Examples of using Web-accessibility in English and their translations into Slovak
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Official/political
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Computer
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Programming
Web-accessibility.
The lack of harmonised approaches to web-accessibility creates barriers in the internal market.
The EU web-accessibility market is estimated at€ 2 billion, but realises less than 10% of its potential.
Table 1 below indicates the cost and benefits if 100% web-accessibility is achieved- after EU intervention- within a year.
Member States shall monitor on acontinuous basis the conformity of the websites concerned with the web-accessibility requirements.
Hence, web-accessibility is an area where the internal market could be put at the service of European citizens to a much larger extent than it is the case today.
The EESC takes note of the fact that WCAG 2.0, level AA,is the reference point for web-accessibility, and will remain so in the foreseeable future.
Web-accessibility is of great importance for public sector bodies, as it allows them to extend their reach and to fulfil their public sector responsibilities.
The EESC compliments theEuropean Commission on the choice of internationally recognised web-accessibility specifications as a reference for the proposed directive.
For Member States that follow(variations of) WCAG 2.0 the prices eventually decline because of improved competition andcheaper web-accessibility tools.
Without harmonisation at EU level of web-accessibility requirements, fragmentation and uncertainty in the web-accessibility market cannot be reduced.
The Commission establishes, by way of implementing acts,the methodology for the monitoring of the conformity of the websites concerned with the requirements for web-accessibility as set out in Article 3.
Monitor web-accessibility and e-accessibility progress and implementation, support cooperation and exchange of good practices via studies and a CIP thematic network.
The directive includes a solution for presumption of conformity with harmonised standards for the websites concerned in order tofacilitate compliance with the web-accessibility requirements.
Web-accessibility refers to principles and techniques to be followed when constructing websites so that online content is accessible to all users, in particular those with disabilities1.
Although most Member States have already enacted relevant legislation ortaken other measures on web-accessibility, significant differences still exist between these laws and measures.
The relevancy of the proposal is unquestionable and reflects an ambition to serve both citizens and the providers of web services in the EU,by facilitating the creation of an internal market for web-accessibility.
Web-accessibility refers to principles and techniques to be observed when constructing websites, in order to render the content of these websites accessible to all users, in particular those with disabilities.
Specific objectives include harmonised requirements for a minimum list of types of public sector websites andpromoting web-accessibility for public sector websites beyond this list.
The Commission will monitor web-accessibility and e-accessibility progress and implementation, support cooperation and exchange of good practices via studies and a CIP thematic network, to be launched in 2009.
The EESC further recommends introducing a legal obligation for Member States to offer training programmes to the relevant staff of public bodies in order tofurther facilitate the concrete implementation of the web-accessibility requirements.
The proposal isalso relevant in terms of facilitation of e-Inclusion, since web-accessibility is a tool used in the efforts to reach the goal of including people with disabilities in society and giving all citizens access to services provided through websites.
In Article 6, Member States are encouraged to introduce measures which can contribute to awareness-raising, the establishment of cooperation arrangements regarding web-accessibility, and growth of the web-accessibility market.
The implication for citizens, who are dependent on web-accessibility, is that they will be facing a serious risk of being partly or fully excluded from benefitting from the services and information provided through websites that fall outside the relatively narrow scope of the directive.
A harmonised monitoring methodology would cover a way of verifying, on a uniform basis in all Members States,the degree of compliance of the website with the requirements for web-accessibility, the collection of representative samples and the periodicity of the monitoring.
By harmonising web-accessibility specifications for a set of basic public sector services, an important step to solve the problem of fragmentation and insecurity in the market would be achieved, generating benefits for governments and citizens, and a bigger and better web-accessibility market.
The EESC welcomes the initiative of the Commission and acknowledges that this proposal for a Directive indeed responds to the Digital Agenda's ambition of serving both citizens and the providers of web services in the EU,by facilitating the creation of an internal market for web-accessibility.
A legally binding measure, to approximate the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States on web-accessibility, lays down the rules for making a minimum list of public sector websites accessible, according to harmonised web-accessibility requirements.
A factor which could contribute to generating the spill-over effect is public procurement carried out according to EU legislation, whereby public procurers might be expected tohave an obligation to refer to European standards on web-accessibility in their technical specifications.
The EESC further recommends introducing a legal obligation for Member States to establish training programmes to the relevant staff of public bodies, through consultation with the social partners,in order to further facilitate the concrete implementation of the web-accessibility requirements.