European Accessibility Act 2025: Complete Guide for Website Owners

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) entered into force on June 28, 2025, making it mandatory for businesses across the EU to ensure their digital products and services are accessible to people with disabilities. If your website sells products or services to EU customers, this law likely applies to you.

What Is the European Accessibility Act?

The EAA (Directive 2019/882) is an EU law that sets harmonized accessibility requirements for products and services across all member states. For websites and apps, this means complying with WCAG 2.2 Level AA — the international standard for web accessibility developed by the W3C.

Unlike previous accessibility laws that mostly targeted public sector websites, the EAA specifically targets private sector companies in e-commerce, banking, transport, e-books, and other digital services.

Who Does the EAA Apply To?

The EAA applies to businesses that:

• ✓Sell products or services to customers in EU member states
• ✓Operate e-commerce, online banking, travel booking, or streaming services
• ✓Have more than 10 employees OR annual turnover above €2 million
• ✓Provide consumer banking services, e-books, or public transport ticketing

Micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover below €2 million are exempt. However, if your business is growing, it's wise to start preparing now.

What Does Compliance Look Like?

WCAG 2.2 Level AA is the technical baseline for EAA compliance. Your website must meet four core principles — it must be:

• ✓Perceivable — content can be seen or heard by all users (alt text for images, captions for video)
• ✓Operable — all functionality works via keyboard, no timing traps, no flashing content
• ✓Understandable — language is clear, forms provide error guidance, navigation is consistent
• ✓Robust — works correctly with screen readers and other assistive technologies

What Are the Fines for Non-Compliance?

Fines vary by EU member state, but they can be severe. Germany has set penalties up to €100,000 per violation. France and Spain can issue fines reaching €1 million for persistent non-compliance. Beyond fines, businesses face reputational damage and potential lawsuits from disability advocacy groups.

How to Check If Your Website Is Compliant

The fastest way to get a baseline accessibility score is to run an automated scan. Automated tools can catch 30–40% of WCAG issues instantly — things like missing alt text, low color contrast, unlabeled form fields, and missing page language declarations.

However, automated testing isn't enough on its own. Full EAA compliance also requires manual testing, particularly for:

• ✓Keyboard navigation through all interactive elements and user flows
• ✓Screen reader compatibility (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
• ✓Cognitive accessibility — plain language, consistent navigation, clear error messages
• ✓Video captions and audio descriptions for multimedia content

Key Steps to Achieve EAA Compliance

• ✓Run an automated accessibility audit on all pages — especially checkout, login, and forms
• ✓Fix critical issues first: missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, unlabeled inputs
• ✓Test keyboard navigation through your entire user journey
• ✓Test with a screen reader (NVDA on Windows, VoiceOver on Mac)
• ✓Add an accessibility statement to your website explaining your compliance status
• ✓Document your accessibility improvements and testing process
• ✓Schedule regular scans — at least monthly — to catch regressions after updates

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the EAA apply if I'm based outside the EU?

Yes. If you sell products or services to EU customers, the EAA applies to those services regardless of where your company is based — similar to how GDPR works extraterritorially.

What's the difference between EAA and WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 is the technical standard; the EAA is the legal framework that mandates following it. Think of WCAG as the rulebook and EAA as the law that requires you to follow it.

Is the deadline past?

Yes — the deadline was June 28, 2025. If you haven't started yet, begin immediately. Regulators in several EU countries are already enforcing the directive.

How often should I test for accessibility?

Run automated scans at least monthly and after every major deployment. Manual testing should happen quarterly or whenever significant new features are added.