Enter into force today most of the provisions of the new
Royal Decree 1112/2018, of 7 september on accessibility of websites and applications for mobile devices in the public sector
.
This royal decree adopted on the proposal of the ministries of Territorial policy and Public Function, economy and business, health, consumption and Social welfare, reflected the spanish legal system
Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the european parliament and of the council of 26 october 2016, on the accessibility of websites and applications for mobile devices of the public sector agencies
.
The royal decree guarantees equality and non-discrimination in access to all citizens, in particular to persons with disabilities and older persons.
The Royal Decree will have a positive impact on universal accessibility of persons with disabilities, with the elimination of barriers that will facilitate and guarantee the exercise of their right to access to technology, as well as their right to maintain relations with public administrations.
It will also facilitate that older persons with potential physical constraints arising from the age (vision impairment, distinction, hearing, mobility, among others) can make better use of websites and mobile applications of the public sector.
This guarantees the exercise of the right of the entire population access to technology, products and services related to the information society and media, as well as the right to maintain relations with public administrations through such means.
The Royal Decree covers all websites and mobile applications of the public sector, since those belonging to the government, courts and police services in hospitals, universities and public libraries, making them accessible to all citizens, especially those with hearing disabilities, visual or functional.
In this way, the new royal decree replaces and improves the conditions that were already in demanding the gates of the public administrations since 31 december 2008
Royal Decree 1494/2007
.
The most significant changes introduced are as follows:
- The matching of accessibility requirements spanish people to european harmonized standard to be established at the end of this year 2018. This standard will be based on the new version of the rule in 301 549 “ requirements of accessibility of ICT products and services applicable to public procurement in Europe ” which in turn is linked to the new WCAG 2.1 .
- The inclusion of mobile applications developed by public administrations which are to be accessible, before 23 june 2021.
- The inclusion of intranets and extranets new or renewed substantially from 23 september 2019.
- Contains provisions for conduct regular monitoring of the implementation of the royal decree through decentralized management. To that end, each entity will determine the "obliged unit responsible "accessibility that will be responsible for coordinating and give effect to the forecasts, and shall act as canalizadora of information to the agency responsible for the monitoring and reporting.
- In each gateway there must be a statement of accessibility, according to the model to be established at european level, a mechanism for reporting bugs and request content not demand accessible. Furthermore there is a complaint mechanism available to all persons concerned.
- In addition we define a procedure for follow-up and reporting that will lead the Ministry of Territorial policy and public service and will be implemented with the collaboration of all public administrations. Such monitoring must meet the requirements of the European Commission through the relevant implementing acts that will be available before the end of this year.
- There will be public reports to the european commission every three years of the status of implementation of the directive in accordance with the relevant implementing acts to be established by the european commission before the end of this year. The first of these reports by 23 december 2021.
- Establishes a mechanism to enable users to inform the agency of the public sector any possible non-compliance with accessibility requirements set out.
- To request that the persons concerned the information on content that are excluded from the scope of application of this royal decree or exempt from compliance with accessibility requirements.
- Extends the application of the web accessibility to public funding for its maintenance, and those that provide public services through a contractual regime with public administrations.
To assist the implementation of all these measures will be essential the role that the units responsible for accessibility, which will be responsible for ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements of the websites and applications for mobile devices within its sphere of competence. They should ensure their implementation in all areas of the organization, both technical and functional and involve all actors requirements: it departments, responsible for content editing, responsible for publications, responsible for communication and the press, responsible, etc.
