Rather than writing its own accessibility criteria from scratch, EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG by reference, currently WCAG 2.1 Level AA under version 3.2.1. A newer version, 4.1.1, was published in September 2026 and incorporates WCAG 2.2, though it is not yet the presumption-of-conformity benchmark until formally cited in the EU’s Official Journal.
Beyond web content, EN 301 549 also covers non-web ICT such as software, hardware, and documents, which makes it broader in scope than WCAG alone and the natural reference point for any organization selling technology products into the EU.