News Details

On 20 October, the day on which National Accessibility Day is celebrated, Order No 10752-A/2023 was published in the Portuguese Official Gazette, which establishes the creation of an inter-ministerial working group for the revision of Decree-Law No 163/2006 of 8 August 2006 and the respective technical accessibility standards. Such creation is justified by the fact that the legal deadline provided for in Decree-Law No 163/2006, for the adaptation of the building to comply with the technical standards of accessibility, is exceeded without, however, a very representative part of it having been adapted. Currently, there are more appropriate material and technological solutions to ensure accessibility, and it is also necessary to safeguard fire safety in this area. Thus, taking advantage of the extensive survey work on the inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement of Decree-Law No 163/2006 and seeking to provide greater legal certainty in the application of the diversity of legal texts subsequent to the publication of that law, it is considered that there is sufficient technical maturity to better regulate this area of particular importance, thus contributing to the improvement of the conditions of accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities, particularly in the digital, built, communication and information environment. The working group will be coordinated by the governmental area of work, solidarity and social security, through the Mission Structure for the Promotion of Accessibility (EMPA), assisted by the National Institute for Rehabilitation I.P. (INR I.P.). For more information, the full text of the diploma can be found here.