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European Accessibility Act

Also called
EAA
Last reviewed

Due , EAA, end of the transition period for products that service providers were already using

Key facts

Jurisdiction
European Union
Sector
Private sector
Applies to
Businesses that sell covered products or provide covered services to consumers in the European Union, wherever the business is based: e-commerce, consumer banking, e-books, electronic communications, access to audiovisual media, parts of passenger transport, and products such as computers, smartphones, e-readers, and self-service terminals.
Standard
Requirements in Annex I and national implementing law; applicable harmonized standards can support a presumption of conformity
Dates
  • : New products and services covered by the Act
  • : End of the transition period for products that service providers were already using

What it requires

The Act sets accessibility requirements for specified products placed on the market and consumer services provided from June 28, 2025. Its requirements include access to information, interfaces, support, and service-specific functions.

WCAG helps with web content, but meeting a WCAG level alone does not establish that every duty under the Act is met. Check the requirements in Annex I and the national law implementing the directive. A standard gives a presumption of conformity only for requirements it covers when its reference has been published for that purpose in the Official Journal.

Microenterprises providing services are exempt from the service requirements. The definition involves fewer than 10 people and annual turnover or a balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. This exemption does not cover their obligations for products.

Limited transitional provisions apply to existing service contracts and products already used to provide services. They do not create a general delay for all websites.

How it is enforced

The Act is a directive, so each EU country wrote it into national law and chose its own enforcement bodies and penalties. Consumers can complain to the national authority or go to court under national rules, and market surveillance authorities check products.

Sources

  1. Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and servicesEUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union, 2019. Checked .
  2. European Accessibility Act (EAA)European Commission. Checked .
  3. EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03): Accessibility requirements for ICT products and servicesETSI, CEN and CENELEC. Checked .
  4. Accessibility requirements for products and services: adopted act summaryEuropean Parliament. Checked .

Get help with every step.

We can work with organizations of every size and industry, from a startup serving its first customers to a bank. We find where you stand, help your team fix what matters, and keep checking as your product changes. That work is evidence of your effort, not a legal guarantee.

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