Everything you need to know about the European Accessibility Act The European Accessibility Act
The European Accessibility Act kicks in on June 28th 2025. We now have less than a year to ensure content is accessible to all.
Why we need the EAA 85 million people in Europe live with a disability, and it is their fundamental right to access and use the internet now that it has become such an essential tool for everyday life. Digital accessibility would give them the freedom and independence to do so.
People with disabilities rely on screen readers, screen magnifiers, captions, sign language interpretation, adaptive switches and a variety of other means to access the digital world. Unfortunately though, not all websites, apps and documents are accessible. This limits the independence of those with disabilities.
What will the European Accessibility Act actually do? The EAA will require that services and products provided for use in the EU are accessible to all people with disabilities.
The products covered by the Act include: ATMs Ticket and travel check-in machines Self-service terminals Mobile Phones Computers, terminals, operating systems E-reading Devices The services covered include: Audio-visual media services Transportation services Banking services Electronic communications services E-books E-commerce The EAA is also relevant for digital content, because any website, application, or digital document that provides these services must be compliant with the EAA.
Currently, the Web Accessibility Directive
The EAA was passed in 2019 and encompasses all web content, products, and services with operations within the EU regardless of ownership. EU member states are expected to have implemented it into national law by 2025.
While the EAA does not provide any technical accessibility standards that businesses must comply with and it is up to individual member states to decide how they will achieve the aims of any EU directive, it is assumed most will choose to adhere to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1
Ultimately, each EU member state will be responsible for enforcing the EAA. They can decide the penalties and appoint the body in charge of enforcement. The act requires that penalties for noncompliance be “effective, proportionate, and dissuasive.”
Member states must enable consumers to report noncompliance to the courts or the enforcement body in their country. Both public and private organizations must also have the option to file complaints or go to court regarding enforcement.
The remaining two years before the EAA's enforcement give organizations time to address potential litigation if their digital content isn't accessible. In the USA, accessibility-related lawsuits are on the rise, with up to 11,000 cases annually. Implementing digital accessibility not only avoids litigation but also opens your website to a broader client base.
Important to Note: Implementing digital accessibility not only avoids litigation but more importantly, it increases the number of potential clients who will be able to independently access your website.
Vially Can Help If you are:
Ready to make your company more accessible, Are unsure if your company complies with required laws, Or just have questions you’d like answered. How Vially can help? Vially can help make sure your websites, apps and documents comply with the European accessibility act. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to send us an email using hello@vially.io
