site.btaParliamentary Committee Adopts Bill on Accessibility Requirements for Products, Services on First Reading

MPs from the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy and Innovation adopted on first reading here on Wednesday the draft legislation on accessibility requirements for products and services that had been tabled by the caretaker government of then prime minister Dimitar Glavchev. The bill aims to establish a new legal framework harmonized with European legislation, which will regulate the conditions for the provision of products and services on the market, which have certain accessibility requirements.

The bill aims to implement the requirements of Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility of certain products and services. The main goal of the directive is to ensure the free movement of these products and services across EU Member States, eliminating differences in national requirements and ensuring greater accessibility for people with disabilities.

The bill regulates the obligations of economic operators and service providers, the requirements for products covered by the document, as well as issues relating to consumer complaints, alerts and collective redress. Accessibility requirements for consumer computer hardware systems, self-service terminals, equipment with interactive capabilities, etc. are defined in it.

Mandatory requirements for services such as access to audio-visual media services, electronic communications services, transport (air, bus, rail and water), consumer banking services, e-books, specialised software and e-commerce are also included. The new bill requires that products be designed and manufactured in a way that makes it as easy as possible for people with disabilities to use them, and be accompanied by accessible information about their use and features.