European Accessibility Act: What Businesses Need to Know

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), Directive (EU) 2019/882, is an EU law that requires many everyday products and services, including e-commerce, banking, e-books and passenger transport services, to be accessible to people with disabilities. Its requirements apply from 28 June 2025. It also applies to companies outside the EU that sell covered products or services to consumers in the EU, while microenterprises providing services are exempt.

Below: what the European Accessibility Act covers, deadlines, exemptions, standards and how to prepare.

This article is general information, not legal advice.

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The EAA is a directive, which means each EU member state had to transpose it into its own national law. The aim is to replace a patchwork of different national accessibility rules with common requirements across the single market, so businesses face one set of rules and people with disabilities get consistent access.

Earlier EU web accessibility law, the Web Accessibility Directive, mainly covered the public sector; the EAA extends requirements to the private sector. Enforcement details vary by country, so check the law where you sell.

Who does the European Accessibility Act apply to?

The EAA applies to economic operators that place covered products on the EU market or provide covered services to consumers in the EU. That includes manufacturers, importers, distributors and service providers.

Non-EU companies

Location does not exempt you. A US, UK or Indian business that sells covered products or provides covered services to consumers in the EU is within scope for those activities. If you run an online store that ships to EU customers, the EAA is relevant to you. (If you also serve Indian users, see our guide to website accessibility law in India.)

Covered services

• E-commerce services, meaning services provided at a distance, through websites and mobile apps, for concluding consumer contracts
• Consumer banking services
• E-books and dedicated reading software
• Certain elements of air, bus, rail and waterborne passenger transport services, such as websites, mobile apps, electronic tickets and real-time travel information
• Electronic communications services, such as phone and internet services
• Services providing access to audiovisual media services, such as streaming platforms' websites and apps
• Answering emergency communications through the single European emergency number 112

Covered products

• Consumer general-purpose computer hardware and their operating systems
• Smartphones and other consumer terminal equipment for communications
• Consumer equipment used to access audiovisual media services, such as smart TVs
• E-readers
• Self-service terminals such as ATMs, ticketing machines, check-in machines and payment terminals

Key dates and transition periods

The transition periods are about existing products used to deliver services. They do not give websites and apps a general extension: new and existing e-commerce sites selling to EU consumers were expected to meet the requirements from 28 June 2025.

Exemptions: microenterprises and disproportionate burden

The microenterprise exemption

A microenterprise is defined as a business that employs fewer than 10 people and has either an annual turnover or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €2 million. Microenterprises that provide services are exempt from the EAA's accessibility requirements for those services.

Microenterprises that deal with products are not exempt in the same way, though some obligations are lighter for them. If you are close to the thresholds, check how they are calculated.

Disproportionate burden and fundamental alteration

A business can argue that meeting a specific requirement would impose a disproportionate burden or would fundamentally alter the nature of the product or service. This is not a blanket opt-out:

• You must carry out and document an assessment based on criteria in the directive, such as costs relative to the benefit and your organisation's size and resources.
• You must keep the assessment and provide it to authorities on request.
• It applies only to the specific requirement concerned, so you still have to meet the rest.

Which standard should you follow? EN 301 549 and WCAG

The EAA sets functional accessibility requirements rather than naming a specific technical checklist. In practice, harmonised European standards give businesses a way to show conformity. For digital content, the relevant standard is EN 301 549, which for web content incorporates the WCAG 2.1 Level AA success criteria.

That means WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical target for websites and apps. Many teams aim for WCAG 2.2 AA, since it includes all of 2.1 plus a few extra criteria, such as minimum target size and accessible authentication. Our WCAG checklist breaks down the criteria in plain language.

Typical WCAG requirements that matter for e-commerce include:

• Text alternatives for product images; see how to write alt text
• Sufficient colour contrast for text and controls
• Full keyboard access to menus, filters, cart and checkout
• Labelled form fields and clear error messages
• Captions for videos with speech

The accessibility information requirement

Service providers must provide information explaining how their service meets the accessibility requirements. This information should be included in general terms and conditions or an equivalent document, and made available in accessible formats, for example on your website.

In practice, many businesses publish an accessibility statement that describes:

• The service and how it meets the requirements
• The standard followed, such as EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA
• Known limitations and planned fixes
• How users can give feedback or request help
• Where relevant, information about the national authority responsible for enforcement

How the EAA is enforced

Each member state designates market surveillance authorities for products and authorities responsible for checking services' compliance. National laws set out the procedures and penalties, which must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Consumers or organisations representing them may also be able to bring complaints or legal action under national law.

There is no single EU-wide fine amount; penalties differ by country.

How to prepare for the European Accessibility Act

1. Map your scope. List the products and services you offer to EU consumers and check whether they fall into covered categories.
2. Check exemptions honestly. Confirm whether the microenterprise exemption applies, and document any disproportionate burden assessment.
3. Audit your website and apps. Start with an automated scan using a free accessibility checker, then do manual keyboard and screen reader testing on key journeys like signup, search, product pages and checkout.
4. Fix the highest-impact issues first. Prioritise barriers that block tasks, such as an inaccessible checkout or unlabeled forms.
5. Update processes. Add accessibility to design reviews and QA.
6. Check third-party tools. Payment providers, chat widgets and booking systems are part of your service.
7. Publish accessibility information. Write an honest statement and add it to your terms or a linked page.
8. Monitor and retest. Schedule regular audits and track progress over time.

Tools like Openwise can help with parts of this, such as automated WCAG scans, PDF reports for tracking progress, and a visitor widget that lets people adjust text size, contrast and other display settings. But a widget does not by itself make a website conform to EN 301 549 or WCAG; the underlying code and content must be accessible. We cover this in the truth about accessibility widgets.

Frequently asked questions

When does the European Accessibility Act come into force?

The European Accessibility Act's requirements apply from 28 June 2025. Member states had to adopt national implementing laws by 28 June 2022. Transition periods exist for some products already in use to deliver services, but websites and apps of covered services were expected to comply from June 2025.

Does the EAA apply to companies outside the EU?

Yes. The EAA applies to businesses that place covered products on the EU market or provide covered services to consumers in the EU, wherever the business is based. A non-EU online store selling to EU consumers is within scope for those sales unless an exemption applies.

Are small businesses exempt from the European Accessibility Act?

Microenterprises that provide services are exempt. A microenterprise has fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. Businesses above those thresholds, including small and medium-sized enterprises, are generally covered, although they may rely on a documented disproportionate burden assessment for specific requirements.

What accessibility standard does the EAA require?

The directive sets functional requirements. The harmonised standard EN 301 549 is the main way to demonstrate conformity for digital products and services, and for web content it maps to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Many organisations aim for WCAG 2.2 AA, which includes all WCAG 2.1 criteria.

Is an accessibility widget enough to comply with the EAA?

No. A widget can give visitors useful personalisation options, but EAA conformity depends on the website or app itself meeting the accessibility requirements. Issues such as missing alt text, keyboard traps and unlabeled form fields must be fixed in the code and content.

Conclusion

The European Accessibility Act makes accessibility a legal requirement for many businesses selling to EU consumers, including non-EU companies. Work out whether you are in scope, use WCAG 2.1 AA through EN 301 549 as your target, fix barriers in your key user journeys and publish clear accessibility information.

A good first step is to see where you stand today. Run your site through our free accessibility checker to get a WCAG score and practical fixes.