Belgium Web Accessibility Compliance
Belgium transposed the European Accessibility Act into federal law in 2022, with accessibility enforcement active since June 28, 2025. Flemish, Walloon, and Brussels-Capital regions each maintain additional digital accessibility frameworks.
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Belgian Accessibility Legal Framework
Belgium's web accessibility landscape reflects its complex federal structure, with obligations arising at both federal and regional levels:
- European Accessibility Act (EAA) transposition: Belgium transposed Directive (EU) 2019/882 into federal law, requiring products and services — including websites, mobile apps, and e-commerce platforms — to meet accessibility standards since June 28, 2025
- Federal Anti-Discrimination Law (2007): Prohibits discrimination based on disability in access to goods and services, including digital services. Unia (the Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities) handles complaints
- EU Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) transposition: Each region transposed the WAD separately — the Flemish Government adopted the Bestuursdecreet provisions, while Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region enacted their own decrees requiring public sector WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
The federal EAA transposition harmonizes requirements across regions for private sector digital services, but public sector obligations remain split across Flemish, Walloon, and Brussels-Capital frameworks.
Technical Requirements and Standards
Belgian accessibility requirements align with European harmonized standards:
- EN 301 549: The European standard for ICT accessibility, referencing WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the baseline for web content. Belgian federal and regional frameworks all reference EN 301 549
- WCAG 2.1 AA: All four principles — perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust — apply. This covers text alternatives, keyboard navigation, color contrast (minimum 4.5:1), form labels, and error identification
- Multilingual considerations: Belgian websites often serve Dutch, French, and German-speaking users. Each language version must independently meet WCAG 2.1 AA, with correct
langattributes on all content - Mobile accessibility: The EAA extends requirements to mobile applications and self-service terminals, not just websites
The Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) and the regional monitoring bodies conduct accessibility audits using a combination of automated testing and expert evaluation.
Enforcement, Penalties, and Monitoring
Enforcement of web accessibility in Belgium involves multiple bodies due to its federal structure:
- Federal level: The FPS Economy (Federal Public Service Economy) oversees EAA enforcement for private sector products and services. Non-compliance can result in administrative fines and injunctions
- Flemish region: The Flemish Government's Digitaal Vlaanderen monitors public sector website accessibility and publishes compliance reports
- Walloon region: The Agence du Numérique (AdN) conducts accessibility monitoring for Walloon public sector websites
- Brussels-Capital: BRIC (Brussels Regional Informatics Centre) handles monitoring for Brussels-Capital Region public sector sites
- Unia: The Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities can investigate accessibility complaints from citizens and mediate between complainants and organizations
Under the EAA, penalties for non-compliance with private sector accessibility requirements include fines proportional to the severity of the violation and the size of the enterprise. Microenterprises (fewer than 10 employees, under EUR 2 million turnover) are exempt from EAA product and service requirements.
How CompliScan Helps Belgian Organizations Comply
Run a free CompliScan scan to identify WCAG 2.1 AA violations on your Belgian website. Our automated scanner checks against the criteria referenced in EN 301 549, covering 30-40% of testable WCAG requirements.
Belgium-specific compliance steps:
- Multilingual audit: Scan each language version (NL, FR, DE) separately to ensure every version meets WCAG 2.1 AA independently
- Public sector bodies: Generate violation reports aligned with your regional monitoring body's requirements — Digitaal Vlaanderen, AdN, or BRIC
- E-commerce sites: The EAA specifically targets e-commerce — audit your checkout flow, product pages, and customer account areas — EAA enforcement has been active since June 2025
- Ongoing monitoring: CompliScan Shield ($49/mo) provides weekly scans to catch regressions after content updates
Shield Pro ($149/mo) adds daily scans and downloadable PDF reports for regulatory documentation. For Belgian digital agencies managing multiple client sites across regions, the Agency plan ($299/mo) covers up to 50 sites with priority scanning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the European Accessibility Act apply in Belgium?
Yes. Belgium transposed the EAA (Directive 2019/882) into federal law. Since June 28, 2025, private sector digital services including e-commerce websites, banking platforms, and transport booking systems must meet accessibility standards based on EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA. Microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees and under EUR 2 million turnover are exempt.
Are accessibility rules different in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels?
For public sector websites, yes. Each region transposed the EU Web Accessibility Directive separately: Flanders through the Bestuursdecreet, Wallonia and Brussels-Capital through their own decrees. However, the EAA applies uniformly at federal level for private sector services, so commercial websites face the same requirements regardless of region.
What penalties exist for non-compliance in Belgium?
Under the federal EAA transposition, the FPS Economy can impose administrative fines proportional to the violation's severity and the organization's size. Under the Anti-Discrimination Law, Unia can mediate complaints and individuals can seek damages through courts. Public sector non-compliance is reported by regional monitoring bodies and can result in mandatory remediation orders.
Do Belgian websites need to be accessible in all three languages?
If your website serves content in Dutch, French, and German, each language version must independently meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This includes correct lang attributes, proper text alternatives in each language, and accessible navigation for all language versions. A site that is accessible in French but not in Dutch is non-compliant for Dutch-speaking users.
Which Belgian body handles accessibility complaints?
Unia, the Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities, handles discrimination complaints including digital accessibility. For public sector websites, complaints go to the relevant regional monitoring body: Digitaal Vlaanderen (Flanders), Agence du Numérique (Wallonia), or BRIC (Brussels-Capital). For private sector EAA enforcement, the FPS Economy is the market surveillance authority.
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