Understanding the European Accessibility Act (EAA) – A Guide for Businesses

What is the EAA and Why It Matters

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), formally Directive 2019/882, was adopted by the EU in April 2019 and takes full effect on June 28, 2025.

It sets a common accessibility standard for a wide range of products and services, including websites, mobile apps, ATMs, e-books, transport services, e‑commerce platforms, banking services, and more.

By harmonizing regional laws into one directive, it encourages innovation, opens markets, and ensures that individuals with disabilities throughout the EU can access everyday technologies without barriers.

Who Must Comply

• Applies to both private and public sector organizations.

• Companies with fewer than 10 employees and under €2 million in turnover are generally exempt—unless they manufacture covered products like smartphones or payment terminals.

• Public bodies already governed by the EU’s Web Accessibility Directive must now also follow the EAA.

Standards: What Does Compliance Look Like?

• The EAA mandates adherence to “harmonized standards,” mainly EN 301 549, which is aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

• While the act doesn’t directly name WCAG, it references its core principles—Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.

• AudioEye confirms that EAA compliance requires meeting WCAG 2.1 AA and warns that failure can result in fines, restricted EU market access, or enforcement actions initiated by consumer complaints.

Key Deadlines and Grace Periods

• June 28, 2025: Mandatory compliance deadline for new and updated products/services.

• Existing services and self-service terminals may continue to operate until 2030–2045 but must be replaced or updated afterward.

Step-by-Step Compliance Checklist

• Identify Scope – Do your digital assets fall under EAA (e.g., websites, mobile experience, ecommerce)?

• Audit & Gap Analysis – Evaluate against EN 301 549/WCAG 2.1 AA, using automated tools and expert manual reviews.

• Remediate Issues – Fix missing alt text, poor contrast, inaccessible forms/videos, and document accessibility.

• Verify Accessibility – Regular testing spanning new updates and legacy content.

• Provide Documentation – Publish accessibility statements; prepare compliance reports like VPATs if targeting public contracts or federal bodies.

• Maintain Long-Term – Accessibility is an ongoing commitment—monitor, update, and audit regularly.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

• Legal risks: Potential fines, consumer-level enforcement, and lawsuits .

• Market access: Delay or blockage in EU product/service deployment, especially government procurements.

• Brand reputation: Digital exclusion undermines trust—consumers value inclusive brands.

Final Takeaway

To thrive in the EU market post-June 28, 2025:

• Audit now to pinpoint gaps against EN 301 549/WCAG 2.1 AA

• Fix critical issues with alt text, color contrast, captions, and accessible forms/docs

• Document, monitor, and iterate to ensure lasting compliance

Accessibility isn’t just a legal checkbox—it’s good design, robust business strategy, and ethical responsibility.

Need Help Getting EAA Compliant? We’ve Got You Covered.

At Accessify Media, LLC we specialize in helping organizations meet global accessibility standards—whether you're just starting or need to bring legacy systems up to code.

Our EAA compliance services include:

• WCAG 2.1 / EN 301 549 audits and remediation

• Accessible web, PDF, and document design

• VPAT and accessibility statement creation

• Ongoing monitoring and staff training

Let’s make accessibility simple, sustainable, and built to scale.