Lithuania Accessibility Rules: First-Year Changes

Lithuania says accessibility requirements introduced a year ago are becoming more established in banking, public transport and digital services, although gaps remain in how the rules are applied in practice.

The Law on Accessibility Requirements for Products and Services implements the European Accessibility Act in Lithuania. It requires certain products and digital services to be designed under universal design principles, so that they can be used by as many people as possible, including people with disabilities.

The rules matter not only to service providers but also to residents and visitors who use websites, mobile apps, self-service terminals, ATMs, learning platforms and public transport cards.

For international readers, Lithuania’s accessibility system involves both national institutions and sector regulators. The Agency for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities coordinates work linked to the law, while a dedicated commission brings together representatives of ministries, market supervision bodies, business, academia and non-governmental organisations.

Accessibility requirements cover products and digital services that should be understandable, usable and available to a wide range of people. In practice, this can mean text-to-speech functions, Braille marking, tactile features, adapted ATMs, accessible payment cards and digital content that allows users to adjust text, contrast or audio.

Officials want digital accessibility to become as routine in planning as adapting the physical environment. Accessibility is also appearing more often in public procurement criteria. Experts stress that these requirements should be included from the start of a procurement process, because late fixes can be more expensive and less effective.

Several examples have emerged during the first year of implementation. Lithuanian banks are introducing tools that help customers with disabilities use services independently, including text-to-speech technology, Braille marking, tactile solutions and adapted ATMs and cards.

The digital learning platform EDUKA klase has begun systematically adapting electronic textbooks for pupils with different needs. Users can change text settings and contrast and switch on audio.

In Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, JUDU public transport cards have been updated with Braille and a shape that is easier to recognise for passengers with visual impairments. JUDU is the city’s public transport and mobility service brand.

Vilmantas Balcikonis, a member of the accessibility commission and vice-president of the Lithuanian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired, said accessibility is increasingly becoming a real issue on institutional and business agendas. However, he noted that requirements are still not always implemented properly in practice.

“We are all learning to move along the same path, from a formal requirement to accessibility that actually works,” he said.

For blind and visually impaired people, he said, accessibility means being able to use websites, mobile apps, ATMs and self-service terminals independently.

Jurgita Gaidiene, head of JUDU’s customer value creation unit, said the updated cards were developed in close cooperation with members of the Lithuanian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired, so that they reflected real passenger needs and expectations.

Egle Caplikiene, director of the Agency for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said accessibility is not a one-off project but a continuing process that requires updates, testing and cooperation. She said the best results are achieved when digital services are tested with users who have different disabilities, including visual, hearing, mobility or cognitive disabilities.

Institutions, businesses and non-governmental organisations are being encouraged to share experience, promote good practice and submit proposals so that accessibility requirements move from documents into services used every day.

Context & actions
About this article

Report
Share