The European Central Bank and Fundación ONCE have joined forces to ensure that the future digital euro application is accessible and easy to use for all persons, particularly those with disabilities, advanced age, or with little digital experience.

Fundación ONCE will provide advice on accessibility requirements, take part in the application’s design, and conduct testing with the first prototypes to verify that the features are genuinely usable.

The ECB wants accessibility to be part of the project from the very beginning, rather than added afterwards. This is why it is adopting an accessibility‑by‑design approach, aiming to exceed the minimum legal requirements set out in the European Accessibility Act and to go beyond common market standards.

The institution considers digital financial inclusion to be an essential component of the digital euro. For this reason, it is incorporating citizens’ perspectives into the process.

Source: Fundación ONCE

AccessibleEU has organised a workshop on emergency preparedness within the framework of the Zero Project Conference 2026, which will explore how accessible technologies can support inclusive emergency preparedness and response.

The event will bring together international leading experts, innovators, policymakers, and disability rights advocates. Its aim is to discuss how accessible digital solutions can enhance inclusive emergency responses in situations such as environmental disasters, armed conflicts, and migration crises, among others.

The session will also address the lived experiences of persons with disabilities in such scenarios and will encourage cross‑sector collaboration.

The workshop will take place on 18 February 2026, from 16:30 to 19:30 (CET), during the Zero Project Conference, held at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). English captioning and International Sign interpretation will be available.

The event is hybrid and free of charge. Access the agenda and registration form.

Fuente: AccessibleEU

The Spanish National Police has opened a nationwide accessibility office that will promote universal accessibility in all areas of police work. The creation of this office follows a commitment to comply with the rights of persons with disabilities.

The office also serves as an observatory that will bring together the institution’s resources and actions related to staff training and assistance to citizens with disabilities.

This initiative is part of a plan called in Spanish Policía Nacional Incluye (National Police Includes) which aims to remove barriers that hinder the rights of people with disabilities and of others in need of special protection.

More information about the services offered by the Spanish National Police’s accessibility office (in Spanish only). Original source in Spanish. 

The Access City Award 2026, organised by the European Commission and the European Disability Forum, is now open for application. The deadline is September 9, 2025.

The award recognises cities that prioritise accessibility for all persons. Specifically, it is open to:

• All EU cities of over 50 000 inhabitants,
• Urban areas comprising two or more towns with a combined population of over 50 000 inhabitants, if they are in EU countries with less than 2 cities with over 50 000 inhabitants.

The winners will be announced on 4-5 December 2025 at an award ceremony during the European Day of Persons with Disabilities conference organised by the European Commission together with the European Disability Forum. Apply to the 16th edition of the Access City Award. More information.