The Core Problem
Most PDFs are not accessible by default.
PDFs are the dominant format for customer-facing documents in financial services, healthcare, and utilities. But the vast majority are created without accessibility in mind. They lack the structural tags, reading order, and alternative text that assistive technologies depend on. A visually impaired person using a screen reader cannot extract meaning from an untagged PDF - the content is effectively invisible to them.
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Untagged PDFs cannot be read by screen readers or other assistive technologies
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Incorrect reading order means content is read back in the wrong sequence, making it meaningless
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Missing alternative text leaves images, charts, and graphs completely inaccessible
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Non-compliant PDFs create direct legal risk under the European Accessibility Act
Why It Matters
Accessible PDFs are not just a compliance obligation.
Over one billion people globally live with some form of disability. Many rely on assistive technologies to access digital content. When organisations publish inaccessible PDFs - statements, policies, reports, forms - they are effectively excluding those users from their services. The EAA makes this a legal issue for organisations in the EU. But beyond compliance, making documents genuinely accessible is the right thing to do.
What Accessibility Requires
Three things every accessible PDF must have.
Accessible PDFs must meet specific technical requirements defined by international standards including PDF/UA and WCAG. At their core, three elements are essential.
The Standards
PDF accessibility is defined by three overlapping standards.
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines set the international benchmark for accessible digital content. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the required conformance level under most accessibility regulations including the EAA. It defines the principles accessible PDFs must meet: content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
PDF/UA (ISO 14289)
Train staff and integrate your systems
PDF/UA is the technical standard specifically designed for accessible PDF documents. It defines how tagging, structure, reading order, and metadata must be implemented at file level to ensure compatibility with assistive technologies. A PDF that meets PDF/UA provides the structural foundation for genuine accessibility.
EN 301 549
EN 301 549 is the European harmonised standard for ICT accessibility, referenced directly by the European Accessibility Act. For PDF documents it incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements and is the standard organisations in the EU must meet to demonstrate EAA compliance.