---
title: "EAA EN 301 549 and WCAG mapping"
canonical_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/en-301-549-and-wcag-mapping"
source_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/en-301-549-and-wcag-mapping"
author: "Sorena AI"
description: "Map European Accessibility Act Annex I requirements to EN 301 549 and WCAG evidence without overstating what WCAG tests can prove."
published_at: "2026-05-09"
updated_at: "2026-05-17"
keywords:
  - "EU Accessibility Act"
  - "EN 301 549"
  - "WCAG 2.1"
  - "EAA Annex I"
  - "accessibility evidence"
  - "EAA"
  - "Directive (EU) 2019/882"
  - "Annex I"
---
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---

# EAA EN 301 549 and WCAG mapping

Map European Accessibility Act Annex I requirements to EN 301 549 and WCAG evidence without overstating what WCAG tests can prove.

*Mapping Guide* *EU*

## EU Accessibility Act EN 301 549 and WCAG mapping

EN 301 549 is the ICT accessibility standard teams usually use to organise technical evidence. WCAG is part of that picture, but it is not the whole EAA evidence file.

This page helps separate EAA Annex I obligations, EN 301 549 clauses, WCAG 2.1 test results, version assumptions, and unsupported claims.

A defensible EAA mapping starts with the Directive, not with a WCAG spreadsheet. Directive (EU) 2019/882 requires covered products and services to meet the applicable Annex I accessibility requirements, subject to the Directive's rules on fundamental alteration and disproportionate burden. EN 301 549 then helps translate ICT accessibility into testable clauses. WCAG evidence is strongest for web content, documents, and software user interfaces where EN 301 549 directly incorporates WCAG 2.1 criteria.

## Relationship between EAA, EN 301 549, and WCAG

Treat the three layers separately. The EAA is the legal source: Article 4 points covered products and services to the applicable Annex I accessibility requirements. Article 15 gives a presumption of conformity only for harmonised standards, or parts of them, whose references have been published in the Official Journal and only to the extent those standards cover the Directive requirements.

EN 301 549 is the European ICT accessibility standard. ETSI describes V3.2.1 as the latest published version on its EN 301 549 V3 page, with a planned V4.1.1 revision in support of Directive (EU) 2019/882. That version context matters: a mapping should name the EN 301 549 version used and should not claim EAA presumption of conformity beyond the cited harmonised standard or OJEU reference.

WCAG is narrower. EN 301 549 V3.2.1 says WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance is equivalent to conforming with the standard's web clauses 9.1 to 9.4 and clause 9.6. EN 301 549 also contains requirements outside web content, including functional performance statements, closed functionality, biometrics, hardware, two-way voice communication, video, documentation, support services, relay services, and emergency service access.

- Use EAA Annex I to identify the legal accessibility outcome for the covered product or service.
- Use EN 301 549 to identify the ICT clauses and conformance checks that apply to the actual feature set.
- Use WCAG 2.1 evidence only where the EN 301 549 clause or test procedure relies on WCAG criteria.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive (EU) 2019/882](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the Article 4 Annex I requirement structure and Article 15 presumption-of-conformity limits for harmonised standards.
- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3 overview](https://www.etsi.org/human-factors-accessibility/en-301-549-v3-the-harmonized-european-standard-for-ict-accessibility?ref=sorena.io) - Supports EN 301 549 versioning, ICT scope, and the planned V4.1.1 revision in support of Directive (EU) 2019/882.
- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3.2.1 deliverable](https://www.etsi.org/deliverables?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the EN 301 549 clause structure, self-scoping requirements, WCAG 2.1 relationship, and conformance annexes.

*Recommended next step*

*Placement: after implementation section*

## Review your EAA standards mapping

Check whether your accessibility evidence separates EAA Annex I obligations, EN 301 549 clauses, WCAG 2.1 tests, version assumptions, and unsupported claims.

- [Open Research Copilot](/solutions/research-copilot.md): Ask EAA scope and standards questions with cited outputs.
- [Talk through EAA evidence](/contact.md): Review your Annex I mapping, standards versioning, WCAG test coverage, and exception records.

## What WCAG evidence can and cannot prove

WCAG test results are useful evidence, but their evidentiary boundary must be explicit. For a public website, account portal, checkout flow, web document, or software user interface, WCAG 2.1 results can support the corresponding EN 301 549 web, document, or software clauses. The evidence should identify the URL, screen, component, document, app version, assistive-technology assumptions, failed criteria, retest date, and remediation owner.

WCAG evidence does not, by itself, prove every EN 301 549 or EAA requirement. It does not prove whether a product is in EAA scope, whether a service provider has satisfied service information duties, whether a self-service terminal hardware interface is accessible, whether support services are accessible, whether an Article 14 exception is justified, or whether an OJEU-cited harmonised standard creates a presumption for the specific Annex I requirement.

Do not use WCAG 2.2 labels for an EN 301 549 V3.2.1 mapping unless a separate source and decision explain why that later W3C version is being used as additional non-public evidence. The official source EN 301 549 V3.2.1 material maps to WCAG 2.1, including the web clause equivalence statement.

- Good WCAG evidence: page-by-page or component-level WCAG 2.1 findings tied to EN 301 549 clauses 9, 10, or 11 where applicable.
- Insufficient WCAG evidence: a generic accessibility statement, vendor badge, or automated scan with no product version, scope, manual-testing coverage, or failed-criterion remediation.
- Out-of-scope for WCAG alone: Annex I service information, hardware controls, closed functionality, real-time text, support-service accessibility, and disproportionate-burden assessments.

Sources for this answer:

- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3.2.1 deliverable](https://www.etsi.org/deliverables?ref=sorena.io) - Supports that EN 301 549 V3.2.1 incorporates WCAG 2.1 for web requirements and contains additional ICT requirements beyond WCAG.
- [W3C - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the WCAG 2.1 success-criterion basis referenced by EN 301 549 V3.2.1.
- [Directive (EU) 2019/882](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the need to keep Annex I compliance, Article 14 exception assessments, and product/service scope separate from WCAG test evidence.

## A practical mapping table structure

Build the mapping as a requirements table, not as a pass/fail certificate. Each row should start with a covered product or service feature, then cite the EAA Annex I requirement being addressed, the EN 301 549 clause used as the technical control, and the evidence that proves the implementation for the tested release.

For web and app journeys, include WCAG 2.1 criteria where EN 301 549 points to them. For hardware, terminal, voice, video, closed-functionality, documentation, and support-service features, use the relevant EN 301 549 clauses and Annex C conformance checks instead of forcing every requirement into a WCAG row.

Add a version column. It should identify the EAA source, the EN 301 549 version, the WCAG version where used, the test tool or manual method, the product release, and whether the cited standard is being used as non-public evidence or as part of an OJEU-based presumption analysis.

- Column 1: product/service feature, user journey, market, and release version.
- Column 2: EAA Annex I section or requirement summary with the source citation.
- Column 3: EN 301 549 clause, applicability pre-condition, and Annex C check reference.
- Column 4: WCAG 2.1 criterion only when EN 301 549 uses or mirrors that criterion.
- Column 5: evidence link, owner, defect status, retest result, exception status, and next review trigger.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive (EU) 2019/882](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the Annex I requirements, Article 14 exception documentation, and technical-documentation evidence expectations.
- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3.2.1 deliverable](https://www.etsi.org/deliverables?ref=sorena.io) - Supports using EN 301 549 applicability pre-conditions, clauses 5 to 13, clause 14, Annex B, and Annex C in the mapping table.
- [European Commission - accessibility standardisation](https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/accessibility-standardisation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the role of CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI accessibility standards, including EN 301 549 for ICT accessibility.

## Review points before relying on the mapping

Review the mapping whenever the product feature set, supplier component, content template, assistive-technology assumption, or standard version changes. EAA Article 7 and Article 13 also require product and service conformity procedures to account for changes in harmonised standards or technical specifications used for the declaration.

Escalate rows that depend on Article 14. A fundamental-alteration or disproportionate-burden conclusion is not a WCAG failure note; it is a separate EAA assessment that must be documented, retained, and provided to authorities on request under the Directive's conditions.

Keep the final claim modest. A good page-level claim is 'this release has WCAG 2.1 and EN 301 549 evidence for the listed web journeys.' A broader EAA claim needs scope analysis, Annex I coverage, standards-version review, service and support evidence, product documentation, and exception records where relevant.

- Block any row that has an EAA Annex I claim but no EN 301 549 clause, alternative technical specification, or documented rationale.
- Block any WCAG pass claim that is based only on automated testing when the relevant criterion needs manual review.
- Block any presumption-of-conformity claim unless the applicable harmonised standard reference, version, and covered requirement have been verified.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive (EU) 2019/882](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Supports product and service change-control duties and separate Article 14 documentation for fundamental alteration or disproportionate burden.
- [European Commission - harmonised standards](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/goods/european-standards/harmonised-standards_en?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the need to verify harmonised-standard references before relying on presumption-of-conformity claims.
- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3 overview](https://www.etsi.org/human-factors-accessibility/en-301-549-v3-the-harmonized-european-standard-for-ict-accessibility?ref=sorena.io) - Supports checking EN 301 549 version status before treating an old mapping as current evidence.

## Primary sources

- [Directive (EU) 2019/882](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Primary legal source for EAA scope, Annex I accessibility requirements, harmonised-standard presumption, technical documentation, and Article 14 limits.
  - Quote: "accessibility requirements set out in Annex I"
- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3 overview](https://www.etsi.org/human-factors-accessibility/en-301-549-v3-the-harmonized-european-standard-for-ict-accessibility?ref=sorena.io) - ETSI source for EN 301 549 ICT scope, current V3.2.1 status, Web Accessibility Directive support, and planned EAA-supporting revision.
  - Quote: "harmonized European Standard for ICT Accessibility"
- [ETSI - EN 301 549 V3.2.1 deliverable](https://www.etsi.org/deliverables?ref=sorena.io) - ETSI deliverables source used for the EN 301 549 clause structure, WCAG 2.1 relationship, self-scoping requirements, and conformance annexes.
  - Quote: "requirements in clauses 5 to 13"
- [W3C - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/?ref=sorena.io) - W3C source for the WCAG 2.1 criteria referenced by EN 301 549 V3.2.1 for web, document, and software evidence.
  - Quote: "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1"
- [European Commission - accessibility standardisation](https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/accessibility-standardisation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission source for the role of European accessibility standards and EN 301 549 in ICT accessibility standardisation.
  - Quote: "Mandate 376 ICT accessibility"
- [European Commission - harmonised standards](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/goods/european-standards/harmonised-standards_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission source for harmonised-standard context and the need to verify cited standards before relying on presumption of conformity.
  - Quote: "Harmonised standards are European standards"

## Related Topic Guides

- [EAA Accessibility Conformance Statement Template](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/accessibility-conformance-statement-template.md): Template language for an EU Accessibility Act conformance statement covering scope, Annex I mapping, service information, standards, support routes, evidence, and limits.
- [EAA Article 14 disproportionate burden workflow](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/disproportionate-burden-assessment-workflow.md): A cited EU Accessibility Act workflow for Article 14 fundamental alteration and disproportionate burden assessments, records, reassessment triggers, and evidence.
- [EAA conformance statements: products, services, EN 301 549 evidence](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/conformance-statements.md): What an EU Accessibility Act conformance statement should include, with product EU declarations, service information, EN 301 549 and WCAG evidence boundaries.
- [EAA e-commerce checkout accessibility FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/e-commerce-checkout.md): How to test an e-commerce checkout under the European Accessibility Act, including service scope, payment and identification flows, service information, and evidence.
- [EAA e-commerce checkout accessibility guide](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/e-commerce-checkout-accessibility.md): Official source EU Accessibility Act guide for accessible e-commerce checkout scope, payment and identification requirements, evidence, standards mapping, and customer information.
- [EAA EN 301 549 clause mapping for ICT evidence](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/en-301-549-clause-mapping.md): Map EN 301 549 clauses to EU Accessibility Act evidence, Annex I outcomes, product and service records, and gaps that need non-ICT support.
- [EAA procurement clauses and accessibility acceptance criteria](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/procurement-language-and-acceptance-criteria.md): Buyer-side EU Accessibility Act procurement language for covered products and services, with supplier evidence, EN 301 549 limits, Article 14 exception records, and acceptance criteria.
- [EAA scope classifier workflow for products and services](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/accessibility-scope-classifier-workflow.md): Classify EU Accessibility Act scope by product or service category, consumer use, market or service date, operator role, exclusions, exemptions, Article 14 records, and evidence.
- [EAA testing and conformance evidence | Annex I, EN 301 549 and Article 14](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/testing-and-conformance-evidence.md): How to document European Accessibility Act testing evidence: Annex I mappings, product technical files, service information, EN 301 549 boundaries, harmonised-standard limits, and Article 14 exception records.
- [EAA WCAG evidence and procurement acceptance](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/wcag-evidence-and-procurement-acceptance.md): How to use EN 301 549 and WCAG evidence in EU Accessibility Act procurement acceptance without overstating presumption of conformity.
- [EN 301 549 clause mapping for the EU Accessibility Act | EAA FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/en-301-549-clause-mapping.md): How to map EN 301 549 and WCAG evidence to EU Accessibility Act Annex I requirements without overclaiming presumption of conformity.
- [EN 301 549 evidence matrix workflow for EAA readiness](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/en-301-549-evidence-matrix-workflow.md): Build an EN 301 549 evidence matrix for European Accessibility Act work: scope rows, clause mapping, test evidence, owner sign-off, exception records, and limits of standards evidence.
- [EN 301 549 vs WCAG for EAA evidence](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/en-301-549-vs-wcag.md): Compare EN 301 549 and WCAG for European Accessibility Act planning: ICT scope, web-content overlap, harmonised-standard limits, and evidence beyond WCAG-only tests.
- [EU Accessibility Act Applicability Test](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/applicability-test.md): Check whether the European Accessibility Act covers a product or consumer service, which role applies, which date matters, and what evidence to keep.
- [EU Accessibility Act authority request response FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/authority-response.md): How to answer EU Accessibility Act checks from market surveillance or service authorities with technical documentation, service information, Article 14 records, and corrective actions.
- [EU Accessibility Act checklist for products and services](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/checklist.md): Checklist for EAA scope, operator role, Annex I mapping, product technical files, service information, Article 14 assessments, supplier evidence, release checks, and monitoring.
- [EU Accessibility Act compliance operating model](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/compliance.md): Build an EU Accessibility Act compliance file for covered products and services: scope, operator roles, Annex I mapping, conformity evidence, Article 14 assessments, corrective actions, and records.
- [EU Accessibility Act deadlines and compliance calendar](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/deadlines-and-compliance-calendar.md): Calendar for the EU Accessibility Act: 2022 transposition, 2025 application, 2027 emergency communications timing, 2030 transition rules, owner actions, and evidence records.
- [EU Accessibility Act deadlines and transition plan](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/deadlines-and-transition-plan.md): Plan for the European Accessibility Act application date, service-contract transition, self-service terminal transition, 112 derogation, and evidence gates.
- [EU Accessibility Act disproportionate burden decision](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/disproportionate-burden-decision.md): How to document an EU Accessibility Act Article 14 disproportionate burden decision with supported criteria, retained evidence, limits, notifications, and review triggers.
- [EU Accessibility Act exemptions and disproportionate burden](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/exemptions-and-disproportionate-burden.md): Article 14 EAA guide covering fundamental alteration, disproportionate burden, service microenterprise exemptions, content exclusions, transition limits, and documentation.
- [EU Accessibility Act FAQ: scope, dates, services, Article 14](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq.md): Clear answers on EU Accessibility Act scope, 28 June 2025 application, covered products and services, microenterprises, Article 14, service information, standards, and penalties.
- [EU Accessibility Act for ecommerce websites](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/accessibility-act-for-ecommerce-websites.md): Official source guide for ecommerce teams applying the EU Accessibility Act to consumer checkout journeys, service information, accessibility evidence, and exceptions.
- [EU Accessibility Act microenterprise exemption and disproportionate burden FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/microenterprise-and-disproportionate-burden-decisions.md): FAQ explaining when EAA microenterprise relief applies, how Article 14 disproportionate-burden assessments work, what Annex VI requires, and what records to keep.
- [EU Accessibility Act penalties and enforcement](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/penalties-and-fines.md): How Directive (EU) 2019/882 handles penalties, Member State enforcement, market surveillance for products, and service compliance checks.
- [EU Accessibility Act procurement acceptance criteria | EAA FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/procurement-acceptance.md): How to write EAA procurement acceptance criteria that ask suppliers for scoped accessibility evidence, standards mappings, declarations, and exception records without overclaiming conformity.
- [EU Accessibility Act Product and Service Scope](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/product-and-service-category-scoping.md): Scope products and services under the EU Accessibility Act using Article 2 categories, Article 3 definitions, limited content exclusions, microenterprise treatment, and evidence records.
- [EU Accessibility Act products and services in scope](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/products-and-services-in-scope.md): Article 2 scope guide for the European Accessibility Act: covered products, covered consumer services, economic-operator roles, Article 3 definitions, and evidence records.
- [EU Accessibility Act Requirements: Annex I, Products, Services](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/requirements.md): Map EU Accessibility Act requirements by Article 4, Annex I, product and service obligations, Article 13 evidence, standards, and Article 14 exceptions.
- [EU Accessibility Act service transition rules under Article 32 | EAA FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/transition-services.md): FAQ on EU Accessibility Act Article 32 transition rules for service providers, pre-28 June 2025 contracts, 2030 limits, self-service terminals, evidence records, and change triggers.
- [EU Accessibility Act services: banking, transport, media and e-books](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/banking-transport-and-media-services.md): FAQ on which consumer banking, transport, audiovisual media access, electronic communications, e-book, and e-commerce services fall under the EU Accessibility Act.
- [EU Accessibility Act vs ADA and Section 508: EAA-cited-source comparison](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/accessibility-act-vs-ada-and-section-508.md): Compare the EU Accessibility Act with ADA and Section 508 planning boundaries, using official source EAA scope, evidence, standards, procurement, and operator-duty points.
- [EU Accessibility Act vs Web Accessibility Directive](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/accessibility-act-vs-web-accessibility-directive.md): Compare the European Accessibility Act with the Web Accessibility Directive: scope, covered actors, services, standards, evidence, monitoring, enforcement, and key dates.
- [WCAG Evidence for the EU Accessibility Act and EN 301 549 | EAA FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/wcag-evidence.md): When WCAG test evidence helps EAA work, how it maps through EN 301 549, and why WCAG alone does not prove European Accessibility Act compliance.
- [Which products and services does the EU Accessibility Act cover? | EAA FAQ](/artifacts/eu/accessibility-act/faq/product-and-service-categories.md): Article 2 and Article 3 scope summary for EU Accessibility Act covered products, services, exclusions, product-service boundaries, and records to keep.


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