Law 232/2022 on accessibility requirements for products and services has entered into force

On 28 June 2025, Law no. 232/2022 on accessibility requirements for products and services entered into force, transposing Directive (EU) 2019/882 (“European Accessibility Act”) into Romanian legislation and introducing clear obligations for economic operators that place on the market products with digital components, provide digital services with user interfaces (websites, mobile applications, interactive terminals) and work in the fields of e-commerce, banking, telecommunications and passenger transport.

This new law applies to the following products placed on the market after 28 June 2025:

• general-purpose consumer hardware systems and their operating systems
• consumer terminal equipment with interactive computer capabilities used for electronic communications services
• consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capabilities used to access audio-visual media services
• e-readers
• self-service payment terminals

It also applies to the following services provided to consumers after 28 June 2025:

• electronic communications services, excluding transmission services used to provide services between devices, such as machine-to-machine
• services providing access to audio-visual mass-media services
• consumer banking services
• e-books and dedicated software
• e-commerce services

The law also introduces the following conditions on websites and mobile applications:

• the products used must be accessible
• information about services provided must be available via multiple sensory channels (visual, auditory), in a clear and easily comprehensible manner, and in accessible and adaptable text formats
• any non-text content must have accessible alternatives
• digital interfaces must be consistent, predictable and compatible with assistive technologies
• support services (chat, call centres) must be accessible

Key points:

• By way of exception, service providers may continue to provide services until 28 June 2030 using products they have been using to provide similar services up to that date
• service provider contracts concluded prior to 28 June 2025 will remain in effect without modification until expiry but no longer than five years from said date
• existing self-service terminals may be used for similar services up to a maximum of 20 years after installation

In addition to the above, the law also introduces penalties for non-compliance ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 lei. In addition to monetary fines, the product may also be withdrawn from the market, the service provider’s activity suspended or their operating license withdrawn.

Source: Law no. 232/2022 on accessibility requirements for products and services