2025: Message from the President
Access to information is never guaranteed; it is something that must be deliberately designed, maintained, and defended. True accessibility is achieved only when the diverse needs of readers are considered from the very beginning of the publishing process. The DAISY Consortium and its members actively promote accessibility at the source. Where this cannot yet be achieved, they bridge the gap by creating accessible versions of publications. At the same time, our collective ambition remains clear: access that is built in at source.
2025 was a pivotal year. Most notably, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) entered into application on 28 June 2025. This marked a turning point for digital publishing in Europe and served as a powerful signal globally. Accessibility is no longer optional or aspirational; it is a legal, technical, and ethical requirement. Although much work remains to be done before the goal is fully achieved, the effects are already beginning to emerge. In several cases, publishers and platform providers are increasingly building accessibility directly into their workflows, metadata practices, and quality assurance processes. This shift toward “born accessible” publishing aligns perfectly with DAISY’s longstanding vision and significantly improves both efficiency and reach.
Throughout 2025, the DAISY Consortium supported this transition with practical tools, trusted guidance, and active community engagement. Our open‑source tools—including Ace by DAISY, Ace SMART, Pipeline, Obi, and EPUBTest—continued to be widely adopted across mainstream and specialist publishing environments. The Accessible Publishing Knowledge Base and InclusivePublishing.org remained authoritative reference points for evolving accessibility requirements. These resources reflect DAISY’s role as a connector between standards, policy, and real‑world implementation.
Our standards and collaboration work also remained a cornerstone of our impact. DAISY’s ongoing contributions within W3C Publishing groups helped ensure that accessibility stayed central to the evolution of EPUB and related specifications. At the same time, special projects such as eBraille advanced toward practical deployment, bringing us closer to a modern, flexible, and sustainable ecosystem.
Community and collaboration continue to define DAISY. In June, our Board and General Meetings took place in Amsterdam, hosted by Dedicon alongside the Tactile Reading & Graphics Conference—an inspiring demonstration of international exchange and cooperation in the field of tactile reading. For the fall-meeting in November our Board met in Geneva, hosted by WIPO and the Accessible Books Consortium, reinforcing the close alignment between global policy initiatives and DAISY’s technical and strategic work.
2025 also brought renewal within our Board. We welcomed new Board members and organizations, including the Canadian DAISY Consortium and the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the Blind from Brazil, reflecting the breadth and vitality of our global network. I extend my sincere thanks to those who concluded their Board service, and to all who contribute their expertise, energy, and commitment to DAISY’s mission.
As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, and toward DAISY’s 30th anniversary, our relevance has never been clearer.
Maarten Verboom
President of the DAISY Consortium
Next: Vision, Mission and Key Activities and Community
2025 Annual Report Index: