What Is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)? A Complete 2025 Compliance Guide for Businesses

2-5 min read

What Is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)? A Complete 2025 Compliance Guide for Businesses



Introduction

By 2025, businesses operating within the European Union will need to comply with a transformative piece of legislation: the European Accessibility Act (EAA). With over 87 million people in the EU living with disabilities, accessibility is no longer optional—it’s a legal requirement. The EAA aims to harmonize accessibility standards across member states, ensuring that digital and physical products and services are usable by everyone. This guide will walk you through what the EAA is, who it affects, the 2025 deadline, and what steps your business needs to take to stay compliant.



What Is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?

The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) is a directive adopted by the European Parliament in April 2019. Its purpose is to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services by removing barriers created by divergent legislation across EU countries.


Key Objectives:

  • Ensure people with disabilities can access digital and physical services.

  • Harmonize accessibility requirements across EU member states.

  • Improve the availability of accessible products and services.

  • Foster innovation and competition in accessible technologies.


Who Does the EAA Apply To?

The EAA applies to both private and public sector businesses, including:

  • Manufacturers, importers, and distributors of hardware and digital products

  • Service providers like banks, telecoms, e-commerce platforms

  • Public transport operators

  • Software and web developers

Covered Products:

  • Computers and operating systems

  • Smartphones and tablets

  • ATMs, ticketing, and check-in machines

  • Televisions and related equipment

  • E-readers and self-service terminals

Covered Services:

  • Banking services

  • E-commerce platforms

  • Telephony and messaging services

  • Public transport ticketing and information

  • Audiovisual media services


Key Compliance Deadline: June 28, 2025

While the directive came into force in June 2019, all EU member states were required to transpose it into national law by June 28, 2022. Businesses must ensure full compliance by June 28, 2025.

Grace Periods:
Some exceptions apply, especially for products placed on the market before the deadline or self-service terminals already in service. These may remain until they are replaced, often allowing a grace period of up to 2030–2045, depending on national implementations.


What Are the EAA Accessibility Requirements?

The EAA mandates that businesses must ensure their products and services are:

  • Perceivable – Information and UI must be presented in ways all users can perceive.

  • Operable – Interfaces must be usable via keyboard and assistive technologies.

  • Understandable – Information and operations must be clear and simple.

  • Robust – Content must be compatible with current and future technologies.

Technical Standards:
The primary technical reference is EN 301 549, which aligns with WCAG 2.1 Level AA (and future updates like WCAG 2.2).

Additional Requirements:

  • Clear and accessible user instructions and documentation

  • Accessible product packaging and labeling

  • A published accessibility statement

  • A feedback mechanism for accessibility issues

  • Internal processes for monitoring and staff training


How to Prepare for EAA Compliance

Step 1: Audit Your Current Accessibility Status

  • Evaluate websites, apps, services, and hardware

  • Use tools like GetWcag or Google Lighthouse

Step 2: Understand Applicable Standards

  • Adopt WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549 guidelines

Step 3: Redesign and Retrofit

  • Update interfaces, documents, and services

  • Prioritize perceivable and operable improvements

Step 4: Train Your Team

  • Educate developers, designers, and managers on accessibility best practices

Step 5: Create an Accessibility Statement

  • Include compliance level, known issues, and contact details for feedback

Step 6: Implement a Feedback System

  • Ensure users can report accessibility issues directly

Step 7: Monitor and Maintain

  • Schedule regular accessibility audits

  • Track user feedback and adapt processes


How GetWCAG.com Can Help with EAA Compliance

GetWCAG is an automated compliance scanner designed to support businesses in meeting both WCAG and EAA standards—an ideal ally as the June 28, 2025 deadline approaches.

Key Features & Benefits:

  1. Fast, Scalable Scanning
    Scan thousands of pages in minutes—daily, weekly, or monthly—to cover large sites or governance-heavy setups.

  2. Deep Compliance Analysis
    Outputs real-time accessibility scores (per WCAG 2.1/2.2 and EN 301 549), categorizes violations by severity, and highlights fixes.

  3. Actionable Reporting
    Download audit reports detailing issues and remedial steps. Use them to satisfy EU requirements for documentation and feedback mechanisms.

  4. Enterprise Collaboration
    Supports team accounts, queue prioritization, and scheduled scans—ideal for larger teams or agencies tracking progress across departments.

  5. Continuous Compliance Tracking
    Scheduled or on-demand scans track long-term improvements—essential for staying audit-ready under EAA.

Why This Matters for EAA Compliance:

  • Meets EN 301 549 Technical Standard

  • Feeds your accessibility documentation

  • Reduces legal risk

  • Supports operational efficiency


Potential Penalties for Non-Compliance

  • Fines (up to millions of euros depending on member state)

  • Product or service withdrawal from the market

  • Reputational damage and public backlash


Benefits of EAA Compliance

  • Increased market reach – Over 100 million EU citizens benefit directly

  • Better UX for all users – Accessibility improvements often help everyone

  • Enhanced SEO and performance – Accessible sites are faster, clearer, and rank better

  • Legal risk mitigation – Avoid costly fines and lawsuits

  • Brand reputation – Being inclusive is good for business


Conclusion: Take Action Before the 2025 Deadline

The European Accessibility Act is a pivotal step toward a more inclusive digital and physical environment across Europe. For businesses, the 2025 deadline is fast approaching—and the time to act is now. Begin auditing your services, train your team, and adopt WCAG and EN standards. Compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about building a more accessible, usable, and future-ready experience for everyone.

Don’t wait—start your accessibility journey today