Publication label

A way of certifying the accessibility of a PDF publication.

The “e-accessibility publication” label indicates to web surfers that a communication document (Annual Report, Sustainable Development Report, Brochure, etc) in PDF format is accessible, particular for visually-impaired users. For other types of Disability, the information is accessible.

These communication documents (in PDF format), created upstream of software, such as Quark Xpress or Indesign, are originally inaccessible and must undergo specific processing.

e-accessibility certification procedure for a PDF publication

Any organisation which believes that it has a PDF publication conform to PDF accessibility standards (defined in WCAG 2.0), is free to use the “e-accessibility publication” label on the said PDF, publication, subject to compliance with the Label’s charter of use.

A PDF’s accessibility is made possible thanks to a method known as “tagging”, which uses the program Adobe Acrobat Professional (version 7.x or later). Tagging alone does not guarantee a PDF‘s accessibility, and a series of additional mandatory tests must be carried out: see the list of mandatory tests (PDF – french – 0,3 Mo)

The “e-accessibility publication” may be issued by all Third-Parties (communication agency, editorial agency, freelance, etc.) subject to certain conditions:

  • to have applied the PDF accessibility standards to the full on the said PDF publication
  • to have already carried out all the mandatory tests needed to ensure the perfect accessibility of the said PDF publication

A PDF publication’s accessibility may be planned in its design phase: see the list of DTP rules provided by Ipedis.

Charter of use for the “e-accessibility publication” label

The use of the “e-accessibility label” for a PDF document implies the site editor’s recognition and compliance with the present Charter, as well as with the e-accessibility label’s GCU.

  • The use of the “e-accessibility publication” label on a PDF implies, first and foremost, the perfect and intelligent accessibility of all the pages, in accordance with the W3C/WAI‘s PDF “accessibility” standards.
  • The use of the “e-accessibility publication” label for a PDF publication enables the editor to disseminate the said publication in the certified PDF publication gallery designed for this purpose in order to promote the editor’s civic commitment.
  • The “e-accessibility publication” logo may be used on the PDF document (for example on the back cover) and its text may be adapted slightly: “e-accessibility label: PDF accessible to the visually-impaired” (reference to the “e-accessibility label” is a minimum requirement).
    • As a complement, textual type information may also be provided on the PDF publication:
      “PDF version accessible to the visually-impaired in accordance with W3C/WAI standards”.
    • The hypertext link http://www.e-accessibility.info/en/home/, promoting the site editor’s civic commitment, must appear on the website or the PDF publication.
  • A form or an e-mail must be available on the website in order to enable web surfers to be able to inform the editor about any accessibility errors. As a complement, a channel for complaints is provided on the e-accessibility.info website. If the error is found to be justified in terms of PDF accessibility standards, the editor undertakes to repair the error as soon as possible.

The e-accessibility association reserves the right to carry out its on accessibility audit on a certified PDF publication and, in the case of non-conformity, reserves the right to remove the label (logos registered with the INPI).