Answering your common questions about the European Accessibility Act (EAA)
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a directive ensuring that all digital products, such as websites and mobile applications, are accessible to everyone in the EU. It follows the globally-recognised Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards as its benchmark for accessibility.
The EAA are currently looking into the refined WCAG 2.2 standards, which were released in 2023 and have a higher acceptance criteria. We believe it is likely that the EAA will set a date post-June 2025 by which time the revised 2.2 guidelines are implemented.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of international standards designed to make digital content more accessible to people with disabilities. These guidelines are developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and are intended to ensure that websites, apps, and other digital content are usable by individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive, and mobility impairments.
WCAG is organised into levels of conformance (A, AA, AAA) based on how stringent the requirements are. The EAA requires conformance to AA standards.
Any business that wishes to trade in the EU, wherever it is based, must adhere to the guidelines as laid down by the Act. So, if you are a pension supplier with customers based in France, or a European travel booking service with Spanish customers purchasing tickets, it will likely apply to your company.
The directive comes into force 28 June 2025. From this point on, member EU states can take legal action against companies whose products are available to their populous.
Non-compliance with the EAA can lead to fines and other penalties, though the exact type and severity are determined by each member state. The directive requires that penalties be "effective, proportionate, and dissuasive." Consumers also have the option to report violations to either a court or the relevant enforcement body in their country.
After your digital product complies with all WCAG 2.1 standards, or we establish a mutually agreed timeline to address any gaps, we will issue an official Accessibility Accreditation in collaboration with our accreditation partner.
