What's the difference between WCAG and EN 301 549?

WCAG is the W3C's standard for web content; WCAG 2.1 AA is the common target. EN 301 549 is broader — it incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA for web and mobile, then adds clauses for non-web software, electronic documents, hardware, real-time text, and two-way communication. If you're WCAG 2.1 AA conformant on the web, you've completed the largest part of EN 301 549, but not necessarily all of it if you also ship apps, PDFs, or hardware.

What does 'presumption of conformity' mean?

Conforming to the harmonized standard EN 301 549 grants a legal presumption of conformity with the underlying EU directives (the EAA and the Web Accessibility Directive). Practically, it converts a fuzzy legal duty ('be accessible') into a concrete, testable engineering checklist — which is why sophisticated buyers and RFPs reference the standard by name.

Does EN 301 549 apply outside the EU?

Yes. Beyond the EU (EAA and Web Accessibility Directive), Canada adopted CAN/ASC-EN 301 549 as its digital accessibility benchmark in December 2025 under the Accessible Canada Act, with federal deadlines in 2027 and large-private-sector deadlines in 2028. This means the same EN 301 549 remediation work can satisfy both EU and Canadian obligations.

Accessibility

EN 301 549 Explained: The EU Accessibility Standard Behind the EAA

Q: Which version of EN 301 549 should I target?

As of mid-2026, EN 301 549 v3.2.1 is the version cited in the EU Official Journal, and it references WCAG 2.1 AA. A newer version incorporating WCAG 2.2 is expected to be harmonized around late 2026, so building to WCAG 2.2 AA now is the forward-compatible choice and avoids re-work when the standard updates.

EN 301 549 is the technical spec that the EAA, the EU public-sector directive, and now Canada's ACA all point to. Here's what it is and how it relates to WCAG.

July 28, 20262 min readAccessibility

Short answer: EN 301 549 is the European harmonized standard for the accessibility of ICT (websites, apps, software, documents, and hardware). It's the technical "how" behind the European Accessibility Act, the EU's public-sector Web Accessibility Directive, and — as of December 2025 — Canada's Accessible Canada Act. For web content it incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA in full, then adds requirements WCAG doesn't cover. If a European RFP or accessibility statement mentions it and you've only ever heard of WCAG, here's how the pieces fit.

WCAG vs EN 301 549 — the Relationship

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the W3C's standard for web content. WCAG 2.1 AA is the common conformance target.
EN 301 549 is broader. It incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA for web and mobile, then adds clauses for things WCAG never addresses: non-web software and documents, hardware, biometrics, real-time text, and two-way communication.

So if you're WCAG 2.1 AA conformant on the web, you've done the largest part of EN 301 549 — but not necessarily all of it, if you also ship native apps, PDFs, or hardware.

Why It Matters: "Presumption of Conformity"

This is the phrase that makes EN 301 549 valuable to a buyer. Conforming to the harmonized standard grants a legal presumption of conformity with the underlying EU directives (the EAA and the Web Accessibility Directive). In plain terms: it converts a fuzzy legal duty ("be accessible") into a concrete, testable engineering checklist. Engineers love a spec — and this is the spec.

Where It's Now Required

EAA (private sector, EU) — enforceable since June 2025, for anyone selling to EU consumers.
EU Web Accessibility Directive — public-sector websites and apps.
Canada's Accessible Canada Act — in December 2025, Canada adopted CAN/ASC-EN 301 549 as its digital benchmark, with federal deadlines in 2027 and large-private-sector deadlines in 2028 (Deque).

That last point is the strategic one: the same EN 301 549 remediation satisfies both the EU and Canada. One competency, two continents of legally-forced buyers.

Which Version?

As of mid-2026, EN 301 549 v3.2.1 is the version cited in the EU's Official Journal, and it references WCAG 2.1 AA. A newer version incorporating WCAG 2.2 is expected to be harmonized around late 2026 — so building to WCAG 2.2 AA now is the forward-compatible choice.

What to Do With This

If a European or Canadian buyer references EN 301 549, don't panic that it's a different universe from WCAG — it's mostly WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA plus extras for non-web assets. The path is the same as any accessibility remediation: audit against the standard, fix the real code, document conformance in a VPAT/ACR (the EU "INT" edition covers EN 301 549), and publish an accessibility statement. Overlays and "certificates" don't produce a presumption of conformity — only real conformance does.

Not sure whether you're close? A free VPAT Gap Check tells you where you stand against WCAG 2.2 AA / EN 301 549 and what it would take to be defensible.