The French Legal Framework
Digital accessibility has been a legal obligation in France since the law of February 11, 2005 on equal rights and opportunities. This obligation has been reinforced by:
- The Digital Republic Act (2016)
- The Decree of July 24, 2019 on accessibility of online public communication services
- The European Directive 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act) transposed into French law
- The Law of March 9, 2023 on various EU law adaptation provisions
Who is affected?
Public sector (since 2012)
- The State and its services
- Local authorities
- Public institutions
- Public service delegates
Private sector (since 2025)
With the European Accessibility Act, only micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees and less than €2 million turnover) are exempt. All other companies must comply:
- All companies with more than 10 employees or more than €2 million turnover
- Online banking and financial services
- E-commerce websites
- Transport services
- Telecommunications services
Penalties
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Missing accessibility statement | Up to €25,000/year |
| Non-compliant site | Up to €50,000/year |
| Missing multi-year plan | Up to €25,000/year |
| Missing homepage mention | Up to €2,500/year |
How to comply?
- Conduct an audit — Start with an automated scan using RGAA Test to identify major non-conformities.
- Fix critical issues — Alt text, keyboard navigation, contrast, forms.
- Train your teams — Developers, designers and content writers must integrate accessibility into their practices.
- Publish your statement — Formalize your approach with the mandatory accessibility statement.