The EU and UK public sector rules prescribe an accessibility statement, while the European Accessibility Act asks businesses for information it never calls one.

The EU's public sector directive requires public bodies to publish and update a detailed, comprehensive and clear accessibility statement.

provide and regularly update a detailed, comprehensive and clear accessibility statement Directive (EU) 2016/2102, Article 7(1), 26 October 2016.

The European Accessibility Act, which covers businesses, instead asks service providers to prepare information under its Annex V explaining how their services meet the requirements.

shall explain how the services meet the applicable accessibility requirements Directive (EU) 2019/882, Article 13(2), 17 April 2019.

The statement must explain which content is not accessible and why, and where appropriate the accessible alternatives.

an explanation concerning those parts of the content that are not accessible Directive (EU) 2016/2102, Article 7(1)(a), 26 October 2016.

It must describe and link to a feedback mechanism through which anyone can report a failure or ask for excluded content.

a description of, and a link to, a feedback mechanism enabling any person to notify Directive (EU) 2016/2102, Article 7(1)(b), 26 October 2016.

It must link to the enforcement procedure for when the response is unsatisfactory.

a link to the enforcement procedure set out in Article 9 Directive (EU) 2016/2102, Article 7(1)(c), 26 October 2016.

The Commission's model statement asks the body to choose one of three levels of conformance: full, partial, or none.

Choose one of the options below, e.g. (a), (b), or (c) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523, Annex, Section 1, Compliance status, 11 October 2018.

The top option is to be chosen only if every requirement of the standard is met without exception.

only if all requirements of the standard or technical specification are fully met without exceptions Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523, Annex, note iii, 11 October 2018.

The statement must say the method used to reach its claims, such as a self-assessment or a third-party assessment.

The statement shall indicate the method used as referred to in paragraph 1. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523, Article 3(2), 11 October 2018.

A recital encourages review at least once a year; the directive itself says only that the statement be regularly updated.

review and update their accessibility statements regularly, and at least annually Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523, Recital 3, 11 October 2018.

The model's instructions say a link to the statement should be prominent on the home page or on every page.

A link to the accessibility statement should be prominently placed on the homepage Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523, Annex, Instructions, 11 October 2018.

A public sector body must provide a statement following the model statement and keep it under regular review.

must provide an accessibility statement in accordance with the model accessibility statement SI 2018/952, regulation 8(1), Made 29 August 2018, revised text.

For a website, the statement must be in an accessible format and published on the body's website.

published on the website of the public sector body SI 2018/952, regulation 8(2), Made 29 August 2018, revised text.

The required contents mirror the EU list: what is not accessible and why, alternatives, a contact form, and a link to the enforcement procedure.

those parts of the content that are not accessible and the reasons why SI 2018/952, regulation 8(4), Made 29 August 2018, revised text.

Government guidance says to review the statement when there are major changes and at least once a year.

(when there are major changes and at least once a year) GOV.UK, Make your website or app accessible and publish an accessibility statement, section 3, Last updated 27 September 2024.

The government may check whether a body's statement meets the rules and, where it does not, publish the body's name.

must publish the name of the public sector body and the determination SI 2018/952, regulation 14(1) and (12), Made 29 August 2018, revised text.

The information goes in the general terms and conditions or an equivalent document.

in the general terms and conditions, or equivalent document Directive (EU) 2019/882, Annex V, point 1, 17 April 2019.

It includes a general description of the service in accessible formats, explanations needed to understand how the service works, and a description of how it meets the requirements.

how the relevant accessibility requirements set out in Annex I are met by the service Directive (EU) 2019/882, Annex V, point 1(a) to (c), 17 April 2019.

It must be public, in written and oral form, accessible to disabled people, and kept for as long as the service runs.

shall keep that information for as long as the service is in operation Directive (EU) 2019/882, Article 13(2), 17 April 2019.

To meet this duty a provider may apply, in full or in part, harmonised standards and technical specifications published in the Official Journal.

may apply in full or in part the harmonised standards and technical specifications Directive (EU) 2019/882, Annex V, point 2, 17 April 2019.

National law can add to the list. Germany's version also requires naming the competent market surveillance authority.

die Angabe der zuständigen Marktüberwachungsbehörde BFSG Anlage 3 Nr. 1(d), 16 July 2021, as amended 6 May 2024.