The European Accessibility Act is coming into force: Are you ready?

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New rules are changing how websites need to work in Europe. June 28, 2025, marks an important step for equal rights: the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force.

This law requires websites to be accessible to people with disabilities and impairments — a major change, considering only 3% of the internet is currently accessible. Let’s break down what the EAA means and who’s affected.

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TL;DR:

The European Accessibility Act takes effect on June 28, 2025, and requires certain websites and apps to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility standards. It affects industries like banking, travel, and e-commerce. Companies that don’t comply may face penalties depending on their country. Even if you’re not legally required, accessibility opens your site to millions of potential users — and revenue.

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New European requirements under the EAA

The EAA is an EU-wide law that will apply to digital products and services offered in Europe. From June 28, 2025, companies in industries such as banking, e-commerce, travel, and leisure will need to make their websites and apps compliant with WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

Good news: not every site is affected — the law specifically targets businesses in these sectors. But the bar has been raised. This sets a strong precedent: everyone should have equal access to the internet.

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Making your website accessible – What is WCAG 2.2 Level AA?

WCAG 2.2 Level AA is a widely recognized standard that helps make websites and apps accessible to as many people as possible including users with visual, motor, hearing, or cognitive disabilities.

It’s the middle tier of accessibility standards (between Level A and Level AAA), and the one most organizations aim for if they care about usability, inclusivity, or legal compliance including under the EAA.

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Am I affected by the EAA?

Not every company is on the hook — but if you’re operating in the EU and offer digital services, there’s a good chance you are. Here's a quick gut-check:

• Do you run a website or app in banking, e-commerce, travel, or digital media?
• Do you sell products or services to EU consumers?
• Does your site involve online transactions, user logins, or account management?
• Do you provide a mobile app or downloadable software?

If you said “yes” to any of the above it means the EAA probably applies to you, and now’s the time to prepare. If you scroll below we'll tell you how to get ready and how you can check what your website currently misses.

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What are the accessibility requirements under WCAG 2.2 Level AA?

Here’s what WCAG 2.2 Level AA means in practice — and how it goes beyond WCAG 2.1:

• Readable content
  Text should have enough contrast with the background, be scalable without breaking the layout, and use clear, legible fonts.

• Usable interactive elements
  Buttons, links, and form fields should be large and spaced out properly — crucial for mobile users and people with motor impairments.

• Keyboard navigation
  Everything must work without a mouse. Users should be able to navigate using only a keyboard or assistive tech.

• Timing flexibility
  If there are time-limited actions (like quizzes or forms), users should have the option to extend or turn off the time limit.

• Error prevention and recovery
  Forms should help users avoid mistakes (with clear labels and instructions) and make it easy to correct them when they happen.

• Consistent navigation
  Menus, buttons, and help features should stay in the same place on every page — it reduces confusion and speeds things up.

• Accessible touch targets (new in 2.2)
  Clickable elements must meet minimum size and spacing requirements so users can easily tap them — especially important on phones.

• Simplified interactions (new in 2.2)
  Tasks like drag-and-drop must also work with a single tap or click — useful for users with limited coordination or assistive devices.

• Avoiding redundant tasks (new in 2.2)
  If someone has already entered information like their name or address, don’t ask for it again unless it’s absolutely necessary.

This is a summary that I put together to help you understand better what WCAG means for your website. However, to get a full overview of WCAG and its standards you can check the official website of W3.

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What happens if your website doesn’t comply with the EAA?

Each EU country sets its own penalties, but non-compliance will lead to sanctions. And while the fines vary, the bottom line is the same: if you’re in a regulated industry and don’t meet accessibility standards, you’ll likely pay for it.

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Why accessibility matters — even if you’re not covered by the EAA

Making your website or app accessible isn’t just about legal risk — it’s a massive business opportunity.

The European Commission estimates that 87 million adults in the EU live with a disability. That’s nearly 27% of the adult population. In the Netherlands alone, businesses lose an estimated €3.4 billion in sales every year due to inaccessible websites.

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What products and services are affected by the EAA?

The EAA goes beyond websites. It affects a broad range of digital products and services, including:

• Computers and operating systems
• ATMs, ticketing, and check-in machines
• Smartphones
• Digital TV equipment
• Telephony services and devices
• Audiovisual media services and related consumer equipment
• Air, bus, rail, and waterborne transport services
• Banking services
• E-books
• E-commerce platforms

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What should I do to get compliant to EAA?

to help you get compliant we put together a short action plan:

• Audit your website — use both automated tools and human testing.
• Identify the weak spots — think poor contrast, small buttons, confusing layouts.
• Fix the easy stuff first — it’ll already make a big difference.
• Work with someone who knows what they're doing — accessibility isn’t just for devs; it involves design, content, and UX.
• Document your progress — if a regulator knocks, you'll want receipts.

Treat this like GDPR: waiting until the deadline is a great way to panic and overspend.

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How to check if your website needs adjustments

There are free tools like Accessibility Checker that can scan your site. However, no automated tool can fully guarantee WCAG compliance — many issues still require human review and testing.

We’re offering a free accessibility scan to companies that want to become WCAG compliant. If you're interested, get in touch.

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