EN 17984-6:2024

Assistance dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and universal access

This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the accessibility of public and private spaces and universal access for assistance dog teams in an active status.
The accessibility requirements and recommendations for assistance dog teams in this document are applicable across the full spectrum of the built environment both indoor and outdoor (e.g. social service, medical and educational facilities, public institutions, cultural venues, sporting venues, hotel accommodation, public transport, parks, nature reserves).
The purpose of this document is to improve the accessibility for assistance dog teams ensuring their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, so that they have the same opportunities as all citizens and can participate independently in all areas of life.
This document provides:
-   specific requirements of assistance dog teams to support accessibility and to achieve universal access;
-   responsibilities of assistance dog teams to enhance the public acceptance of assistance dogs;
-   guidance for specific services and areas to be accessed;
-   guidance for the implementation of accessibility measures at public and private bodies responsible for the built environment including transport and travel systems.
This document includes all private spaces where the public are generally admitted, or where the public can be accommodated (e.g. office buildings, waiting rooms, common areas of apartment buildings).
This document can be applied to improve accessibility of assistance dog teams in the workplace.
This document can be applied to assistance dogs in training and puppies preparing for an assistance dog role.

Assistenzhunde - Teil 6: Barrierefreiheit und universeller Zugang

Dieses Dokument legt Anforderungen und Empfehlungen für die Barrierefreiheit öffentlicher und privater Räume und den universellen Zugang für Assistenzhundeteams im aktiven Zustand fest.
Die in diesem Dokument enthaltenen Anforderungen und Empfehlungen für die Barrierefreiheit von Assistenzhundeteams sind für das gesamte Spektrum der gebauten Umwelt, sowohl im Innen- als auch im Außenbereich (z. B. Dienstleistungen im sozialen Bereich, medizinische und Bildungseinrichtungen, öffentliche Einrichtungen, kulturelle Einrichtungen, Sportstätten, Hotelunterkünfte, öffentliche Verkehrsmittel, Parks, Naturschutzgebiete) anwendbar.
Das Ziel dieses Dokuments ist es, die Barrierefreiheit für Assistenzhundeteams zu verbessern und ihre Rechte nach dem Übereinkommen über die Rechte von Menschen mit Behinderungen der Vereinten Nationen sicherzustellen, damit sie die gleichen Chancen wie alle Bürger haben und unabhängig in allen Lebensbereichen teilnehmen können.
Dieses Dokument stellt zur Verfügung:
-   besondere Anforderungen an Assistenzhundeteams zur Unterstützung der Barrierefreiheit und zum Erreichen eines allgemeinen Zugangs;
-   Verantwortlichkeiten von Assistenzhundeteams, um die öffentliche Akzeptanz von Assistenzhunden zu erhöhen;
-   eine Anleitung für besondere Dienstleistungen und Bereiche, zu denen Zugang erhalten werden soll;
-   Anleitung für die Umsetzung von Maßnahmen zur Barrierefreiheit bei öffentlichen und privaten Einrichtungen, die für die gebaute Umwelt einschließlich Verkehrs- und Reisesystemen verantwortlich sind.
Dieses Dokument umfasst alle privaten Räume, in denen die Öffentlichkeit allgemein zugelassen ist oder in denen die Öffentlichkeit untergebracht werden kann (z. B. Bürogebäude, Warteräume, Gemeinschaftsbereiche von Wohngebäuden).
Dieses Dokument kann angewendet werden, um die Barrierefreiheit von Assistenzhundeteams am Arbeitsplatz zu verbessern.
Dieses Dokument kann auf Assistenzhunde in Ausbildung und auf Welpen angewendet werden, die sich auf die Rolle eines Assistenzhundes vorbereiten.

Chiens d’assistance - Partie 6 : Accessibilité et accès universel

Le présent document précise les exigences et recommandations pour l’accessibilité des espaces publics et privés et l’accès universel aux équipes de chien d’assistance de statut actif.
Les exigences et recommandations en matière d’accessibilité des équipes de chien d’assistance énoncées dans le présent document sont applicables au spectre complet de l’environnement bâti à la fois en intérieur et en extérieur (par exemple, services sociaux, établissements médicaux et de formation, institutions publiques, sites culturels, centres sportifs, hôtels, transports publics, parcs, réserves naturelles).
L’objectif du présent document est d’améliorer l’accessibilité des équipes de chien d’assistance en garantissant leurs droits conformément à la Convention des Nations Unies relative aux droits des personnes handicapées, afin qu’elles aient les mêmes opportunités que tous les citoyens et puissent agir de manière indépendante dans tous les domaines de la vie.
Le présent document fournit :
-   les exigences spécifiques des équipes de chien d’assistance pour favoriser l’accessibilité et permettre un accès universel ;
-   les responsabilités des équipes de chien d’assistance pour accroître l’acceptation des chiens d’assistance par le public ;
-   des recommandations concernant les services spécifiques et les zones d’accès ;
-   des recommandations pour la mise en œuvre des mesures d’accessibilité par les entités publiques et privées responsables de l’environnement bâti, y compris les systèmes de transport et de voyage.
Le présent document inclut tous les espaces privés dans lesquels le public est généralement admis, ou dans lesquels le public peut être accueilli (par exemple, immeubles de bureaux, salles d’attente, parties communes des immeubles d’habitation).
Le présent document peut être appliqué pour améliorer l’accessibilité des équipes de chien d’assistance sur les lieux de travail.
Le présent document peut être appliqué aux chiens d’assistance en cours d’éducation et aux chiots qui deviendront des chiens d’assistance.

Psi pomočniki - 6. del: Dostopnost in vsesplošni dostop

Ta dokument določa zahteve in priporočila za dostopnost javnih in zasebnih prostorov ter vsesplošni dostop za ekipe s psi pomočniki z aktivnim statusom.
Zahteve in priporočila glede dostopnosti za ekipe s psi pomočniki v tem dokumentu se uporabljajo v celotnem spektru grajenega okolja, tako v zaprtih prostorih kot na prostem (npr. socialne službe, zdravstvene in izobraževalne ustanove, javne ustanove, kulturna in športna prizorišča, hotelske namestitve, javni prevoz, parki, naravni rezervati).
Namen tega dokumenta je izboljšati dostopnost za ekipe s psi pomočniki z zagotavljanjem njihovih pravic na podlagi Konvencije Združenih narodov o pravicah invalidov, tako da imajo enake možnosti kot vsi državljani in lahko samostojno sodelujejo na vseh področjih življenja.
Ta dokument zajema:
– posebne zahteve ekip s psi pomočniki za podpiranje dostopnosti in doseganje vsesplošnega dostopa;
– odgovornosti ekip s psi pomočniki za krepitev sprejemanja psov pomočnikov v javnosti;
– navodila za posebne storitve in območja, do katerih je treba dostopati;
– navodila za izvajanje ukrepov dostopnosti v javnih in zasebnih organih, odgovornih za grajeno okolje, vključno s sistemi prevozov in potovanj.
Ta dokument vključuje vse zasebne prostore, v katerih je javnost na splošno sprejeta oziroma je v njih lahko nastanjena (npr. poslovne zgradbe, čakalnice, skupni prostori stanovanjskih objektov).
Ta dokument je mogoče uporabiti za izboljšanje dostopnosti ekip s psi pomočniki na delovnem mestu.
Uporabiti ga je mogoče tudi za pse pomočnike med šolanjem in mladiče, ki se pripravljajo za vlogo psa pomočnika.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 26-Nov-2024
• ICS: 11.180.99 - Other standards related to aids for disabled and handicapped people
• ICS: 65.020.30 - Animal husbandry and breeding
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 452 - Assistance Dog & Guide Dog Teams Standards and Instructors Competences
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 452/WG 6 - Accessibility
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 27-Nov-2024
• Due Date: 24-Oct-2024
• Completion Date: 27-Nov-2024
• Ref Project: SIST EN 17984-6:2025 - Assistance Dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and Universal Access

Overview

EN 17984-6:2024 - Assistance dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and universal access (CEN) defines requirements and recommendations to ensure accessible public and private spaces for assistance dog teams (handler + assistance dog, and where applicable a supervising handler). The standard applies across the built environment - indoor and outdoor - including public transport, hotels, cultural and sporting venues, parks, medical and educational facilities, workplaces and common areas. Its purpose is to support the rights of persons with disabilities (UNCRPD) by promoting universal access and removing barriers to independent participation.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope of accessibility: Applies to all spaces where the public is generally admitted and can be used to improve workplace accessibility and access for dogs in training and puppies preparing for assistance roles.
• Types of barriers: Institutional, physical, informational, communication, attitudinal, cultural/religious - and strategies to identify and remove them.
• Specific requirements for assistance dog teams:
  • Timely, appropriate and multi‑channel accessible information (web, audio, large print, braille, text-to-speech).
  • Respectful communication and interaction practices (etiquette, privacy, non‑interference with working dogs).
  • Recognition of the assistance dog team as a unit requiring uninterrupted access.
• Responsibilities: Duties of assistance dog teams to support public acceptance, and duties of responsible bodies (service and transport providers, facility managers) to implement accessibility.
• Implementation guidance: Leadership and commitment, practical roll-out of accessibility measures, accessible information formats, and management of prohibited areas where necessary.
• Best practice annex: Practical advice on communication, transport and travel, accommodation, restaurants, shops, and cultural institutions.

Practical applications

EN 17984-6 is a practical tool to:

• Make transport systems, public venues and workplaces accessible to assistance dog teams.
• Guide facility and transport operators, building owners and public bodies in policy, design and service delivery that accommodate assistance dogs.
• Support human resources, accessibility officers, event organisers and hospitality managers in creating inclusive environments.
• Inform assistance dog organisations and trainers on access expectations for dogs in training and puppies.

Who should use this standard

• Public and private responsible bodies (service and transport providers)
• Architects, urban planners and facility managers
• Accessibility officers, HR and occupational health professionals
• Assistance dog schools, trainers and user organisations
• Policy makers and disability rights advocates

Related standards

• EN 17984 series (Parts 1–5: vocabulary, welfare, competencies, training, client services)
• EN 17210:2021 (Accessibility and usability of the built environment)
• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)

Keywords: assistance dogs, accessibility, universal access, assistance dog teams, built environment, public transport, accessibility standards, UNCRPD.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2025
Psi pomočniki - 6. del: Dostopnost in univerzalni dostop
Assistance Dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and Universal Access
Assistenzhunde - Barrierefreiheit und universeller Zugang
Chiens d'assistance - Partie 6: Accessibilité et accès universel
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 17984-6:2024
ICS:
03.080.99 Druge storitve Other services
11.180.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi s Other standards related to
pripomočki za invalide aids for disabled and
handicapped people
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 17984-6
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2024
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 65.020.30; 11.180.99
English Version
Assistance dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and universal access
Chiens d'assistance - Partie 6 : Accessibilité et accès Assistenzhunde - Teil 6: Barrierefreiheit und
universel universeller Zugang
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 30 September 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 17984-6:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 General provisions for the accessibility for assistance dog teams . 6
4.1 General. 6
4.2 Barriers . 6
4.3 Specific requirements of assistance dog teams . 7
4.4 Responsibilities of the assistance dog teams . 8
4.4.1 General. 8
4.4.2 Further responsibilities . 8
5 Specific services and areas to be accessed. 8
5.1 Built environment . 8
5.1.1 General. 8
5.1.2 Transport and travel systems . 9
5.2 Prohibited areas . 10
6 Implementation of accessibility measures . 10
6.1 General. 10
6.2 Leadership and commitment . 11
6.3 Implementation . 11
6.4 Accessible information . 11
Annex A (informative) Best practice . 13
A.1 Communication and interaction with assistance dog team. 13
A.2 Transport and travel . 13
A.3 Accommodation, restaurants, shops, cultural institutions and other indoor facilities
................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Bibliography . 15
European foreword
This document (EN 17984-6:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 452 “Assistance
Dogs”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2025, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document is part of a series of European Standards under the general title Assistance dogs, which
will comprise the following parts:
— Part 1: Vocabulary;
— Part 2: Dog lifetime welfare;
— Part 3: Competencies for assistance dogs professionals;
— Part 4: Pre-training, training and tasks;
— Part 5: Client services;
— Part 6: Accessibility and universal access.
This document will be read in conjunction with EN 17984-1, prEN 17984-2, prEN 17984-3 and
prEN 17984-4 as the series is technically linked and to be read conjointly.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
Although access to public transport or public institutions is guaranteed by national legislation in various
European countries and by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(UNCRPD), many assistance dog users still encounter significant problems due to the lack of consistent
accessibility standards across Europe. This results in users being denied their rights to board public
transport or enter public places, either as a result of common misconceptions or ignorance of existing
regulations on assistance dogs, or because assistance dogs and their users are perceived as an
inconvenience.
Assistance dogs play a vital role in the lives of many persons with disabilities. They increase
independence, social participation and allow a greater level of safety for persons with disabilities.
Recognizing the importance of promoting accessibility for persons with disabilities in the context of built
environment and transportation, and that accessibility is a means of achieving inclusive societies and
development, this document specifies requirements and recommendations for the accessibility of public
and private spaces and universal access for assistance dog teams in an active status.
For the purpose of this document, public space refers to a space or place either public or private property,
where public is generally admitted.
The European Commission (EC) issued several mandates in the past addressed to CEN/CENELEC and
ETSI to facilitate accessibility for persons with disabilities, e.g. Mandate 473 on accessibility following the
Design for All approach, Mandate 420 on accessibility in the built environment, Mandate 376 in support
of European accessibility requirements for public procurement of products and services in the ICT
domain. And finally, the European Accessibility act (a directive) that aims to improve the functioning of
the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent
legislation in Member States. This facilitates the work of service and transport providers and
organizations and brings benefits to persons with disabilities in the European Union.
Furthermore, the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 intends to tackle the
diverse challenges that persons with disabilities face. It aims to progress on all areas of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, both at EU and Member State level.
This document contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in Europe. On the issue of accessibility (Article 9), the
Convention requires countries to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and ensure that persons
with disabilities can access their environment, transportation, public facilities and services, and
information and communications technologies. Personal mobility and independence are to be fostered
by facilitating affordable personal mobility, training in mobility skills and access to mobility aids, devices,
assistive technologies and forms of live assistance (Article 20).
For the purposes of this document, an assistance dog team means a working combination of a beneficiary,
an assistance dog and possibly a supervising handler. It is also referred to as an assistance dog team in
an active status.
An assistance dog as an assistive aid or a form of live assistance performs tasks to increase independence
and to mitigate limitations of a person with a disability. Since this can only be achieved through
socialization and training, it is important that dogs and puppies being prepared for an assistance dog role
are given access as assistance dog teams in an active status.
NOTE National legislation can determine access provisions for assistance dogs in training and puppies.
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the accessibility of public and private
spaces and universal access for assistance dog teams in an active status.
The accessibility requirements and recommendations for assistance dog teams in this document are
applicable across the full spectrum of the built environment both indoor and outdoor (e.g. social service,
medical and educational facilities, public institutions, cultural venues, sporting venues, hotel
accommodation, public transport, parks, nature reserves).
The purpose of this document is to improve the accessibility for assistance dog teams ensuring their
rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, so that they have
the same opportunities as all citizens and can participate independently in all areas of life.
This document provides:
— specific requirements of assistance dog teams to support accessibility and to achieve universal
access;
— responsibilities of assistance dog teams to enhance the public acceptance of assistance dogs;
— guidance for specific services and areas to be accessed;
— guidance for the implementation of accessibility measures at public and private bodies responsible
for the built environment including transport and travel systems.
This document includes all private spaces where the public are generally admitted, or where the public
can be accommodated (e.g. office buildings, waiting rooms, common areas of apartment buildings).
This document can be applied to improve accessibility of assistance dog teams in the workplace.
This document can be applied to assistance dogs in training and puppies preparing for an assistance dog
role.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 17210:2021, Accessibility and usability of the built environment — Functional requirements
EN 17984-1:2024, Assistance dogs — Part 1: Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purpose of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 17984-1:2024 and the following
apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
responsible body
service or transport provider, or organization responsible for services and/or built environment and the
implementation of the accessibility measures given in this document
4 General provisions for the accessibility for assistance dog teams
4.1 General
Accessibility is a precondition for the full realization of the rights and inclusion of persons with
disabilities in society. For the purpose of this document, accessibility can be understood as the provision
of flexible facilities and environments, either virtual or physical, to accommodate each user’s needs and
preferences. For persons with disabilities this may be any place, space, item or service that is easily
approached, reached, entered, exited from, interacted with, understood or otherwise used [1]. The rights
of persons with disabilities to have full access and fully enjoy and participate in social, economic, cultural,
civil and political life, on an equal basis with others are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities.
4.2 Barriers
Persons with disabilities face many barriers that hinder full and equal access to their enjoyment of human
rights and full social inclusion. For the purpose of this document the categories of barriers that persons
with disabilities encounter, include the following:
a) Institutional barriers, which include legislation, practices, or processes that actively prohibit or fail
to facilitate access for persons with disabilities.
b) Physical barriers, which prevent access for persons with disabilities to physical environments such
as buildings, roads, transportation, and various indoor and outdoor facilities such as schools,
housing, medical facilities, sporting venues and workplaces.
c) Informational barriers, which prevent access for persons with disabilities, particularly for those with
visual or intellectual impairments, to both the form and content of information that can be provided
on websites, brochures, among many other ways that information is presented in society.
d) Communication barriers, which make it difficult to participate fully in society. Communication
barriers for persons with disabilities can include the failure to provide sign language interpretation
for deaf persons, inaccessible technology such as websites that are inaccessible to screen readers
used by blind persons.
e) Attitudinal barriers, including negative attitudes and lack of understanding about disability issues of
people in society, which present some of the most pervasive barriers to equal access for persons with
disabilities.
f) Cultural and religious barriers, which may prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully
and having access to community life. Cultural and religious barriers may include myths and
stereotypes about disability that are rooted in culture and that generate fear and misunderstanding.
4.3 Specific requirements of assistance dog teams
In order to make public and private spaces more accessible to assistance dog teams and to achieve
universal access, it is necessary to understand the specific requirements which are associated with their
disability, including hidden disabilities:
a) Access to appropriate and timely information shall be provided. Information shall be provided in a
way that allows assistance dog teams to easily orientate themselves within the content and can b
...

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2025
Psi pomočniki - 6. del: Dostopnost in vsesplošni dostop
Assistance Dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and Universal Access
Assistenzhunde - Barrierefreiheit und universeller Zugang
Chiens d'assistance - Partie 6: Accessibilité et accès universel
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 17984-6:2024
ICS:
03.080.99 Druge storitve Other services
11.180.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi s Other standards related to
pripomočki za invalide aids for disabled and
handicapped people
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 17984-6
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2024
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 65.020.30; 11.180.99
English Version
Assistance dogs - Part 6: Accessibility and universal access
Chiens d'assistance - Partie 6 : Accessibilité et accès Assistenzhunde - Teil 6: Barrierefreiheit und
universel universeller Zugang
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 30 September 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 17984-6:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 General provisions for the accessibility for assistance dog teams . 6
4.1 General. 6
4.2 Barriers . 6
4.3 Specific requirements of assistance dog teams . 7
4.4 Responsibilities of the assistance dog teams . 8
4.4.1 General. 8
4.4.2 Further responsibilities . 8
5 Specific services and areas to be accessed. 8
5.1 Built environment . 8
5.1.1 General. 8
5.1.2 Transport and travel systems . 9
5.2 Prohibited areas . 10
6 Implementation of accessibility measures . 10
6.1 General. 10
6.2 Leadership and commitment . 11
6.3 Implementation . 11
6.4 Accessible information . 11
Annex A (informative) Best practice . 13
A.1 Communication and interaction with assistance dog team. 13
A.2 Transport and travel . 13
A.3 Accommodation, restaurants, shops, cultural institutions and other indoor facilities
................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Bibliography . 15
European foreword
This document (EN 17984-6:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 452 “Assistance
Dogs”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2025, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document is part of a series of European Standards under the general title Assistance dogs, which
will comprise the following parts:
— Part 1: Vocabulary;
— Part 2: Dog lifetime welfare;
— Part 3: Competencies for assistance dogs professionals;
— Part 4: Pre-training, training and tasks;
— Part 5: Client services;
— Part 6: Accessibility and universal access.
This document will be read in conjunction with EN 17984-1, prEN 17984-2, prEN 17984-3 and
prEN 17984-4 as the series is technically linked and to be read conjointly.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
Although access to public transport or public institutions is guaranteed by national legislation in various
European countries and by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(UNCRPD), many assistance dog users still encounter significant problems due to the lack of consistent
accessibility standards across Europe. This results in users being denied their rights to board public
transport or enter public places, either as a result of common misconceptions or ignorance of existing
regulations on assistance dogs, or because assistance dogs and their users are perceived as an
inconvenience.
Assistance dogs play a vital role in the lives of many persons with disabilities. They increase
independence, social participation and allow a greater level of safety for persons with disabilities.
Recognizing the importance of promoting accessibility for persons with disabilities in the context of built
environment and transportation, and that accessibility is a means of achieving inclusive societies and
development, this document specifies requirements and recommendations for the accessibility of public
and private spaces and universal access for assistance dog teams in an active status.
For the purpose of this document, public space refers to a space or place either public or private property,
where public is generally admitted.
The European Commission (EC) issued several mandates in the past addressed to CEN/CENELEC and
ETSI to facilitate accessibility for persons with disabilities, e.g. Mandate 473 on accessibility following the
Design for All approach, Mandate 420 on accessibility in the built environment, Mandate 376 in support
of European accessibility requirements for public procurement of products and services in the ICT
domain. And finally, the European Accessibility act (a directive) that aims to improve the functioning of
the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent
legislation in Member States. This facilitates the work of service and transport providers and
organizations and brings benefits to persons with disabilities in the European Union.
Furthermore, the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 intends to tackle the
diverse challenges that persons with disabilities face. It aims to progress on all areas of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, both at EU and Member State level.
This document contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in Europe. On the issue of accessibility (Article 9), the
Convention requires countries to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and ensure that persons
with disabilities can access their environment, transportation, public facilities and services, and
information and communications technologies. Personal mobility and independence are to be fostered
by facilitating affordable personal mobility, training in mobility skills and access to mobility aids, devices,
assistive technologies and forms of live assistance (Article 20).
For the purposes of this document, an assistance dog team means a working combination of a beneficiary,
an assistance dog and possibly a supervising handler. It is also referred to as an assistance dog team in
an active status.
An assistance dog as an assistive aid or a form of live assistance performs tasks to increase independence
and to mitigate limitations of a person with a disability. Since this can only be achieved through
socialization and training, it is important that dogs and puppies being prepared for an assistance dog role
are given access as assistance dog teams in an active status.
NOTE National legislation can determine access provisions for assistance dogs in training and puppies.
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the accessibility of public and private
spaces and universal access for assistance dog teams in an active status.
The accessibility requirements and recommendations for assistance dog teams in this document are
applicable across the full spectrum of the built environment both indoor and outdoor (e.g. social service,
medical and educational facilities, public institutions, cultural venues, sporting venues, hotel
accommodation, public transport, parks, nature reserves).
The purpose of this document is to improve the accessibility for assistance dog teams ensuring their
rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, so that they have
the same opportunities as all citizens and can participate independently in all areas of life.
This document provides:
— specific requirements of assistance dog teams to support accessibility and to achieve universal
access;
— responsibilities of assistance dog teams to enhance the public acceptance of assistance dogs;
— guidance for specific services and areas to be accessed;
— guidance for the implementation of accessibility measures at public and private bodies responsible
for the built environment including transport and travel systems.
This document includes all private spaces where the public are generally admitted, or where the public
can be accommodated (e.g. office buildings, waiting rooms, common areas of apartment buildings).
This document can be applied to improve accessibility of assistance dog teams in the workplace.
This document can be applied to assistance dogs in training and puppies preparing for an assistance dog
role.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 17210:2021, Accessibility and usability of the built environment — Functional requirements
EN 17984-1:2024, Assistance dogs — Part 1: Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purpose of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 17984-1:2024 and the following
apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
responsible body
service or transport provider, or organization responsible for services and/or built environment and the
implementation of the accessibility measures given in this document
4 General provisions for the accessibility for assistance dog teams
4.1 General
Accessibility is a precondition for the full realization of the rights and inclusion of persons with
disabilities in society. For the purpose of this document, accessibility can be understood as the provision
of flexible facilities and environments, either virtual or physical, to accommodate each user’s needs and
preferences. For persons with disabilities this may be any place, space, item or service that is easily
approached, reached, entered, exited from, interacted with, understood or otherwise used [1]. The rights
of persons with disabilities to have full access and fully enjoy and participate in social, economic, cultural,
civil and political life, on an equal basis with others are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities.
4.2 Barriers
Persons with disabilities face many barriers that hinder full and equal access to their enjoyment of human
rights and full social inclusion. For the purpose of this document the categories of barriers that persons
with disabilities encounter, include the following:
a) Institutional barriers, which include legislation, practices, or processes that actively prohibit or fail
to facilitate access for persons with disabilities.
b) Physical barriers, which prevent access for persons with disabilities to physical environments such
as buildings, roads, transportation, and various indoor and outdoor facilities such as schools,
housing, medical facilities, sporting venues and workplaces.
c) Informational barriers, which prevent access for persons with disabilities, particularly for those with
visual or intellectual impairments, to both the form and content of information that can be provided
on websites, brochures, among many other ways that information is presented in society.
d) Communication barriers, which make it difficult to participate fully in society. Communication
barriers for persons with disabilities can include the failure to provide sign language interpretation
for deaf persons, inaccessible technology such as websites that are inaccessible to screen readers
used by blind persons.
e) Attitudinal barriers, including negative attitudes and lack of understanding about disability issues of
people in society, which present some of the most pervasive barriers to equal access for persons with
disabilities.
f) Cultural and religious barriers, which may prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully
and having access to community life. Cultural and religious barriers may include myths and
stereotypes about disability that are rooted in culture and that generate fear and misunderstanding.
4.3 Specific requirements of assistance dog teams
In order to make public and private spaces more accessible to assistance dog teams and to achieve
universal access, it is necessary to understand the specific requirements which are associated with their
disability, including hidden disabilities:
a) Access to appropriate and timely information shall be provided. Information shall be provided in a
way that allows assistance dog teams to easily orientate themselves within the content and can b
...