wcag-accessibilitylisted

# WCAG Accessibility (EN 301 549 / European Standard) ## The Standard The **European Accessibility Act (EAA)** requires digital products and services in the EU to meet **EN 301 549**, which references **WCAG 2.2 Level AA** as the technical baseline. This is not optional — it is a legal requirement for products operating in the EU market. **Default: always build to WCAG 2.2 AA.** Deviating requires explicit, documented justification. Do not skip accessibility requirements because of timeline pressure or design preference. WCAG 2.2 AA organises requirements under four principles: **Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust**. --- ## Perceivable Users must be able to perceive all content and UI components. ### Colour Contrast | Context | Minimum ratio | Enhanced (AAA) | |---|---|---| | Normal text (< 18pt / < 14pt bold) | **4.5 : 1** | 7 : 1 | | Large text (≥ 18pt / ≥ 14pt bold) | **3 : 1** | 4.5 : 1 | | UI components and graphical objects | **3 : 1** | — | **Disabled elements are exempt.** WCAG explicitly excludes inactive UI components from contrast requirements (WCAG 1.4.3 exception). A disabled button may use low-contrast text — this is intentional and correct, as it communicates the unavailable state. Do not use colour as the only means of conveying information (e.g. a red border alone to indicate an error — add an icon or text label). ### Text Alternatives - Every meaningful image needs `alt` text describing its content or function - Decorative images use `a