Does WCAG 2.2 Affect Accessibility Laws?

Summary

WCAG 2.2 is expected to influence accessibility laws over time, but adoption varies by region. Many existing regulations still reference earlier WCAG versions, and updates to include WCAG 2.2 are anticipated but not yet universally implemented.

Overview

WCAG 2.2 was published as an official W3C Recommendation on October 5, 2023.. Legislations that reference WCAG are expected to gradually update to reflect WCAG 2.2, though many regulations still formally reference earlier versions such as WCAG 2.1.

Impact by Region

European Union (EU)

The EU Web Accessibility Directive that came into force in EU member states on September 23rd, 2018 references WCAG 2.1 as the standard to be used. While updates to reference WCAG 2.2 are anticipated, timelines vary by region and governing body.

United States (US)

In the US, Section 508 references WCAG 2.0. Updates to WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 are under consideration, but no universal adoption timeline has been established.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says the web must be made accessible, but it doesn’t reference any standard. WCAG 2.0 is widely considered the de facto standard for ADA compliance. Nevertheless, we anticipate that there will be an increasing expectation for websites to live up to WCAG 2.1 and likely 2.2 as well.

Canada

The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) was passed by the government of Canada on June 21, 2019, bringing accessibility legislation to the federal level for all provinces. The expectation is that the ACA will strive to adopt the latest standard for web accessibility.

Key Takeaways

• WCAG 2.2 is officially published but not yet universally adopted in law
• Many regulations still reference WCAG 2.0 or 2.1
• Adoption timelines vary significantly by region
• Organizations are expected to gradually align with newer WCAG standards