Since the entry into force of the order of 6 September 2023, an entity is at the heart of the monitoring and guarantee of digital accessibility in France: Arcom. This initiative is part of the law of 11 February 2005 for equal rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with disabilities. The new article 47-1 gives the Arcom a crucial mission: to ensure compliance with the obligations relating to the accessibility of digital services.
The Responsibilities of the Arcom
Arcom plays a vital role in ensuring that digital services meet accessibility standards. In practice, it ensures that websites, mobile applications and intranets, among others, meet the required accessibility criteria. Some of its key responsibilities include:
- Compliance Verification: Arcom must ensure that the services concerned clearly indicate their compliance with the accessibility rules on their home page.
- Facilitating Access to Information: It must ensure that users can easily access an accessibility statement and the multi-year accessibility framework.
- Reporting: Arcom also ensures that users have simple ways to report any breach of accessibility rules.
- Compliance Control: It is responsible for controlling whether digital services comply with the RGAA, the general framework for improving accessibility.
Sanctions for Violations
In case of non-compliance, Arcom has measures to ensure compliance with legal obligations. After a formal notice, pecuniary sanctions of up to 25,000 euros may be imposed against corporate entities that are recalcitrant.
The Stakeholders
Arcom works with various actors, including legal entities governed by public law, private legal entities entrusted with a public service mission and companies exceeding a certain turnover threshold.
GRFA Obligations and Criteria
The RGAA, a key reference framework, allows for the assessment of the accessibility of a site and its contents according to international standards of digital accessibility. In France, the accessibility rate is calculated according to the strict criteria of the GAAR.
Arcom is thus an essential pillar in the promotion of digital accessibility in France, ensuring that everyone can fully benefit from online services, whatever their capabilities.
