Accessibility Widgets and the European Accessibility Act (EAA): What You Need to Know

Can Accessibility Widgets Make You EAA Compliant?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is about to fully take effect across the EU on June 28, 2025. Businesses offering digital products and services in the European Union must ensure they meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities. This includes websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, banking services, and more.

With the deadline approaching, many companies are looking for quick solutions. Accessibility widgets and overlays are being marketed as fast, easy fixes to become compliant. But do these tools really make you EAA-compliant? Short answer: No.

What Are Accessibility Widgets?

Accessibility widgets, also called overlays, are third-party tools you can add to your website or app. They typically offer features like:

• Text resizing
• High contrast modes
• Screen reader support toggles
• Keyboard navigation aids
• Simplified interfaces

Popular providers include AccessiBe, UserWay, EqualWeb, AudioEye, and others.

These tools promise fast compliance by adding an accessibility layer without changing your core code. But regulators and accessibility experts strongly caution against relying on them as your primary compliance method.

Why Accessibility Widgets Fail the EAA Requirements

The EAA requires that products and services be accessible by design. This means:

• Accessible code structure (semantic HTML, ARIA attributes, proper labeling)
• Logical keyboard navigation and focus order
• Screen reader compatibility
• Clear and meaningful alternative text
• Accessible forms, buttons, and dynamic content

Accessibility widgets operate at the browser level after your page loads. They do not fix core issues in your code. Most assistive technologies, like screen readers, interact directly with the underlying code structure. If that structure is broken, no widget can fix it.

For example:

• A missing form label cannot be retroactively added by a widget for screen readers.
• Incorrect heading hierarchy confuses navigation but remains untouched by overlays.
• Poor ARIA implementation breaks dynamic content updates regardless of widget settings.
  
  
  

EAA Enforcement Bodies Are Skeptical

European accessibility authorities have become increasingly vocal about the limitations of overlays. Several national bodies have issued warnings against relying on them. The European Disability Forum has also criticized these solutions as insufficient for real accessibility.

Regulators expect businesses to demonstrate accessibility is embedded into their design and development processes, not applied as an afterthought.

When Accessibility Widgets May Be Acceptable

Accessibility widgets aren't entirely useless. They can serve as supplemental tools, offering convenience features for users who want extra customization. However, they cannot replace proper accessibility work.

If your website is already accessible by design, offering a widget for optional adjustments may enhance user experience. But if your base code fails accessibility tests, no widget will make you compliant.

The Risk of a False Sense of Compliance

One of the biggest dangers with accessibility widgets is that they give businesses a false sense of security. Many companies mistakenly believe that adding a widget makes them fully compliant, delaying or avoiding the more difficult (but necessary) work of fixing their core accessibility issues.

Relying solely on widgets can expose businesses to:

• Regulatory penalties
• Consumer complaints
• Legal action
• Loss of reputation
  
  

What the EAA Expects

The European Accessibility Act aligns closely with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. In fact, the EU standard EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG directly for digital services.

To be EAA-compliant, your digital products and services must meet these core standards:

• Perceivable: Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
• Operable: Interface components must be usable via keyboard and other assistive technologies.
• Understandable: Content must be clear and predictable.
• Robust: Content must work reliably with a wide range of assistive technologies.

Accessibility widgets cannot guarantee these requirements are met.

How to Achieve True EAA Compliance

1. Conduct an accessibility audit: Use automated tools and manual testing to identify issues.
2. Fix issues at the code level: Ensure semantic HTML, proper ARIA implementation, and robust keyboard navigation.
3. Include accessibility in design processes: Involve users with disabilities during user testing.
4. Maintain accessibility documentation: Prepare for market surveillance and compliance checks.
5. Train your team: Developers, designers, and content creators all need accessibility awareness.
   
   

Conclusion

Accessibility widgets may seem like an attractive shortcut, but they are not a valid compliance solution for the European Accessibility Act. True accessibility requires thoughtful, built-in design and development practices. Companies that invest in real accessibility improvements will not only meet legal requirements but also serve a larger audience and create better user experiences for everyone.

GetCAG.com helps businesses navigate accessibility regulations like the EAA. If you're preparing for EAA compliance, start by focusing on your code, your design, and your users. Don't fall for the widget trap.