Accessibility News November

WCAG 2.2 Now Officially Recognised as an International Standard

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and ISO have announced that WCAG 2.2 is now formally recognised as ISO/IEC 30071-1 PAS, giving the standard official international status. This alignment strengthens WCAG’s role as the global benchmark for digital accessibility and provides organisations with a more formal and widely accepted reference point for procurement, design and development.

For many organisations, especially those operating in regulated industries or selling digital products internationally, ISO status makes it simpler to reference WCAG in contracts and compliance documentation. It also helps unify expectations across regions that depend on ISO standards for governance frameworks.

WCAG 2.2 introduces new success criteria aimed at improving usability for people with cognitive and mobility impairments, including updates to focus appearance, target size and interface help. As an increasing number of countries adopt WCAG 2.2 through legislation or policy, organisations should begin aligning their digital products with the updated guidance.

Accessibility Maturity Model Now a Recognised W3C Framework

The W3C Accessibility Maturity Model has now been published as an official W3C Group Note, providing organisations with a structured framework for assessing and improving accessibility across governance, processes, procurement and culture. While not a technical standard, a Group Note represents an established and community-reviewed resource that organisations can rely on for strategic planning.

The model helps organisations understand where they sit on a maturity spectrum, from early awareness to established, sustainable practice, and outlines the capabilities needed to progress. This includes leadership accountability, staff training, policy development, content production workflows and ongoing monitoring.

Many organisations find accessibility difficult to scale beyond project-level activity. The Maturity Model provides a practical, repeatable approach for embedding accessibility into day-to-day operations. With increased global focus on organisational accountability, it is expected to become a widely used companion to WCAG and similar technical standards.

TTC offers support for organisations looking to benchmark their maturity, identify gaps and create a roadmap for long-term improvement.

Global Accessibility Momentum: Updates from Ireland, Sweden and India

Ireland’s National Disability Authority (NDA) continues to expand its regulatory activity in support of the EU Web Accessibility Directive and the emerging requirements of the Digital Services Act. The NDA has stepped up monitoring of public-sector websites and mobile apps; its 2024 monitoring report documents extensive simplified and in-depth reviews, and the agency has been developing registers of sites and apps for future monitoring.

Across Europe, Sweden is also stepping up its preparations. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) taking effect in June 2025, Sweden has aligned its national legislation with the Act and the Agency for Digital Government (DIGG) continues to publish accessibility guidance for public services. While DIGG has not formally announced sector-specific early audits of private companies, national EAA implementation makes it clear that consumer-facing industries (such as retail, banking and travel) will soon be subject to new accessibility obligations. Businesses in these sectors should expect increased scrutiny as enforcement mechanisms develop.

Outside Europe, India is experiencing significant momentum in digital accessibility. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the Government has run multiple consultations and drafted updates under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, including proposed rules relating to ICT accessibility. Industry and legal commentary throughout 2025 has highlighted the Government’s intention to bring domestic requirements into closer alignment with international accessibility standards. Organisations operating in India should anticipate clearer accessibility expectations in the coming year.

Collectively, these developments reflect an international trend: governments are placing greater emphasis on digital accessibility compliance, transparency and readiness. For organisations with global audiences, this is a key moment to review policies, processes and digital products to ensure they meet rising expectations.