Digital accessibility should be an important consideration for any business that operates online, whether that’s through a website or an app.
Accessibility is the practice of ensuring that your products & services can be accessed and used by people of all abilities. This can include those with visual or cognitive impairments, as well as those with physical disabilities. This is now a requirement for some businesses under the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
But what is the EAA, and why does it matter? After reading our guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how important accessibility is for your business, whether the act applies to you, and what steps you can take to meet the requirements.
This equates to roughly one in four people living with a disability. When you consider that disabilities can also be temporary (such as breaking an arm) or situational (having your hands full, or driving), it’s no wonder that accessibility is an essential consideration for businesses operating on the internet.
In the words of the inventor of the world wide web itself, Sir Tim-Berners Lee:
“The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.”
Sir Tim-Berners Lee
What is the European Accessibility Act 2025?
The EAA is a new legislation coming into effect on 28th June 2025 aiming to improve accessibility across a wide range of products and services. As a digital marketing agency, this introduces a significant change for e-commerce businesses, as the website itself must follow these standards.
According to the European Commission, “The European accessibility act is a directive that aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent rules in Member States.”
This applies to a range of products and services such as:
computers and operating systems
ATMs, ticketing and check-in machines
smartphones
TV equipment related to digital television services
telephony services and related equipment
access to audio-visual media services such as television broadcast and related consumer equipment
services related to air, bus, rail and waterborne passenger transport
banking services
e-books
E-commerce
Does the European Accessibility Act Apply to the UK?
For B2B, this can become more nuanced depending on the specific EU state that you are operating in. For this reason, it is essential to check regulations for each country that you are operating in.
Given that meeting these requirements will be challenging for micro enterprises, this does not apply to any business with less than 10 employees, with either an annual turnover of no more than €2 million, or an annual balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. On the other hand, Government bodies have been operating under similar requirements for many years, such as the NHS. Their commitment to accessibility shows that they have been following WCAG 2.2.
European Accessibility Act website requirements
We’ve talked about the context around the EAA, but what are the requirements? And what guidance is out there to help your business ensure that your website is accessibility friendly?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2
In their own words, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) “covers a wide range of recommendations for making web content more accessible.” These guidelines have been updated over the years, with the EAA following WCAG 2.2.
The previous iteration of WCAG (2.1) is a recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), but it is worth noting that adhering to the guidelines of 2.2 will also satisfy 2.1.
A summary of the guidelines can be found on the WCAG website, stating that your product or service should be:
Perceivable
Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
Provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia.
Create content that can be presented in different ways, including by assistive technologies, without losing meaning.
Make it easier for users to see and hear content.
Operable
Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
Give users enough time to read and use content.
Do not use content that causes seizures or physical reactions.
Help users navigate and find content.
Make it easier to use inputs other than keyboard.
Understandable
Make text readable and understandable.
Make content appear and operate in predictable ways.
Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust
Maximise compatibility with current and future user tools.
The EAA also requires your business to include an accessibility statement within your terms & conditions, demonstrating the efforts you have taken, as well as your commitment to accessibility.
How long do businesses have to prepare for the EAA 2025?
Products and services launched before 28th June 2025 will have until June 2030 to meet these requirements, and in extremely rare cases, until 2045 . Any offerings launched after the deadline on 28th June 2025 will need to meet these requirements from the offset.
For example, if your website is published before 28th June 2025, then you have a grace period until June 2030, in order to make the transition. However, any new website published after this date will be subject to the EAA.
This is similar for the products themselves, and any new product or service released after 28th June will need to follow these guidelines. Newer smartphones & computers/operating systems will therefore be required to comply with the EAA, including the relevant accessibility options within the device itself.
Will the UK develop its own version of the EAA?
For businesses operating solely within the UK, the European Accessibility Act of 2025 will not apply. Saying this, there is a good chance that the UK will introduce a similar requirement in the near future. The EAA itself is modeled after the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).
Even without a legal requirement in place, understanding EU accessibility requirements is an opportunity to ensure that your business is prepared for any changes in UK regulation.
With WCAG first being published in 1999, the EAA is a much needed move to make the internet more accessible as a whole. Not only will this benefit those with accessibility issues, but it can also be of a great benefit to your business.
Organic Search Benefits
We’ve heard it a million times before, but organic search & accessibility truly go hand in hand. Creating a logical site architecture, navigation, and header structure is the bread and butter of any good organic strategy.
Providing a more accessible and user friendly experience will only benefit your users, and help them to get the most out of your website.
The Purple Pound
The purple pound equates to the spending power of households in which one person lives with a disability has been estimated to be around £274 billion. This same report highlights that this lack of accessibility can be a huge blocker to people with disabilities from accessing digital products & services.
By creating an accessible website, you will avoid putting up unnecessary blockers for your business, while also helping those in need of accessible options online.
Brand Reputation
Investing time, money and consideration into providing a more accessible experience on your site for people with disabilities communicates a consideration for your audience. This is important for building a brand and defining your brand values. This doesn’t just contribute to the reputation of your business, but communicates genuine care for your audience.
What are the penalties for non-compliance with the EAA 2025?
As a legal framework, non-compliance can result in a number of penalties, depending on the EU state your business operates in. This can include:
Fines (up to €500,000 in some countries).
Lawsuits, court orders , and settlements.
Even a prison sentence (Ireland) or business suspension
What can you do to meet EAA requirements?
If your business sells products or services in the EU and must follow the EAA, the next step is to understand whether or not your website is compliant, and work closely with your web developers to ensure that you do meet the requirements in time.
Some options to include that will really improve accessibility include:
Site reader functionality.
High contrast colours (or an option to turn this on).
Options for increasing text size.
Alt text to describe images.
Structure your website in a way that is easy to navigate with just a keyboard, or other accessibility devices. (using sequential header tags & ARIA labels).
Add transcriptions for any video content.
Hints for input required on forms.
Descriptive anchor text for links, to help users understand where the link will take them.
Free Accessibility Tools
If you aren’t required to do so, but feel committed to making your website more accessible, then there are a number of free tools that you can use to see any major accessibility errors on your website.
Wave Plugin – An extension that allows you to quickly spot accessibility errors.
NVA – A screen reader that allows you to understand how those with visual impairments interact with your website.
European Accessibility Act Summary
Roughly 1 in 4 people live with a disability in the UK & in Europe
Applies to anyone selling products or offering services in the EU
Applies to a range of industries – including physical (mobile phones) & Ecommerce. Businesses with less than 10 staff, and under €2 million annual turnover are exempt.
Must follow WCAG 2.2 guidelines
Examples of actions include – creating alt text, subtitles & ensuring screen readers can view your website.
Penalties can include fines up to €500,000 and even a prison sentence.
Accessibility benefits users and organic & paid performance.
EAA deadlines are:
28th June 2025 for new offerings.
June 2030 for products and services launched before this deadline.
2045 deadline in extremely rare cases.
Loom Digital believes in an accessible world wide web
At Loom, ensuring our client’s websites deliver the best experience for all users is key. We work collaboratively with our clients and their developers and internal teams to improve the website’s technical health, working towards a seamless and accessible user experience.
If you want to find out more about how our SEO service works, and how we can highlight technical & accessibility issues for your website, contact Loom digital today.
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