Arcom, the authority overseeing the enforcement of the European Directive on accessible digital books in France, has outlined the terms and conditions for its application starting June 28, 2025. Here’s a summary of the key points.
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As France’s audiovisual and digital communications regulator, Arcom is responsible for ensuring compliance with the European Directive on accessible ebooks. Its key responsibilities include:
There are three cases in which an exemption from accessibility requirements may apply:
If you believe you qualify for an exemption due to fundamental modification or disproportionate burden, you must submit a declaration via a secure online portal twice a year:
Additionally, disproportionate burden exemptions will need to be renewed every five years. The reason behind this is because tools to facilitate accessibility in the most complex cases may be developed and used in the months and years to come.
As an exception, the first exemption declaration campaign will take place in October 2025 for ebooks published between June 28 and September 30, 2025.
Starting in January 2026, the regular schedule will apply, with exemption declarations covering only ebooks published in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Before an inspection, Arcom officials will verify whether your company falls within the scope of the law using public information and/or requested company data. They will then review your exemption declarations and may ask you to provide evaluations (with Arcom supplying evaluation models for guidance) along with supporting documents. If necessary, they may also request corrective actions.
In the event of a detected violation, officials can draft an official report and, if deemed necessary, forward it to the Public Prosecutor, who is responsible for enforcing any identified infringements.
As of June 28, 2025, publishers could face a 5th-class fine of up to €7,500 if their ebooks fall within the scope of the accessibility law and you fail to comply with any of the following conditions:
However, Ségolène Mariotte-Sirdey, Deputy Director of the Creative Department at Arcom, reassures publishers:
We're going to learn a little together as we go along, so there won't be a final cut-off date on June 29.
The goal is to foster dialogue, providing publishers with the opportunity to address any accessibility shortcomings, inadequacies, or unjustified exemption requests.
