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The Accessibility Code of Catalonia represents a very relevant qualitative and quantitative leap with respect to the existing regulations on this matter. It goes beyond architectural barriers, and incorporates aspects such as the communicative and cognitive accessibility of products and services or cultural, sports and leisure activities. The new regulation aims to respond to the demographic challenge of aging, as well as influence the quality of life of people with disabilities or those with difficulties interacting with the environment, to guarantee the exercise of their rights and avoid inequalities.
This is an accurate and ambitious regulation that aims to position Catalonia as a leading country in universal accessibility. In this sense, the new code establishes conditions, requirements and solutions so that anyone can carry out the activities of daily living in the most autonomous way possible.
On the occasion of the entry into force of the regulation on March 4, the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC) organized a conference last week to present the most relevant news. The Minister of Social Rights, Carles Campuzano, participated; the president of the COAC in the demarcation of Barcelona, ??Sandra Bestraten, and the general secretary of Social Rights, Oriol Amorós, who detailed the most important axes and novelties of the Code. The event also included a musical performance by the Riborquestra association and a monologue on accessibility by Marc Buxaderas.
The Government of the Generalitat places accessibility as a challenge that cannot be postponed. And it is expected that in 2031 one in four Catalans will be 65 years old or older, the number of people with chronic health problems will have doubled, and the number of people with disabilities or dependency will increase. Projections also estimate that by 2060 the population aged 85 and over will have tripled.
With the approval of this regulation, Catalonia has powerful regulations to respond to the demographic trend of aging. In this sense, the text emphasizes that accessibility directly affects the quality of life of citizens and avoids the inequalities generated by existing barriers, whether physical, sensory or cognitive.
The Accessibility Code replaces a regulation in force since 1995, updates and harmonizes existing regulations and delves into aspects that have been little regulated until now. Furthermore, it adapts the Catalan regulatory framework to the guidelines of the United Nations International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
It is structured in 199 articles, 11 chapters and 15 annexes that detail measures to be applied in territory, buildings, means of transport, products, services, communication systems, information and new technologies. The objective is to influence the quality of life of all citizens, especially people with disabilities or those with difficulties interacting with the environment, to guarantee the exercise of their rights and avoid the inequalities generated by the barriers that exist today. To achieve this, the articles include three main axes:
In addition, the Code introduces the quality accessibility badge, a recognition mechanism for those establishments, spaces or municipalities that achieve a level of accessibility higher than that required by legislation.
The text has been worked on in collaboration with a great diversity of actors. It has been led by the Department of Social Rights, but working jointly with other departments, the local world, professional associations and entities in the disability and dependency sector.
