The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force on 28th June 2025. It applies to all businesses trading within the EU, including UK businesses. There is a lot to consider so here is our run down of the key details.
What is it?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA), enacted in 2019, aims to harmonise accessibility standards across the European Union (EU) to ensure that products and services are accessible to all individuals, particularly those with disabilities.
The directive mandates that certain products and services meet specific accessibility requirements by June 28, 2025. Products and services that don’t meet these standards may be subject to penalties.
In this article we explore more about the EAA, who it applies to and what you need to do to comply.
Who needs to comply?
The EAA applies to businesses and organisations that provide certain products and services within the EU.
Unlike previous accessibility legislation, such as the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations, the EAA also covers private sector firms as well as the public sector.
While the EAA primarily targets businesses within the EU, non-EU companies that trade in the European market must also adhere to these standards to continue their operations within the EU. This includes UK businesses.
The EAA applies to a wide range of businesses operating within the EU, including:
- Manufacturers and Service Providers: Companies that produce or offer products and services covered by the EAA (see below) must ensure their offerings are accessible.
- Retailers and Distributors: Entities involved in the distribution or sale of these products and services are also required to comply.
- Micro-enterprises (businesses with fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover below €2 million) may have reduced obligations, but they are not completely exempt.
What is covered by the EAA?
The EAA applies to the following key categories of products:
Computers and Operating Systems
- Includes desktops, laptops, tablets, and their operating systems.
- Must be designed to support accessibility features (e.g., screen readers, keyboard navigation).
Self-Service Terminals (SSTs)
- ATMs (cash machines).
- Ticketing machines (e.g., train station kiosks).
- Check-in kiosks (e.g., airports, hotels).
- Interactive information terminals.
- Must be operable by users with various disabilities (e.g., tactile interfaces, audio guidance).
Smartphones and Other Consumer Communication Devices
- Includes mobile phones, landline phones, and smart home communication devices.
- Must support features like text-to-speech, voice commands, screen magnification, and hearing aid compatibility.
E-Readers and Electronic Books (E-Books)
- Must provide accessibility features, such as text-to-speech support and adaptable fonts.
- Payment Terminals and Point-of-Sale (POS) Devices
Card payment machines used in shops, restaurants, and public transport.
- Must ensure accessibility for users with visual or motor impairments.
When do you need to comply by?
The deadline for compliance is June 28, 2025. By this date, all relevant products and services placed on the EU market must meet the accessibility requirements outlined in the EAA.
How can you comply?
To align with the EAA, companies should:
- Assess Current Offerings: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing products and services to identify areas that require accessibility improvements. This should include WCAG compliance testing, inclusive user testing and a full review of your processes to ensure accessibility is embedded throughout. *
- Implement Necessary Changes: Develop and execute a plan to address identified accessibility issues, which may involve redesigning products, updating software, or enhancing customer service protocols.
- Stay Informed: Regularly monitor updates and guidelines related to the EAA to ensure ongoing compliance.
*Note about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the EAA:
- The EAA does not explicitly name WCAG as the sole standard, but it aligns closely with existing EU accessibility laws (such as the Web Accessibility Directive for public sector websites), which mandate WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.
- The EAA states that digital products and services, including websites, mobile apps, and e-commerce platforms, must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust—which are the four principles of WCAG.
- The EU is expected to harmonise accessibility standards under the European Standard EN 301 549, which already references WCAG 2.2 AA for web and mobile accessibility.
- So, while WCAG compliance does not necessarily equal EAA compliance it is a good place to start. However, we would also encourage organisations to go beyond WCAG and engage disabled people in their planning and testing to ensure the digital services being delivered are genuinely accessible and not just ticking a box.
Why should you comply?
Firstly, it’s your legal obligation.
But, more importantly in our opinion, complying with the EAA also offers plenty of benefits for your business:
- Expand Customer Base: By catering to the needs of disabled individuals, businesses can tap into a broader audience, fostering inclusivity and potentially increasing market share.
- Improve user experience: Making digital services accessible means they work better for everyone. This in turn ensures people are better able to engage with your organisation, more likely to trust that experience and encouraged to engage with you again
- Prioritise Accessibility: For many organisations, the EAA has given accessibility professional the backing and attention creating accessible services deserves. Use the EAA as an opportunity to review and improve the accessibility of websites and services, making them more inclusive for disabled customers.
Proactively addressing accessibility not only ensures compliance with the EAA (and avoids the risk of incurring penalties) but also demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility and inclusivity, which can enhance a company’s reputation and customer loyalty.
Who will enforce EAA?
For the EAA each member state must publish their own individual laws and regulations. This should show who is responsible for its implementation and lay out the monitoring processes and penalties for non-compliance.
What should I do now?
Make sure it is on your radar! Work out how it applies to your business, check the accessibility of your products and services and then create a plan to address any concerns before the 28th June 2025.
Need help ensuring your digital services are ready for the EAA?
Speak to our team about how we can help you prepare for the EAA by testing your products and services: Contact Web Usability Director, Lucy Collins for EAA Consultancy
Note: We at Web Usability are not lawyers. We strongly recommend organisations seek guidance from their legal teams to ensure they are meeting their obligations under the EAA.