ZAGREB, September 3, 2018 – A project has been launched to certify websites for the blind and visually-impaired users, a press conference heard.
The project is being implemented in line with the European Directive on the Accessibility of the Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies and it includes blind and visually impaired persons from Zagreb who have completed the necessary training as well as web developers from the CodeVision Studio company who will, together with the Apriori World company, establish the Institute for Digital Transformation.
That institute will be responsible for the training of web developers throughout the country to facilitate the implementation of the directive at all levels in Croatia as soon as possible.
Apart from employing blind and visually-impaired people, the project is aimed at motivating the public and private sectors to implement accessible websites and mobile applications in the hope that over the next two years, Croatia can become one of the first European countries to have adapted their digital platforms in line with the European directive, thus raising the level of social responsibility.
EU member states are obliged to harmonise national legislation with the directive by 23 September 2018.
A state-secretary at the central state office for the development of the digital society Bernard Gršić underscored that the government on July 19 sent the parliament a bill on the accessibility of networks and mobile applications of public sector bodies.
The bill notes that existing websites have two years – until 23 September 2020 – to adapt, while 23 September 2021 is the deadline to adapt mobile applications.
