The European Accessibility Act (EAA) – How to Make Your Digital Services Compliant by 2025
3 Mar 2025
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) introduces new obligations for businesses providing digital services and products — websites, mobile apps, and e-commerce platforms among them. Under the directive, companies must ensure their digital services are accessible to all users, including people with various disabilities: those with limited mobility, visual or hearing impairments, and other needs. In this article, we walk through the specific steps required to achieve EAA compliance and the benefits your business can expect from implementing them.
1. What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA) for digital services?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a European Union regulation designed to ensure that products and services — including digital ones — are accessible to people with various types of disability. The EAA imposes obligations on providers of services and products such as websites, mobile apps, online stores, and other digital services to make them easier to use for people with limited mobility, visual or hearing impairments, and other needs.
The EAA directive was adopted by the European Parliament in 2019 and requires all products and services in the EU covered by its provisions to be fully compliant with accessibility standards by the end of June 2025 at the latest. This means that providers of digital services — e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, websites — must meet specific requirements to make their services accessible to people with disabilities. The Polish Parliament enacted the law 'on ensuring that certain products and services meet accessibility requirements by economic operators,' transposing the EU directive into Polish law on 26 April 2024.
EAA – Key dates
- The law comes into force on 28 June 2025.
- Transitional periods apply until 2030.
EAA compliance is required for any organisation operating in the European Union (EU) market — regardless of where that organisation is based. For example, a US-based e-commerce company selling products to consumers in the EU is subject to EAA requirements. Similarly, a US-based hotel offering online bookings to EU consumers must ensure its booking page meets EAA compliance requirements.
The directive's goal is not only to give people with disabilities easy access to digital services, but to make their everyday lives easier by removing technological and communication barriers.
Exceptions
Certain types of digital content are exempt from EAA requirements, meaning they do not need to meet the accessibility standards set out in the directive. Exceptions include:
- Pre-recorded multimedia presentations published before 28 June 2025
- Office file formats published before 28 June 2025
- Online maps and mapping services, provided that essential information is available in an accessible digital format in the case of maps intended for navigational purposes
- Content on websites and mobile applications that serves as an archive (containing only content that has not been updated or edited after 28 June 2025)
2. What does a business need to do to make its digital services EAA-compliant?
1) Adapting websites
Adapting websites to the EN 301 549 standard, on which the EAA is based.
EN 301 549 also incorporates the WCAG 2.1 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) — the international accessibility standards that help create content accessible to people with various types of disability.
In short, this involves addressing elements such as:
- Adjusting colours and contrast ratios,
- Improving keyboard accessibility (e.g. the ability to navigate without a mouse),
- Providing captions for video content and transcripts for deaf users,
- Improving text readability through appropriate fonts and page layout.
View all WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines
2) Adapting mobile apps
Mobile apps must also meet EAA requirements. This includes:
- Implementing accessibility features, such as the ability to resize text or use speech recognition technology,
- Making the app accessible to users with limited motor skills (e.g. larger buttons, easier navigation),
- Testing the app for usability by people with disabilities.
3) Accessibility testing
Businesses must carry out regular accessibility testing of their websites and applications. They can use automated tools (e.g. WAVE, Lighthouse) as well as user testing with people with disabilities.
4) Ensuring e-commerce accessibility
Online stores must also meet accessibility standards, enabling easy navigation, order placement, and payment processes for users with disabilities.
5) Documenting changes
Companies must document the specific changes they have made to their digital services so they can demonstrate EAA compliance. They are required to publish an 'Accessibility Statement' — information describing how their product meets EAA requirements.
3. What steps should you take to ensure EAA compliance?
1) Conduct an accessibility audit
The first step is to carry out an accessibility audit to identify compliance gaps in your existing digital products, services, and platforms. The audit will reveal areas that need improvement — for both websites and mobile apps. This allows businesses to focus on the most critical accessibility aspects that need to be brought in line with EAA standards.
You'll find the full scope of the audit at the bottom of this article.
2) Implement WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549 standards
To meet EAA requirements, it is necessary to implement the international EN 301 549 accessibility standards, which incorporate the WCAG 2.1 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) requirements.
These standards help ensure that websites and mobile apps are accessible to people with various types of disability — for example, by ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers. Content should be easy to understand, and navigation should be accessible to people with limited mobility as well as those with visual or hearing impairments.
3) Fix the identified accessibility issues
Once the audit is complete and issues have been identified, the next step is to fix them. This may include adjusting colour contrast, improving page structure, enabling keyboard navigation, and providing transcripts and captions for video content. The focus should be on removing all barriers that may prevent people with disabilities from accessing your services.
4) Documenting your product's compliance with the EAA
Every entity subject to the EAA directive should maintain comprehensive compliance documentation for their product. This means preparing a detailed list of elements that meet accessibility requirements and identifying areas that still need improvement.
If gaps in accessibility are identified, the documentation should include specific action plans to address them — a description of the steps being taken, a timeline for implementing improvements, and the target solutions that will ensure compliance with the EAA.
This level of transparency not only makes it easier to meet legal requirements, but also sends a clear signal of care for users who may encounter barriers when accessing the product.
5) Training staff on accessibility
To provide effective support, staff — especially design and development teams — should be trained on accessibility principles. Knowledge of EAA requirements and how to implement them will enable more effective adaptation of digital products and services. Employees should understand accessibility testing methods and know how to support people with disabilities to improve their experience when using digital services.
6) Ongoing monitoring and adaptation
EAA compliance doesn't end with a one-off adjustment. You need to continuously monitor the accessibility of your digital products, incorporate user feedback, and adapt to evolving accessibility standards. It's also important to keep track of country-specific regulations, as some may introduce additional requirements. The EN 301 549 standard is regularly updated, so it's worth keeping up with new versions to ensure ongoing compliance with the latest accessibility requirements. The next update is expected in the second half of 2025.
If users report accessibility complaints, these should be addressed, and where non-compliance is found, corrective action should be taken to maintain high service quality and full EAA compliance.
4. What does a business gain by implementing digital accessibility?
1) Reaching a wider audience
Making digital services accessible to people with disabilities opens up a broader audience. In Poland, around 3 million people have a formal disability certification, while the actual number of people with various forms of disability may be as high as 7 million. At EU level, 27% of adults report difficulty performing everyday activities due to disability. By making these adjustments, businesses can fully tap into this potential and reach new, loyal customers.
2) Better reputation and brand image
Companies that take care of the accessibility of their digital services build a reputation as responsible and socially engaged businesses. This can attract loyal customers who value inclusivity.
3) Greater legal compliance
By implementing EAA requirements, businesses avoid the risk of fines for non-compliance with EU accessibility regulations. EAA compliance can also help meet legal requirements in other EU countries.
4) Improved usability
Making websites and apps more accessible tends to improve their overall usability for all users — not just those with disabilities. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction and better business results.
5) Accessibility as a competitive advantage
Businesses that adapt their digital services stand out from the competition — especially in a market that increasingly values openness and inclusivity.
5. What are the consequences of failing to comply with the EAA?
If a company fails to bring its digital services in line with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) requirements, it faces serious consequences:
1) Financial penalties
Companies offering digital services in the EU must meet EAA requirements. Failure to comply with accessibility standards can result in financial penalties, which vary depending on the country.
2) Loss of customers and reputation
Failing to make digital services accessible can exclude people with disabilities, leading to lost customers and a negative impact on the company's reputation — particularly on social media.
3) Loss of contracts and partnerships
Companies that don't meet accessibility standards may struggle to win new contracts, especially from public sector organisations and large companies with strong corporate social responsibility commitments.
4) Legal action
In the EU, people with disabilities can take legal action against companies that fail to provide accessible digital services, resulting in costly litigation and additional expenses.
5) Reduced competitiveness
Companies that ignore accessibility will find themselves edged out of the market, as competitors that comply with the EAA will have a clear advantage — and customers are increasingly choosing inclusive businesses.
6. Work with Autentika to make your digital services accessible
If you need support auditing your solutions for EAA compliance, get in touch with us.
We'll carry out the audit, create a list of recommendations for the required changes, train your team on documentation requirements, and prepare the necessary documentation templates.
7. Technical audit – scope
The order of areas listed here follows the list presented in standard EN 301 549, in chapters 9 and 11, which cover websites and applications.
