comparison
RGAA vs EN 301 549
RGAA (Référentiel général d'amélioration de l'accessibilité, France, 2009) and EN 301 549 (EN 301 549 — Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services, European Union (harmonised standard), 2014 (v3.2.1 current)) are two of the most-referenced accessibility frameworks in digital compliance. This guide compares them side by side — jurisdiction, scope, conformance approach, penalties, and how a single audit can cover both simultaneously.
What is RGAA?
France's Référentiel général d'amélioration de l'accessibilité (RGAA) is the French government's national web accessibility methodology, currently at version 4.1, that operationalises EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA with 106 control tests and is mandatory for public-sector and (since the EAA transposition) large-private-sector French websites.
Maintainer
DINUM (Direction interministérielle du numérique)
Jurisdiction and enforcement
France. DINUM; ARCOM for audiovisual.
What is EN 301 549?
EN 301 549 is the harmonised European standard for digital accessibility, maintained jointly by ETSI, CEN, and CENELEC, that incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA for web and mobile content and adds requirements for hardware, software, documentation and support — and is the technical reference for both the European Accessibility Act and the Web Accessibility Directive.
Maintainer
ETSI / CEN / CENELEC
Jurisdiction and enforcement
European Union (harmonised standard). Referenced by EAA and Web Accessibility Directive.
RGAA vs EN 301 549 — the key differences
The principal difference is jurisdictional: RGAA applies in France, while EN 301 549 applies in European Union (harmonised standard). RGAA is maintained by DINUM (Direction interministérielle du numérique); EN 301 549 is maintained by ETSI / CEN / CENELEC. The standards differ on scope, conformance grading, and penalty structure — but a well-designed accessibility programme can satisfy both simultaneously by adopting the strictest applicable requirement and cross-mapping findings.
Scope
RGAA covers: Public-sector websites, Large private-sector websites (under EAA transposition). EN 301 549 covers: Web content, Non-web documents (PDF, EPUB), Software (native apps, OSes), Hardware (kiosks, devices), Documentation, ICT support services.
Penalties
RGAA: Up to €50,000 administrative fine. EN 301 549: Inherited from referencing law (WAD or EAA per member state).
How to comply with both at once
Adopt the stricter applicable conformance level — typically WCAG 2.2 Level AA — as your engineering baseline. Audit against that baseline once, then cross-map findings to both RGAA and EN 301 549 specific requirements. A single Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) using VPAT 2.5 INT can document both.
When you might need just one
If you operate exclusively in France and have no cross-border procurement exposure, you may only need RGAA. The same applies in reverse for EN 301 549. For organisations selling cross-border, into the EU or US public sector, the safer default is to plan to both simultaneously.
Sources
- RGAA 4.1 — DINUM
- EN 301 549 v3.2.1 — ETSI
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Cited answers. Sourced. Updated as standards and case law change.
Is RGAA stricter than EN 301 549?
Neither standard is uniformly "stricter" — they cover different regulatory domains. RGAA is more prescriptive about public-sector websites; EN 301 549 about web content. For organisations exposed to both, a unified WCAG 2.2 AA baseline typically satisfies the technical requirements of both.
Can a single audit satisfy RGAA and EN 301 549?
Yes. Both standards ultimately reference WCAG-aligned criteria. A combined audit with cross-mapped findings can produce documentation acceptable to both regulators.
Which jurisdictions enforce RGAA?
France. DINUM; ARCOM for audiovisual.
Which jurisdictions enforce EN 301 549?
European Union (harmonised standard). Referenced by EAA and Web Accessibility Directive.
What happens if I am not compliant with RGAA?
Up to €50,000 administrative fine
What happens if I am not compliant with EN 301 549?
Inherited from referencing law (WAD or EAA per member state)
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