Accessibility Statement for Debates on Europe

At Debates on Europe, we are committed to ensuring that our websites are accessible to as many people as possible, in line with The European Accessibility Act (EAA).

We work continually to improve the accessibility of our websites and online content for users with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. Our websites are designed to be usable across a range of devices, including desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones.

This statement applies to the domain debates-on-europe.eu.

Accessibility Standards and Principles

Debates on Europe aims to conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards, as incorporated in the EN 301 549 harmonised European standard. Web accessibility at Debates on Europe is guided by the four core WCAG principles:

  • Perceivable – Information and the user interface are presented to users in ways they can perceive.
  • Operable – The website’s input forms, controls (e.g. buttons, checkboxes), and navigation are operable.
  • Understandable – Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
  • Robust – Web content must work on different browsers and devices, including assistive technologies.

Compliance Status

The Debates on Europe websites are currently partially compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA due to the non-compliances listed below. We are actively working to address these issues and improve our overall accessibility.

Non-accessible Content

The following known accessibility issues exist on the Debates on Europe websites:

Perceivable

  • 1.1.1 Non-text Content – Some images and visual elements lack appropriate alternative text.
  • 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative – Pre-recorded videos may not include audio descriptions or text-based alternatives.
  • 1.3.1 Info and Relationships – Page structures (headings, lists, labels) may not always be correctly conveyed to assistive technologies.
  • 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence – In some cases, reading order may not follow the visual presentation.
  • 1.4.1 Use of Color – Certain visual content may rely solely on colour to convey meaning.
  • 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) – Text and interface elements sometimes do not meet minimum contrast ratios.
  • 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast – Interface components (e.g., icons, buttons) may have insufficient contrast.
  • 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus – Additional content triggered on hover/focus may not be dismissible or accessible via keyboard.

Operable

  • 2.1.1 Keyboard – Some interactive elements may not be fully accessible using a keyboard.
  • 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks – Mechanisms to skip repeated content (e.g., skip links) may be missing.
  • 2.4.3 Focus Order – The logical focus order may not always match the visual reading order.
  • 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) – Some link texts are unclear or ambiguous when read out of context.
  • 2.4.7 Focus Visible – Keyboard focus indicators may be missing or difficult to see.
  • 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) – In some cases, focused elements may be partially hidden from view.

Understandable

  • 3.1.2 Language of Parts – The language of certain content sections is not always programmatically indicated.

Content Exemptions or Limitations

  • Legacy content: News articles published before 1 June 2025, may contain accessibility issues that are not yet remediated.
  • PDFs: Some content may only be available as an untagged PDF document.
  • Third-party content: Some external documents, multimedia, or tools integrated into our websites may not fully conform to accessibility standards. Debates on Europe is not responsible for the accessibility of third-party platforms.

We are progressively reviewing and updating this material where feasible.

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our websites and digital content. If you encounter any issues or would like to request accessible alternatives, please contact us:

Email: office [at] debates-on-europe.eu

Phone: +49 (0)30 847 1211 -10

Compatibility with Browsers and Assistive Technology

The Debates on Europe website is designed to be compatible with:

  • Recent versions of major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
  • Common screen readers (e.g. NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack)
  • Other assistive technologies

Preparation of this Statement

This statement was prepared on 24 June 2025 based on accessibility assessments of a representative sample of pages. Evaluations included a combination of manual and automated testing.

The statement will be reviewed and updated annually, or as major accessibility changes occur.