Accessibility of goods and services

Over the years, the European Union (EU) has developed an extensive, but significantly fragmented, disability policy in the field of goods and services. This policy has been applied horizontally in several areas of EU law, including the internal market, consumer protection, services of general interest and transport. The conclusion of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) resulted in a wave of proposed and adopted EU legislation implementing the requirements of the UN Convention, with the European Accessibility Act being the most prominent amongst them. This chapter provides an overview of the EU regulatory provisions that address accessibility in the field of goods and services. It evaluates the policy choices made by the EU legislator. It also provides an analysis of the European Accessibility Act and an examination of whether the Act improves upon the existing regulatory regime at EU level. Lastly, this chapter reflects upon potential further measures that can be adopted by the EU to implement the requirements of the CRPD.