The 2004 “Stanca” law is the digital accessibility law in Italy. The aim of the Stanca Law is to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to digital media.
This blog dives into six of the most frequently asked question about Italy's web accessibility law including how the Stanca law relates to the EU directive, who the Stanca law applies to, how companies based in Italy should get started with accessibility, and more.
For a comprehensive overview of how the European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies across EU countries, including Italy, grab your comprehensive guide to the EAA.
A "directive" in the European Union isn't a strict regulation. Rather a directive is a legislative act that sets out a goal for all that all EU states to achieve. Yet, it is up to each individual nation in the EU to decide how they will meet that goal. The Stanca law legislative decree no 106 updates Law 4/2004 to be Italy's answer to the EU directive.
The Web Accessibility Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/2102) requires that public sector organizations' websites and apps follow WCAG. The EU issued the web accessibility directive with a 2025 deadline for member states. The Web Accessibility Directive is the complement to the EU's European Accessibility Act.
Looking for a practical guide to EAA compliance? Don’t miss our comprehensive guide
The 2004 law mandated that websites and apps be accessible to everyone. The law applied to 7 specific types of organizations:
In 2020, article 29 of the Stanca law extended the requirements. The law now applies to the 8th category. It's this last category that must make their websites and apps accessible now.
Companies with that invoiced more than 500 million in sales in the past three years will need to start their accessibility initiatives with a plan now. These private companies will be required to declare their accessibility for the first time this fall, in 2022. For these private companies, the first step towards accessibility should be taking stock of digital assets to make them accessible.
Digital assets to review for accessibility include:
Some remediation will take longer than others. So, it's best for the private companies impacted by Stanca law to get started and take stock of what digital assets need to be accessible right away.
What happens when companies fail to make their websites and apps accessible is up to the AGID. The AGID is the Digital Italy Agency. AGID will confirm violations and assign deadlines for accessibility remediation. If it comes down to it, the AGID is likely to fine organizations with violations.
Besides facing fines, non-compliant companies can expect harm to their brand's reputation. Companies with inaccessible websites miss out on a large population of potential customers.
The companies making their websites and apps accessible now will benefit from better accessibility. Companies with more accessible apps and websites can serve a wider group of people. Today, 1 in 4 people have a disability. That's a big deal for the Italian companies, many of whom are international.
Some of the people able to use websites and apps when they are accessible are:
Digital accessibility makes websites and apps more usable. So, it's not only people with disabilities who want accessibility. People of all abilities benefit from accessible websites and apps.
Stanca law brings Italy closer to compliance with the EU web accessibility directive.
Lockdowns heightened our expectations for how we interact with companies online. As more people interact online, companies should make their digital assets accessible. With Stanca Law, even private companies must provide an equal experience for everyone online. Stanca law means a better digital experience is coming for people of all abilities.
Contact UsableNet for a free consultation or download our web accessibility checklist. The web accessibility checklist outlines the steps to consider when creating your digital accessibility initiative. Download the accessibility checklist now.
Watch our webinar, "The European Accessibility Act (EAA): Requirements for Compliance", to gain practical insights and strategies to ensure your business complies with the EAA by 2025. Register now and get the knowledge you need to stay ahead.