4th International Conference “Accessible Future” to Be Held in June

A Conference Focused on Persons with Disabilities, Their Needs, and Solutions That Remove Barriers - Organized in Partnership with “Poslovni Dnevnik”.
ZAGREB, 16 May 2025 - On Monday, 9 June 2025, the fourth edition of the international conference Accessible Future will take place in Zagreb. The conference will address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in contemporary society. Its aim is to bring together policymakers and regulators, industry leaders, media professionals, and experts in standardization and technology with end users—persons with disabilities—and to raise public awareness of these important issues.

Ensuring both digital and physical accessibility across the network industries it regulates remains a key priority for the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM). The agency also seeks to promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration to drive broader social progress.

Panel Discussions and Thematic Sessions

This year’s conference forms part of a broader initiative aimed at raising awareness of the importance of incorporating diversity into the design of both digital solutions and physical environments. Wherever feasible, these solutions should adhere to the principles of universal design—ensuring they are usable by everyone, including persons with disabilities.
The opening segment of the conference will feature a panel discussion titled “Accessibility at the Top of the Agenda”, which will focus on the forthcoming Act on Accessibility

Requirements for Products and Services. The discussion will analyse the law’s potential impact on organizations and society as a whole. Key topics will include the concept of inclusivity and its role in creating a more accessible environment for all citizens. Panellists will share insights from their own experiences with accessible solutions—whether adopted or implemented—highlighting both the challenges and the benefits of these initiatives. This session will provide a valuable forum for exchanging ideas, inspiring new approaches, and outlining practical guidelines to help institutions meet the law’s requirements.

A second panel discussion, titled “Digital Inclusion: Myth or Reality?”, will bring together representatives of disability advocacy organizations. Their perspectives and recommendations are expected to serve as powerful drivers of meaningful change. The session will focus on hearing directly from users with various types of disabilities—whose voices are central to this entire process—about their needs, experiences, and concerns.

The conference will also include three thematic sessions that will highlight recent efforts to improve accessibility led by regulators, the academic sector, and electronic communications service providers. These sessions will showcase best practices from other EU member states, as well as feature collaborative projects between HAKOM and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), carried out under the Accessibility project. The sessions will also provide a platform for sharing knowledge and exchanging experiences with international experts and institutions.

Final Event of the “Experience is Golden” Project

For the third consecutive year, HAKOM is organizing this conference in collaboration with Poslovni Dnevnik, a partner in the project. As part of the conference, the final event of the “Experience is Golden” project will be held. The project, which has been running since 2013, is carried out in partnership with the Institute for Expertise, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (ZOSI), the Zamisli association, and under the patronage of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy. It aims to provide internship opportunities for students with disabilities in Croatian companies. During the conference, awards and certificates will be presented to companies, institutions, and students selected for internships.

• Conference program
• Information about last year's conference can be found here.
• Information on collaboration with FER is available at this link.

The Accessible Future conference will be available for online viewing on 9 June 2025, starting at 9:30 AM, on HAKOM’s YouTube channel.