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Euracert - Techshare 2007 presentation

Summary: Techshare 2007 presentation

Euracert, the first European quality label for accessible websites

Pierre Guillou, Association BrailleNet
Alan Chuter, Technosite
Bart Simons, Anysurfer
Sophie Van Cangh, Anysurfer
Dominique Burger, INSERM U592

Thanks to the harmonisation work done at the European level by specialised web accessibility organisations on the basis of W3C/WAI guidelines and with the European Commission support, there are now public resources about web accessibility considered as common references:

  • international guidelines (WCAG 1.0 from WAI),
  • an evaluation methodology (UWEM 1.0),
  • and a conformity assessment schema (CEN Workshop Agreement 15554:2006).

The Euracert label has been set up on the basis of these public resources in order to allow recognition of labels issued to websites in different countries. Three organisations have already adhered to this scheme, namely Association BrailleNet (France), AnySurfer (Belgium) and Fundosa Teleservicios (Spain).

The Euracert Label is not just another web accessibility label. A website is awarded the Euracert label in addition to a label issued locally in a European country by a label issuing organisation listed as partner.

The first assumption is that existing national labels will increase their value as they will be recognised in other countries.

Afterwards, it will be possible to merge different European labels into one and thus make web accessibility harmonisation a reality in Europe.

Objectives of presentation

  • To remind the demands for the European label for e-accessibility.
  • To present basis of the Euracert initiative
  • To describe how it functions
  • To discuss the benefits of bottom-up harmonisations

Prior knowledge of topic assumed: Low
Contains advanced technical content: No

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Content author: techshare@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 08/04/2008 18:38

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