Legally prescribed requirements
The law obligates the public sector and some private and third-sector operators to meet accessibility requirements. The law aims to promote the accessibility, quality, data security and content accessibility of digital services, thereby improving everyone’s ability to use digital services on an equal basis.
Read more: Act on the Provision of Digital ServicesThe legally prescribed accessibility requirements are based on the European standard. For the most part, the requirements are identical to those of the international WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.1.
Public-sector websites and applications must meet the accessibility requirements as follows:
- New websites (including intranet and extranet implementations) by 23 September 2019
- Old services by 23 September 2020
- Mobile applications by 23 June 2021
More information is available on the ‘Requirements of the Act on the Provision of Digital Services’ page of the Regional State Administrative Agency.
Keep in mind! Several Finnish laws prompt or obligate operators to provide accessibility. For further information, see the ‘Other laws’ page.
The instructions on visuality are such that they should also be followed in all other printable brochures or contents distributed as digital files.
Accessibility statement
Digital services governed by the law must also provide an accessibility statement with the following details:
- Which parts of the content do not meet the accessibility requirements and why
- An account of alternatives for using any digital services that are not accessible
- How it can be reported to the organisation that its website or mobile application does not meet the requirements set
- Information about action that the client can take if they are not satisfied with the response they have received (legal protection method for accessibility)
More information on the accessibility statement:
Objective of the City of Helsinki
The City of Helsinki’s objective is to meet the requirements set for accessibility. The requirements are based on the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The City’s aim is to reach the AA level in accordance with the guidelines.
Clear instructions for levels A–AAA (in Finnish):