On 2 January 2027, the cognitive accessibility regulation comes into force. It sets out what public authorities and businesses must do to make their texts, procedures and services easier to understand.
Royal Decree 707/2026, published in the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) on 3 September, approves this regulation, which implements Law 6/2022.
Here we explain how to find out whether it affects you and what to bear in mind when you start applying it.
Which organisations does the regulation affect?
It depends on the type of organisation, the services it provides and the people it serves. The regulation sets out different obligations in each case and provides for three levels of text adaptation: simple language, clear language and Easy Read. Our previous post explained what each one involves and how they differ.
The table below summarises, for each type of organisation, what must be adapted, what level of accessibility is required and where the regulation sets it out.
Where the regulation requires information to be “cognitively accessible” without specifying a level, the minimum requirement for texts is simple language.
| If you are... | What you need to adapt | Level | Article |
| A business serving the public in sectors such as banking and insurance, retail, healthcare, social services, education, culture, leisure, tourism or postal services | Complaint forms | Easy Read | 9.2.b |
| That same business | Commercial information, contracts, consent forms and instructions for use | Simple language | 9.2.a and 9.3 |
| That same business | Information about all its services | Cognitively accessible formats | 9.1.a |
| A telecommunications operator or a business providing online services | Texts, forms and processes for consent, identification, signing and payment | Cognitively accessible | 6.2 and 5.2 |
| A public authority | Forms, applications, guidance on completing them and information on public-sector job vacancies | Easy Read | 10.2.a and 10.5 |
| That same authority | Online procedures and, on request, syllabuses and exams for public-sector jobs | Cognitively accessible | 10.2.e and 10.5 |
| A state or regional museum, library or cultural centre | Leaflets and information panels | Easy Read | 13.2 |
| A transport company | Signs and notices, with an implementation period of up to fifteen years | Cognitively accessible | 8.1 |
| A business employing people with a certified intellectual disability | Health and safety training, codes of practice and emergency protocols | Clear language, with an Easy Read version | 14.2 |
| That same business | Job advertisements, terms and conditions, and job requirements | Simple language | 14.3 |
| Any of the above | Texts for which no specific level is set | At least simple language | 5.2 |
If your business sells only to other businesses, bear in mind that Article 6 may still affect you if you have a website or provide online services.
Where should you start?
You can start with three steps:
- Review the information your audience receives. Check your documents, forms, contracts, notices, website content and sign-up or payment processes. This will help you identify which texts and services need adapting.
- Prioritise the adaptations. Start with the content for which the regulation requires Easy Read or clear language. For all other texts, apply at least the principles of simple language, where Article 5.2 so requires.
- Check that people understand them. Wherever possible, test the adaptations with readers, including people with cognitive difficulties. The regulation includes this check among its accessibility measures, and validation with the intended audience is part of the Easy Read methodology.
Why shouldn’t you wait?
There are four reasons not to leave adaptation until the last minute.
- The entry into force is close. The regulation comes into force on 2 January 2027, although some sectors have specific deadlines. Transport, for example, has up to fifteen years to adapt signs and notices. It is worth checking which deadline applies to each obligation.
- Adaptations take time. Easy Read, for example, requires texts to be validated with readers. This process needs planning and cannot be done overnight.
- There is a lot of content to review. Contracts, forms, notices and web pages can add up to hundreds of texts. Reviewing them manually, sentence by sentence, can consume considerable resources. Technological tools help speed up the work, while human review allows you to concentrate on the content that needs the most attention.
- Non-compliance can have financial consequences. The regulation refers to the penalty regime of the General Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which provides for fines of between €301 and €1 million, depending on the seriousness of the infringement.
How can imaxin help you?
At imaxin, we help you review and adapt your content to improve its cognitive accessibility, from the initial analysis through to ongoing maintenance.
- We review your texts and documents to identify barriers to comprehension and pinpoint adaptation priorities.
- We adapt your content into clear language or Easy Read, depending on the needs of each case.
- We improve forms, instructions and digital processes, working alongside your technical team.
- We plan the adaptations with you and review the texts whenever your services or the regulations change.
If you would like to know which obligations apply to your organisation and where to start, contact imaxin and we will look at your case.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Spain. “Real Decreto 707/2026, de 2 de septiembre, por el que se aprueba el Reglamento de las condiciones básicas de accesibilidad cognitiva”. Boletín Oficial del Estado, no. 218, 3 September 2026, BOE-A-2026-18509.
Spain. “Ley 6/2022, de 31 de marzo, de modificación del texto refundido de la Ley General de derechos de las personas con discapacidad y de su inclusión social, aprobado por el Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2013, de 29 de noviembre, para establecer y regular la accesibilidad cognitiva”. Boletín Oficial del Estado, no. 78, 1 April 2022, BOE-A-2022-5140.
Spain. “Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2013, de 29 de noviembre, por el que se aprueba el Texto Refundido de la Ley General de derechos de las personas con discapacidad y de su inclusión social”. Boletín Oficial del Estado, no. 289, 3 December 2013, BOE-A-2013-12632.