European Accessibility Act (EAA): What You Need to Know
The EAA requires websites selling to EU customers to be accessible. Here's everything you need to understand about compliance.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is EU legislation that establishes accessibility requirements for products and services. For websites, this means ensuring your digital content is accessible to people with disabilities.
The EAA became enforceable on June 28, 2025. This means businesses selling products or services to EU customers must now ensure their websites meet accessibility standards.
The technical standard required is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which is the internationally recognized benchmark for web accessibility.
Who must comply?
The EAA applies to businesses that provide products or services to consumers in the EU, including:
Microenterprises may be exempt
Businesses with fewer than 10 employees AND annual turnover below €2 million may be exempt from certain requirements. However, accessibility is still recommended as a best practice.
What are the requirements?
The EAA requires websites to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. This includes:
Perceivable content
Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive. This includes providing text alternatives for images, captions for videos, and ensuring sufficient color contrast.
Operable interface
Users must be able to operate your website. This means keyboard navigation, no time limits that can't be extended, and no content that causes seizures.
Understandable content
Content must be readable and predictable. Forms should have clear labels and error messages, and navigation should be consistent.
Robust technology
Your website must work with assistive technologies like screen readers. This requires proper HTML structure and ARIA attributes where needed.
For a detailed breakdown of WCAG requirements, see our WCAG Explained guide.
What are the penalties?
Non-compliance with the EAA can result in significant consequences:
Financial penalties
Fines vary by EU member state but can reach up to €500,000 or more for serious violations.
Legal action
Individuals and advocacy groups can file complaints and lawsuits against non-compliant businesses.
Market restrictions
Regulators can order non-compliant services to be withdrawn from the market.
Reputation damage
Negative publicity from accessibility failures can harm your brand and customer trust.
How to become compliant
Follow these steps to ensure your website meets EAA requirements:
Audit your website
Scan your website to identify accessibility issues. This gives you a clear picture of what needs to be fixed.
Fix the issues
Work through the issues, starting with critical and serious ones. Use the fix guidance provided in your report.
Add an accessibility statement
Publish an accessibility statement that describes your accessibility features and how users can get help.
Monitor and maintain
Accessibility is ongoing. Rescan regularly, especially after making changes to your website.
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