What is the European Accessibility Act and why should you care?

By: Ivana Cirkovic

Published: September 16, 2025

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive (2019/882) became enforceable on June 28, 2025. It set mandatory accessibility requirements for digital products and services to ensure equal access for people with disabilities across all EU member states.

Unlike earlier legislation that only applied to public sector websites (like the EU Web Accessibility Directive), the EAA applies to private sector businesses, covering areas like:

E-commerce
Banking
Transport services
Consumer tech (like ATMs and e-readers)
Websites and mobile apps

It’s a market-oriented law – meaning if your business wants to offer relevant products or services in the EU, it must meet accessibility standards. With that in mind, we’ve researched the matter and here’s everything you need to know and update, to be aligned with this act.

EAA introduction and background

On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) officially came into effect across the European Union. The EAA is an EU-wide law (formally, Directive (EU) 2019/882) that aims to ensure many everyday products and digital services are accessible to people with disabilities. It was adopted in 2019 and gave EU Member States until 2022 to write its requirements into national law, with compliance obligations for businesses starting by 2025. The Act was introduced as part of the EU’s commitment to equal rights for persons with disabilities – aligning with the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In practical terms, the EAA seeks to remove barriers in the internal market caused by different accessibility rules in different countries, creating one harmonized set of requirements for all EU members.

Why is the European Accessibility Act being implemented?

The core purpose of the EAA is twofold:

1) to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities and older people across the EU, enabling them to participate equally in society and the economy; and

2) to harmonize accessibility requirements across Member States, facilitating the free circulation of accessible products and services in the EU’s single market.

Prior to the EAA, some EU countries had their own national accessibility laws, while others had none – creating fragmentation. The EAA sets a common minimum standard so that a product or service that meets accessibility requirements in one EU country will meet them in all. This not only benefits consumers with disabilities, but also benefits businesses by reducing duplicate costs and opening up a larger market for accessible innovations.

Who does EAA affect?

Just because it’s an EU act, doesn’t mean people outside its borders are non-compliant. In summary, the European Accessibility Act is a landmark piece of legislation designed to make every day digital and electronic products and services more inclusive. Below, we break down why it’s being implemented, who it affects, what it covers, and how to comply – with a special focus on implications for web developers and the WordPress community.

EU Users

People with disabilities benefit from better access to essential services.
Elderly users also benefit from simplified interfaces and assistive tech compatibility.

EU Businesses

Companies offering websites, apps, e-books, payment systems, etc. will be legally required to comply with accessibility standards.
Microenterprises (under 10 employees and €2M annual turnover) are exempt from service-related obligations but still encouraged to comply.

WordPress Professionals

Agencies, developers, theme and plugin authors must ensure their output is compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Sites built or maintained for clients offering services in the EU are in scope.

Non-EU Businesses

Any company offering services to EU users (e.g., SaaS platforms, e-commerce shops) must also comply or risk being blocked from the market.

The EAA is being implemented because it is both the right thing to do for social inclusion and a smart thing to do for Europe’s economy. It responds to the long-standing challenges faced by people with disabilities and seeks to ensure that as technology advances, no one is left behind. It also provides clarity and uniformity for companies, so that accessibility is not a patchwork of different rules but a common standard across Europe.

What products and services are covered by the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) doesn’t attempt to cover everything under the sun. Instead, it zeroes in on a defined list of products and services that are both critical for daily life and historically inconsistent in terms of accessibility rules across EU member states.

These covered areas were carefully chosen to ensure that people with disabilities can independently access essential technology and digital services – like buying a ticket, using a website, watching TV, or reading a book – without barriers.

Products that must be accessible:

Computers & Operating systems: Laptops, desktops, tablets and their software must include features like screen readers, high-contrast modes and keyboard accessibility.
Self-service terminals: ATMs, ticket machines, check-in kiosks and payment devices must be usable by people with various disabilities.
Smartphones & Telecom devices: Phones and communication equipment should support things like voice control, screen readers and hearing-aid compatibility.
TV & Media equipment: Smart TVs, set-top boxes and streaming devices must allow easy access to subtitles, audio descriptions and screen reader support.
E-Readers: Devices like Kindles must offer features such as text-to-speech, font resizing and easy navigation without touch.

Bonus: Software that powers these devices must also meet accessibility standards.

Services that must be accessible:

Telecom services: Mobile, landline, SMS and internet services must be fully usable and offer things like text or video relay for deaf users.
Streaming & Media platforms: Services like Netflix or local TV apps must include subtitles, captions and screen reader-friendly interfaces.
Transport services: Websites and apps for buses, trains, ferries and planes must make booking, ticketing and live updates accessible.
Online banking: Banking apps and websites must be easy to navigate with assistive tech and ATMs should also be accessible.
E-Books & online stores: E-books must be in accessible formats and any online store that sells to the EU must ensure their website is usable by everyone.
Emergency number 112: People with disabilities must be able to reach emergency services through alternative methods like text or video – by 2027.

If a product or service helps people communicate, travel, shop, read, watch, or manage money, and it’s available in the EU – it must be built to work for everyone, including people with disabilities.

What’s not covered by the European Accessibility Act?

While the European Accessibility Act (EAA) covers a wide range of products and services, there are a few important exceptions and grace periods to know about. Here’s what falls outside the mandatory scope:

1. Microenterprises offering services

If your business has fewer than 10 employees and under €2 million annual turnover and you’re offering services (like a small online shop or travel agency), you’re not required to comply with the EAA.

But keep in mind:

This only applies to service providers – not manufacturers.
Accessibility is still good practice and other disability laws might still apply.
Doing nothing can still pose reputational or legal risks.

2. Old content gets a pass (but only if left untouched)

Content created before June 28, 2025 – like old videos, PDFs and archived websites – is generally exempt from the EAA, as long as:

It’s not actively being updated or reused.
It’s not critical for an ongoing service.

New content must be accessible and anything old that’s republished or repurposed should be made compliant.

3. Online maps are exempt (with conditions)

Interactive maps don’t have to be fully accessible as long as there’s an accessible alternative, like text-based directions or descriptions.

4. “Undue burden” or “Fundamental change” exemptions

If making a product or service accessible would:

drastically change its core function, or
create unreasonable cost or effort, a company can apply for an exemption.

But this isn’t a loophole:

The claim must be justified, documented and approved.
An alternative accessible solution must still be offered where possible.

How to meet EAA requirements on WordPress projects

If you work with WordPress – whether as a developer, designer, or agency – the European Accessibility Act (EAA) directly affects how you build and maintain websites. The law doesn’t just say “make it accessible”, it points to specific technical standards and WordPress sites need to follow them.

The EAA relies on existing accessibility standards:

WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the core requirement for all websites and mobile apps. It focuses on making content perceivable, operable, understandable and robust for all users.
EN 301 549 is the EU’s official standard for software and hardware and it builds on WCAG. If you follow WCAG 2.1 AA, you’re already on the right track.

What that means for WordPress

If you’re building with WordPress, accessibility must be part of your workflow. The EAA requires websites and apps to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That applies to how you choose themes, use plugins and write code.

Start with a theme labeled “Accessibility Ready” from WordPress.org, but don’t rely on the label alone. Check that it includes skip links, keyboard focus styles and proper heading structure.

Use plugins that are built with accessibility in mind. Avoid those that rely only on mouse input or use overlays claiming to “fix” accessibility – as they don’t meet standards and can create more problems.

When developing, use semantic HTML. Make sure all functions work with a keyboard. Label all form fields clearly. Use ARIA roles only when necessary and avoid unnecessary divs.

Images need alt text. Links should say what they do. Use strong color contrast and logical heading order. Add an accessibility statement that explains your compliance, known issues and contact info for feedback.

Test your site properly. Use tools like WAVE or axe to catch issues. Then test manually – navigate the site using just a keyboard and check it with screen readers like VoiceOver or NVDA.

Don’t just test the homepage. Go through forms, navigation, search results, checkout and error pages. These are where most issues appear.

Content matters too. Teach clients or editors to add alt text, use real headings (not bold text), and avoid vague links like “click here.” Videos should have captions or transcripts. PDFs should be accessible or replaced with web versions.

WordPress can easily be accessible, but it’s not by default. Custom code and poor choices often break it. You are responsible for what you ship – even if the tools claim to be accessible.

Final recommendation

Avoid “quick fix” solutions that promise instant compliance and, instead, do what you can to offer a better and more inclusive experience for every user.

And whether you’re a business, an agency or a developer, people rely on you so, by systematically auditing, fixing and adopting best practices, you’ll achieve true compliance and, more importantly, create products that people of all abilities can use successfully.

We hope this article helps you better understand the upcoming EAA and what it entails. Share it with the ones that need the same clarification and as a reminder to adopt an accessibility-first mindset in everything that we do.

Best practices AI summary

We couldn’t finish off this article without asking our friend, ChatGPT for a quick summary reference and here’s what it suggests:

Text alternatives: Every image that conveys information should have an <alt> attribute describing it (or marked as alt=”” if decorative). Provide transcripts for audio-only content and captions for video.
Keyboard navigation: Ensure no page element (menus, dialogs, carousels) is dependent on mouse or touch only. Test tab order and make sure focus doesn’t get lost off-screen.
Forms: Label every form field clearly (visible text label linked to the input). Provide instructional text and meaningful error messages that a screen reader will announce (e.g., using aria-live or inline errors). Include error indication in text, not just color.
Color and contrast: Use high contrast for text (at least 4.5:1 for body text as per WCAG AA). For any information conveyed by color (like “fields in red are required”), also include another cue (like an asterisk or bold label). Avoid very small font sizes; ensure users can zoom in without breaking layout.
Multimedia: For videos, provide captions and ideally audio description for key visual info if the video is essential. If audio content is crucial (like podcasts), provide a text transcript for deaf users. Avoid auto-playing media with sound; if must, let user pause/stop it.
Flashing content: Do not include content that flashes more than 3 times per second (to prevent seizure risks) unless it’s so small or low-contrast as to be safe.
Consistent navigation and structure: Keep navigation menus and buttons consistent across pages. Use headings to form an outline of the page content (this helps all users, not just screen reader users, to scan and understand layout). For example, if you have an “H2: Features” followed by sub-sections as H3, follow that pattern uniformly.
Testing with users: If resources allow, involve people with disabilities in testing your product. Their feedback is invaluable and often highlights issues automated tests miss. There are organizations and communities that facilitate user testing for accessibility.