Digital accessibility has become essential for ensuring inclusion, service quality, and overall performance.
While the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) serve as the international standard for accessibility, the French market relies specifically on the RGAA (Référentiel Général d’Amélioration de l’Accessibilité), which is the national adaptation of these guidelines.
This structure provides a clear framework for assessing and improving the accessibility of digital services while remaining aligned with global best practices.
But what exactly is an RGAA accessibility audit? Why is it a critical step, and how should organizations interpret the resulting compliance score?
This article clarifies the foundations, obligations, and practical implications of the RGAA and explains how it integrates into the broader European and international accessibility landscape.
What Is the RGAA?
A national framework built on WCAG and European requirements
The RGAA is the French official digital accessibility standard. It is a national adaptation of the WCAG 2.1 guidelines, aligned with the European accessibility requirements defined in the EN 301 549 standard and reinforced by the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
While each EU member state is free to adopt its own framework, all derive from the same foundation: the WCAG. The RGAA is therefore the French interpretation of these shared principles, offering concrete criteria and tests to assess accessibility in practice.
In France, accessibility obligations apply to all public-sector organizations, as well as private companies above certain thresholds (including company size and revenue). These rules were strengthened over the years to support the broader European move toward harmonized accessibility.
A foundation for more responsible and inclusive digital services
Beyond legal compliance, the RGAA aims to improve the overall quality of digital services making them more usable, more intuitive, and better suited to the needs of diverse users. It encourages organizations to adopt a more responsible and inclusive approach to digital design.
The accessibility statement: a mandatory requirement
Organizations subject to the RGAA must publish a clear and accessible accessibility statement directly from the homepage of their website or application. This public-facing document outlines the current level of compliance and demonstrates the organization’s commitment to accessibility.
What the accessibility statement must include
The statement must follow the official French template and specify:
- the overall RGAA compliance score,
- the main non-compliances identified,
- the planned actions included in a multi-year accessibility plan (up to three years),
- the annual action plan describing upcoming improvements.
A transparency requirement supported by regulatory oversight
The statement must be kept up to date and include a contact mechanism allowing users to report difficulties or request accessible alternatives.
In France, the regulatory body (ARCOM) may conduct checks and impose sanctions in case of missing or incomplete statements. This transparency requirement aligns closely with the broader expectations set by the European Accessibility Act.
The RGAA accessibility audit: a structured evaluation
An RGAA accessibility audit assesses a website or application using a representative sample of pages and the 106 criteria grouped into 13 thematic areas defined by the standard.
The audit involves a detailed evaluation of technical and functional aspects, including code structure, content hierarchy, interaction patterns, and compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers. This initial analysis identifies elements that may hinder access to information or navigation.
Assessing the real impact on users
Beyond technical checks, a thorough audit considers how users especially those with disabilities experience the interface. It does not simply list issues but assesses their real-world impact: some non-compliances can block essential user journeys, while others affect only minor interactions.
This analysis helps prioritize improvements and distinguish critical barriers from secondary issues.
How is the RGAA compliance score calculated?
The RGAA compliance score is the central indicator produced by the audit. Each criterion is assigned one of three statuses: compliant, non-compliant, or not applicable.
Two calculation methods defined by the RGAA
There are two ways to calculate the compliance score:
- The average compliance score, calculated page by page and averaged across the sample. This is useful for tracking progress over time.
- The global compliance score, which aggregates all criteria across all audited pages. This is the official score required in the accessibility statement.
The global score provides a standardized and consolidated view of a service’s accessibility.
The three official levels of compliance
- Non-compliant: ≤ 49.99%
- Partially compliant: 50% to 99.99%
- Fully compliant: 100%
A fully compliant website meets every applicable RGAA criterion an achievement reached by very few digital services, such as the French public platform Mon Parcours Handicap.
The limits of the compliance score
A high compliance score does not necessarily guarantee a good user experience. A digital service may be technically RGAA-compliant while still being difficult to use in practice.
A primarily technical measurement
The score is based on normative assessments. Some non-compliances can severely disrupt key user journeys such as filling a form or completing a transaction whereas the same issue on a secondary page has a minimal effect.
The global score therefore does not always reflect the real accessibility challenges encountered by users.
An incomplete coverage of all disability situations
The RGAA, like WCAG, does not fully address all types of disabilities particularly cognitive and neurodivergent profiles. Two websites with the same score may offer very different experiences.
This is why compliance must always be complemented by a user-centered perspective focusing on comprehension, clarity, and navigation flow.
Who is subject to RGAA and the European EAA?
In France, all public-sector organizations and certain private companies (based on size or revenue thresholds) must comply with the RGAA.
Since June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) further extends accessibility requirements to sectors such as e-commerce, banking, media, transport, telecommunications, and digital services.
These organizations must now meet the EN 301 549 standard, which closely aligns with both WCAG and the RGAA.
The key steps of an RGAA accessibility audit
An RGAA audit follows a structured process designed to assess accessibility reliably and consistently.
From sampling to reporting: the core steps
The audit begins by defining a representative sample of pages that reflect real user journeys, including mandatory pages such as the homepage, contact page, help section, and accessibility statement.
Manual and assisted testing
Pages are then evaluated using manual checks and assistive technologies, such as screen readers, across different browsers and devices. This ensures broad coverage of potential user scenarios.
Documenting non-compliances
Each non-compliance is documented and placed in context, with an explanation of how it may affect access to content or the continuity of user journeys.
Reporting, prioritization, and the corrective roadmap
The audit concludes with a detailed report presenting the findings, prioritizing needed improvements, and guiding teams toward continuous accessibility enhancement.
Why accessibility is a driver of user experience and sustainable performance
Accessibility is more than a regulatory requirement it is a true competitive advantage.
A smoother and more intuitive user experience
Accessible websites tend to be more consistent, stable, and easier to use. User journeys become more intuitive, forms generate fewer errors, content is more readable, and mobile navigation improves significantly.
Accessibility acts as a genuine experience amplifier, benefiting all users.
A measurable technical and business impact
Improved accessibility enhances performance: faster loading times, reduced bounce rates, better search engine optimization, and lower technical debt. It directly contributes to the long-term quality and efficiency of digital services.
Fruggr’s vision: supporting continuous accessibility improvement
At Fruggr, we provide a platform that helps automate part of the accessibility checks, detect non-compliances quickly, and track progress over time. This approach helps teams save time, focus on the most impactful corrections, and shift from sporadic compliance efforts to a continuous improvement mindset.
We consider accessibility to be a core component of sustainable digital performance, alongside user experience, technical quality, and environmental impact. By bringing these dimensions together in a single platform, Fruggr offers a holistic view that helps organizations identify the most effective actions to make their services more accessible, efficient, responsible, and high-performing.
Our goal is simple: empower teams to create digital services that are truly usable, inclusive, and sustainable, supported by reliable and ongoing monitoring.
Try Fruggr for free and start evaluating your accessibility compliance today.
