ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE DIVISION

What is accessibility of websites and mobile applications?

Public Sector Bodies who are subject to the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the “Regulations”), must endeavour to offer their websites and mobile applications in a format which is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. This is referred to as the “accessibility requirement” (the “Requirement”), which ensures that all members of society are able to partake in the functions of that Public Sector Body, including those with disabilities.

This includes the provision of an “accessibility statement”, which means Public Sector Bodies must have a detailed, comprehensive and clear statement produced by a Public Sector Body on the compliance of its website or mobile application with the Regulations.

What is a Public Sector Body?

A Public Sector Body means the Government of Gibraltar, bodies governed by public law or associations formed by one or more bodies governed by public law, if those associations are established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character.  Bodies governed by public law means bodies that have all of the following characteristics— (a) they are established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character, they have legal personality, and they have any of the following characteristics:

1. they are financed, for the most part, by Government or by other bodies governed by public law;
2. they are subject to management supervision by Government or those other bodies;
3. they have an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by Government or by other bodies governed by public law.

What is our role?

The GRA is tasked with monitoring compliance with the Requirement by Public Sector Bodies. The GRA is also required to ensure that Public Sector Bodies put in place a mechanism with which to receive notifications from a person who may believe that their website or mobile application has failed to comply with the Requirement.  

The GRA is also responsible for receiving complaints, where a person making such notifications or requests, is dissatisfied with the response received. The GRA is obliged to notify the Minister for Equality of any such complaints.