where to get it: HR records, organisational chart, or the person in charge of accessibility.
Email address
What it is: email address used by users to report accessibility problems or request help.
What to enter: an official, monitored address such as accessibility@organisation.com or
a dedicated mailbox for accessibility requests. Avoid using a personal inbox unless authorised.
Where to get it: create or confirm a monitored mailbox with IT / communications team.
Date of page publication
What it is: the date when the website was first published or became publicly available.
What to enter: If the exact day is unknown, use the month
and year and note that it is approximate (but prefer exact if available).
Where to get it: hosting records, CMS logs, deployment history, or the team that managed the launch.
What it is: the date of the last major change that materially affected the site structure, navigation,
accessibility features, or overall design (not minor content edits).
What to enter: If no major update was made since launch,
you may repeat the publication date (but do not use a date for small content changes).
Where to get it: deployment logs, CMS change logs, release notes or versioning system (Git tags).
Accessibility status
What it is: the overall compliance status with the applicable accessibility rules
What to enter: choose one option:
Fully compliant, Partially compliant, or Non-compliant.
If you choose Partially compliant or Non-compliant, you must also list which elements are inaccessible
and explain reasons (see next fields).
Where to get it: results of the accessibility assessment (self-assessment or external audit).
What it is: concise descriptions of specific pages, features or components that do not meet accessibility
requirements.
What to enter: a short list of items, e.g.:
- image galleries without alternative text on product pages;
- PDF brochures not tagged for accessibility;
- checkout form not fully keyboard-navigable;
- video player missing captions.
If there are none, write “None”.
Where to get it: from the test report, automated scan output and manual testing notes (accessibility officer or auditor).
Disproportionate burden
What it is: some accessibility fixes may be legitimately declared as “disproportionate burden” if they require
disproportionate resources relative to the benefit, under the legal criteria. This is an exception and must be justified.
What to enter: if applicable, describe which elements are excluded for this reason and give clear reasons
(cost estimate, technical constraints, planned mitigation). If not applicable, state “Not applicable” or leave blank as per form rules.
Where to get it: technical assessments, project estimates from development team, legal advice if needed.
Content out of scope
What it is: content that is excluded from accessibility obligations by the law (e.g. third-party content not
under your control, some historical archives, or other exemptions specifically listed in national legislation).
What to enter: list the content and the legal basis for exclusion (cite the clause if possible).
Where to get it: review the legal text and consult with the legal or policy team; check which parts of your site
are supplied by third parties (embedded widgets, external documents) and cannot be modified directly.
What it is: the date this declaration text / form was prepared or last significantly updated.
What to enter: the date of creation or the date of the update being published (ISO format).
Where to get it: the date you submit the form or the date recorded in your content management workflow.
What it is: the date when the declaration will next be reviewed (or was last reviewed). Some laws require
periodic review.
What to enter: choose a future review date if required (e.g. 12 months ahead) or the last review date if updating.
Where to get it: define this with the accessibility officer or policy owner.
Type of assessment
What it is: indicates whether the accessibility status is based on a self-assessment or an
external audit performed by a third party.
What to enter: select:
- Self-assessment (if your internal team performed the tests); or
- External audit (if an independent auditor performed the assessment).
Where to get it: the report name, order reference or contract with the auditor; the person or vendor who performed the check.
Supervisory authority name
What it is: the official body responsible for enforcement or oversight of digital accessibility in your jurisdiction.
What to enter: the full official name.
If the law names a specific authority, use the exact name and contact point.
Where to get it: legal text, government guidance pages, or the official website of the supervisory authority.
Supervisory authority address
What it is: postal address of the supervisory authority (street, postal code, city, country).
Where to get it: authority’s official contact page or government directory.
Supervisory authority email
What it is: public email address provided by the supervisory authority for complaints or enquiries.
Where to get it: the authority’s official website or published contact details.