- The ECB uses the know-how of the ONCE Foundation to design the official app for the Digital Euro to be barrier-free. The aim is to ensure inclusion.
- All people, whether seniors, disabled or with little digital skills, should have practical access to the digital euro.
The cooperation between the European Central Bank and the Spanish ONCE Foundation is free of charge and follows the EU guidelines on accessibility, fundamental rights and digital participation.
The ONCE Foundation brings its many years of experience in the development of barrier-free digital applications. She advises the ECB on the technical requirements, supports the design of the app and tests the accessibility of the first prototypes.
ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone emphasized that accessibility and inclusion are central design principles of the Digital Euro and not additional downstream functions.
The ONCE Foundation brings experts who are themselves disabled into the project team in order to benefit not only from their technical know-how but also from their practical experience as those affected.
Guiding principle „Accessibility by Design“
The ECB follows the “Accessibility by Design” approach, which goes beyond the minimum requirements of the European Accessibility Directive. Accessibility should not only be checked at the end, but should be integrated into the concept, design and user interface from the start.
The app should be clearly structured, easy to understand and intuitive to navigate. The results of this work may later influence the requirements for payment service providers that develop their own applications for the Digital Euro.
At the same time, findings from vulnerable consumer groups are incorporated into the development. These emphasize the importance of simple onboarding processes, familiar payment processes and personal support in local branches.
People with little digital experience in particular expressed a desire for security, clarity and control over their finances.
Potential for more inclusion
The first innovation project for the Digital Euro with around 70 participants already identified concrete functions that can strengthen inclusion. These include voice-controlled transactions, large fonts, high-contrast user interfaces and guided usage paths.
The ECB sees these results as confirmation of its view that the digital euro must not only become a new means of payment, but also an instrument of digital participation.
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