🛡️ STATUS BADGE: 🟢 ELIGIBLE (Self-Hosted)
Executive Summary: What is it?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA is the current W3C Recommendation (October 2023, ISO/IEC 40500:2025). It supersedes WCAG 2.1 (2018) by adding 6 new AA-level success criteria focused on mobile interaction, cognitive accessibility, and authentication — while removing the obsolete 4.1.1 Parsing criterion. It remains organized around the four POUR principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. Level AA is the minimum threshold required by most government and enterprise procurement policies worldwide, and the legal baseline referenced by the US ADA, the EU EN 301 549 (v4.1.1 incorporating 2.2, expected 2026), and Canada's AODA.
CFO / Business Impact: What does it cost/risk?
- Government & Public Sector Access: A hard gate for US federal (Section 508), EU public body (EN 301 549), and Canadian (AODA) procurement. Non-conformant software cannot be purchased by these institutions regardless of technical merit.
- ADA Litigation Risk: US organisations face increasing ADA-based litigation for inaccessible digital properties. In 2026, enterprise software buyers routinely demand a VPAT attestation before contract execution.
- EU Enforcement Imminent: The European Accessibility Act became enforceable June 2025. EN 301 549 v4.1.1 will formally incorporate WCAG 2.2 AA, making it the binding EU standard.
Technical Reality: How does it work?
- POUR Criteria: Perceivable (alt text, captions, colour contrast ≥ 4.5:1), Operable (keyboard navigation, no seizure-inducing content), Understandable (labels, error correction), and Robust (ARIA markup, assistive technology compatibility).
- What Changed from 2.1: Six new AA criteria — Accessible Authentication (no cognitive puzzles for login), Dragging Movements (single-pointer alternatives for drag-and-drop), Target Size Minimum (24×24 CSS pixels for touch targets), Focus Not Obscured (sticky headers must not hide focused elements), Redundant Entry (no re-entering previously provided data), and Consistent Help (help mechanisms in consistent locations).
- Audit & Attestation: Conformance is evidenced via a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT 2.x) or a third-party accessibility audit report from an accredited evaluator.