Poland

Is there existing legislation in your country to encourage or ensure that websites, in particular government, public service or other sites providing widespread services of general use (such as hiring services, travel, telephony, energy, education, employment, leisure...) are accessible to visually impaired people? Please be sure to specify in your answer to which categories of site the regulation(s) apply.

In the Polish legal system, the act of 17 February 2005 on digitalisation of entities performing public tasks (Journal of Laws no. 64 item 565) with subsequent amendments and an issued Government order of 12 April, 2012 on National Interoperability framework, minimal requirements for public registers and information exchange in the electronic form, and minimal requirements for IT systems are in force. These acts shall impose on entities fulfilling tasks that their IT systems for presenting information comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0,) with regard to the AA level criteria.

Polish legal system includes the following public entities:

1. governmental bodies, state control bodies and legal protection, courts, prosecutor's organizational units, and also local governmental units
2. state and local budgetary units
3. special funds
4. public healthcare institutions and other medical institutions acting in accordance with medical activity
5. Social Insurance Institution, the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund

The above shall also be applied when a public entity entrusts any private institution with a fulfilment of a public task when, in regard to that fulfilment, there is a liability to present information from or for entities that are not governmental bodies.

What are the standards that are used in your country to measure website accessibility?

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0)

Is there an authority in place to establish, measure and control website accessibility?

There are organs that are to evaluate whether IT systems belonging to entities performing public tasks comply with WCAG requirements, these entities entrust public tasks. Public entities are controlled by a superior body. IN the case of lack of such body, the responsibility lays down on the applicable ministry for digitalisation.

Is there a legal obligation to regularly review the accessibility of websites?

No obligation exists.

Is there an established timeframe for

1. new websites to be made accessible?
   if yes what is it ?
2. existing websites to be made accessible?
   if yes what is it ?
   According to the above mentioned government order, IT systems of entities fulfilling public tasks that have been prepared no later than on the day of enforcement of the regulation that is on May 30^th 2012 shall implement necessary changes that have been regulated by law no later than on the day of important service modification following the day of enforcing the regulation. Newly created IT systems shall be constructed in accordance with the WCAG 2.0 guidelines.

What sanctions are imposed by the law for websites which fail to comply with accessibility regulations?

No sanctions exist

Is there a legal obligation to include awareness of accessibility issues in training provided to webmasters and related professions?

No obligation exists.

Is there a legal obligation on educational authorities to provide specific training on Web accessibility issues in related areas (such as engineering and computer sciences, telecommunications and networks courses, etc)?

No obligation exists.

Are there official guidelines in place to assist webmasters and technical staff in making their websites accessible?

see questions 1 and 3