DOC // Law on accessibility of products and services published in Official Journal

The law on accessibility requirements applicable to certain products and services has been published in the Official Journal. The new provisions aim to ensure easier access to products and services for people with reduced mobility, including persons with disabilities, older people, and those with temporary or permanent functional limitations.

The legislation establishes accessibility requirements for products and services made available or provided on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and seeks to ensure access under conditions of equality and non-discrimination.

The law transposes European regulations in this area into national legislation and establishes obligations for economic operators and service providers to ensure the conditions necessary for the use of products and services by all categories of people, including persons with disabilities.

The regulations cover six areas: technology and software, e-commerce, financial services, transport services, services provided by public institutions, and emergency communications.

Accordingly, accessibility requirements will be mandatory for electronic communications services and services providing access to audiovisual media services. In the transport sector, they will apply to websites and mobile applications, travel information, and self-service terminals used in the Republic of Moldova.

The new rules will also apply to the process of handling calls to the single emergency number 112. Micro-enterprises providing services will be exempt from the obligation to comply with accessibility requirements.

The requirements will also be mandatory for certain products, including hardware systems, payment terminals, ATMs, and electronic book readers.

Economic operators and service providers that fail to comply with accessibility requirements may face administrative sanctions.

The law will enter into force on January 1, 2028, except for the chapters concerning accessibility requirements applicable to products and services, which will enter into force on the date of the Republic of Moldova's accession to the European Union.

A five-year transition period is provided for service supply contracts in force on the date the law enters into force. At the same time, self-service terminals used before the new regulations take effect may remain in operation for a period of no more than 20 years.