The European Accessibility Act (EAA) that was adopted in 2019 is a Directive that aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services by abolishing different regulations in the Member States. It addresses products and services that have been identified as particularly important for people with disabilities and are most likely to be subject to different accessibility requirements in different EU countries. These include computers, operating systems, also websites and e-books.
The EEA had to be implemented in all EU countries’ national legislation by 2022 and enters into force on June 28, 2025. By this time products and services covered by the Act and sold in the EU will have to be accessible to all consumers. Therefore, ALL publishers, regardless of where they are based, must ensure compliance with the EEA when offering their services and products in EU Member State countries. Non-compliance with the law can result in fines.
In this session we will present and discuss what publishers need to know, and how you can prepare to be compliant with the EEA.

Info

The European Accessibility Act (EEA) – what do STM publishers need to know and prepare for?
Monday, 10th June 2024
7.00 am EDT, 12.00 pm BST, 1.00 pm CET
Registration: www.stm-assoc.org/events/the-european-accessibility-act-eaa-what-do-stm-publishers-need-to-know-and-prepare-for/

Agenda

Welcome by Caroline Sutton, STM CEO

Introduction/setting the scene by Anne Bergman-Tahon, Director Federation of European Publishers; the introduction will shortly provide a high-level overview of the EEA.

Cristina Mussinelli, Director of the LIA Foundation, on technical specifications that are fulfilled by the ePUB format

Simon Holt, Senior Product Manager, Content Accessibility from Elsevier, on experience and advice for STM publishers on the implementation of the EEA.

Panel discussion and Q&A