Is there a legal time frame for all existing buildings to which there is public access to be made accessible to those with disabilities? If “Yes”, by when?
Summary of results
Only eight of the countries surveyed (together with California) actually had regulations in place requiring accessibility by 2015. In Turkey, for example, the deadline is 2011, while in Montenegro it is 2013. In 11 countries (together with New York state) no such legislation currently exists.
In those 16 countries answering with a qualified “Yes”, qualifications included: deadlines as far out as 2021 (Israel), missed deadlines – 1997 (Argentina) and 2010 (Sweden), consideration of only certain disabilities (Serbia) and a requirement only when buildings undergo renovation, restoration etc (Italy). How and whether legislation, where it exists, distinguishes between “public” buildings and “buildings to which there is public access” was not noted.
All existing buildings to which there is public access are required by law, without exception, to be fully accessible to those with disabilities by 2015 – at the latest.
Not all buildings are included. Or the law may only apply to the courts or public administration buildings. Or the law covers only certain disabilities.
There is no such legislation.
 Albania (ALB) |
No legislation |
 Argentina (ARG) |
Certain buildings |
 Australia (AUS) |
No legislation |
 Austria (AUT) |
Certain buildings |
 Belgium – Federal State Walloon (BEL) |
No legislation |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) |
Certain buildings |
 Bulgaria (BUL) |
All buildings |
 Canada (CAN) |
Certain buildings |
 Croatia (CRO) |
Certain buildings |
 Czech Republic (CZE) |
All buildings |
 Denmark (DNK) |
Certain buildings |
 Estonia (EST) |
Certain buildings |
 Finland (FIN) |
Certain buildings |
 France (FRA) |
Certain buildings |
 Germany (DEU) |
Certain buildings |
 Hungary (HUN) |
Certain buildings |
 Ireland (IRL) |
All buildings |
 Israel (ISR) |
Certain buildings |
 Italy (ITA) |
Certain buildings |
 Kosovo (RKS) |
Certain buildings |
 Macedonia (MKD) |
No legislation |
 Mexico (MEX) |
No legislation |
 Montenegro (MNE) |
All buildings |
 Netherlands (NED) |
All buildings |
 Portugal (POR) |
Certain buildings |
 Romania (ROU) |
Certain buildings |
 Serbia (SRB) |
Certain buildings |
 Slovakia (SVK) |
Certain buildings |
 Slovenia (SLO) |
All buildings |
 South Africa (RSA) |
No legislation |
 Spain (ESP) |
Certain buildings |
 Sweden (SWE) |
Certain buildings |
 Switzerland (SUI) |
No legislation |
 Turkey (TUR) |
All buildings |
 United Kingdom (UK) |
All buildings |
 United States – California (US CA) |
All buildings |
| United States – New York (US NY state) |
No legislation |
