ECB and ONCE Foundation collaborate to improve digital euro accessibility

The European Central Bank (ECB) and the ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities have signed a collaboration agreement to promote, develop, and ensure the digital euro app is easily accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities, limited digital skills, and older adults.

The ECB will leverage the foundation’s expertise in three main areas: (i) providing technical advice on accessibility requirements and features of the digital euro app, (ii) collaborating on the design of the app, and (iii) testing the accessibility of app functionalities once prototypes are available.

ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone stated, “Accessibility and inclusion are not optional features, but core digital euro design principles. Working with organisations like the ONCE Foundation helps ensure the digital euro empowers every citizen in the digital age, leaving no one behind.”

Jesús Hernández Galán, Director of Accessibility and Innovation at the ONCE Foundation, added, “We are committed to integrating accessibility features from the start, involving experts with disabilities to combine technical knowledge with lived experience.”

This collaboration supports the ECB’s goal to exceed minimum legal accessibility requirements, as outlined in the European Accessibility Act, and to adopt an “accessibility by design” approach. The aim is to make the digital euro app clear, understandable, and easy to navigate, potentially influencing user experience standards for payment service providers.

Digital financial inclusion is a key aspect of the digital euro’s design. Consumer groups involved in the Euro Retail Payments Board emphasized the importance of an accessible app for universal access. The first digital euro innovation platform, with around 70 market participants, identified features like voice-controlled transactions, large-font displays, and guided onboarding as ways to enhance inclusion and accessibility.

The ECB plans to involve the public actively in the development process to better understand user needs, especially vulnerable consumers. Focus groups highlighted the importance of multiple onboarding options, including in-person support, and familiar payment flows that provide reassurance, simplicity, and control over finances.

This collaboration, which is non-remunerated, aligns with European regulations on accessibility, fundamental rights, and digital transformation, promoting standards that ensure a user-friendly digital euro experience for all citizens, including vulnerable groups.

For media inquiries, contact Georgina Garriga Sánchez at +49 69 1344 95368.