How the European Accessibility Act will impact your business

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Understanding the European Accessibility Act

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force on 28 June 2025. This landmark piece of legislation aims to make digital and physical products and services more accessible to people with disabilities. The act applies to various industries, including e-commerce, banking, transport, and digital services, requiring businesses to meet strict accessibility standards.

Yellow wheelchair accessibility symbol centered on the European Union flag, surrounded by twelve gold stars on a blue background.
A Disabled person sign on the EU flag. European accessibility act concept.

Does It Apply to UK Businesses?

Despite the UK having left the European Union, the EAA still applies to UK companies that trade within the EU. If your business sells products or services to EU customers, you must comply with the act to avoid legal and financial penalties. This means UK businesses cannot ignore the EAA if they wish to remain competitive in the European market.

What Does the Act Cover?

The EAA mandates accessibility improvements for:

  • Websites and mobile apps
  • E-books
  • Banking services
  • E-commerce platforms
  • Public transport services (ticketing and real-time travel information)
  • ATMs, self-service kiosks, and terminals

Failure to comply could result in fines, restricted market access, and reputational damage. Whilst the EU itself does not impose fines, individual EU member states have the authority to enforce penalties. This means that non-compliant businesses could face fines from multiple countries where they operate, compounding the financial impact. Additionally, restricted market access could prevent businesses from legally selling products and services within the EU, significantly limiting their potential customer base.

Furthermore, UK businesses seeking to secure contracts with public sector organisations in the EU will find it impossible to do so without meeting the EAA requirements. Many EU governments and public bodies will mandate compliance as a prerequisite for procurement, meaning that accessibility will not just be a legal obligation but a competitive necessity.

While the EAA is a legally binding act, it is one of the few legislations that directly benefits businesses. Ensuring accessibility increases customer engagement, enhances brand reputation, and provides access to a wider market, including the estimated 135 million people with disabilities in the EU. Businesses that prioritise accessibility often see improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Preparing for Compliance

To comply with the EAA, businesses should:

  1. Conduct an accessibility audit of their digital platforms.
  2. Ensure websites and apps meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
  3. Train employees on accessibility best practices.
  4. Implement accessibility-friendly payment and checkout processes.
  5. Provide alternative formats for digital content, such as captions and transcripts.

Final Thoughts

The European Accessibility Act is not just another regulatory hurdle – it’s an opportunity for businesses to grow, improve customer engagement, and build a more inclusive digital landscape. By taking proactive steps towards compliance, companies can benefit both legally and financially while improving experiences for all users.

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FAQs

In addition to microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover below €2 million, the EAA provides minor other exemptions, including:

 

  • Non-consumer services – B2B services are considered to be outside the scope.

  • Archived or pre-2025 content – Websites, apps, media files, and documents published before 28 June may also be exempt, provided they have not been updated after that date.

  • Third-party content – Content that has not been created, funded, or controlled by the provider e.g. user-generated content or embedded third-party widgets, may also be exempt.

  • Disproportionate burden – If compliance would impose excessive costs, technical challenges, or fundamentally change the nature of the service or product, organisations may be exempt. However, they must be able to prove their case with documentation.

No, not every website falls under the European Accessibility Act. The legislation specifically applies to consumer-facing websites and digital services that provide products and services within the EU.

 

For example, the EAA would apply to websites customers interact with, like e-commerce platforms, transport booking sites, streaming platforms, and mobile apps.

 

However, it would not apply to purely internal or B2B-only websites, as these are not directed at the general public.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fines for non-compliance. Each EU member state determines their own penalties, which can range from modest to significant.

 

Here are some country-specific examples:

 

  • Germany – Businesses can face fines up to 10,000 for neglecting to prove accurate information about the digital accessibility of their products and services, while fines of 100,000 can be issued for selling products and sources that are non-compliant with EAA regulations.

  • France – Private businesses may face a fine of €50,000 for failing to meet web accessibility standards and additional fines of €25,000 for related offences such as the failure to publish an accessibility statement.

  • Spain – May impose fines ranging from €30,000 to €600,000 for non-compliant businesses. They may also be required to undertake corrective measures and could have their non-compliant status disclosed to the public.

See more FAQs

Website accessibility monitoring is the fundamental process of scanning your website to detect any issues that could prevent users with disabilities from using it. Automated web accessibility monitoring tools continuously check for accessibility issues across your site, providing instant alerts for new and updated content, as well as your overall site health.

 

They track compliance with standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and show you how accessible your site is, where it should be, and what improvements should be made to deliver a better experience for all users.

 

In addition to measuring your compliance, they also provide a clear picture of your progress over time, so you can track the impact of your improvements and maintain ongoing accessibility.

The two main types are automated and manual monitoring. Together, they provide you with a comprehensive view of how accessible your site is and where improvements are needed.

 

  • Automated monitoring uses specialised web accessibility monitoring tools to scan your website for non-compliant features and common issues, such as missing alt text, poor colour contrast, or keyword navigability issues. These tools can also provide instant alerts for when site elements present accessibility risks and site health reports so you can prioritise any issues.

  • Manual monitoring is where accessibility experts and testers come in to review your site as a real user would, often using assistive technologies like screen readers. They will usually check how easy it is to navigate through pages, interact with content, and understand messages or instructions. The aim is to identify any areas which may present barriers for individuals with disabilities.

Accessibility monitoring is crucial for ensuring that everyone can use and experience your site in the same way, regardless of ability. It is also essential for staying compliant with standards like WCAG and with laws like The European Accessibility Act 2025.

 

Without regular monitoring, accessibility issues can easily appear when new pages are added, content is updated, or designs are changed.

 

Continuous website accessibility monitoring gives you a framework to:

  • Stay compliant

  • Improve user experience

  • Respond to issues quickly

  • Track progress over time

Accessibility monitoring should be integrated into your process rather than a one-time check. Websites can change frequently, with new pages, designs, and content changes, but each update can introduce accessibility issues.

 

Continuous monitoring, both manual and through an automated website monitor, is recommended to catch any issues as soon as they appear, particularly after any big changes, such as adding interactive elements, redesigns, and when legal or accessibility guidelines are updated.

 

Even without significant changes, monitoring should be a consistent part of your organisations website maintenance.

 

The more you test the better, but for those looking for an exact amount, ideally once a month is a good starting point to catch any emerging issues.

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