By June 28, 2025, businesses will need to comply with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), a law designed to ensure that websites, apps, and digital services are accessible to people with disabilities.
Not sure what that means for you? Not to worry.
We’ll walk you through what the law covers, what EN 301549 - the EAA’s expected go-to technical standard - is all about, and how to start taking action toward compliance.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) was adopted by the European Union in 2019 to make sure digital products and services are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
The EAA requires products and services to comply with accessibility requirements based on “harmonized standards”, a principal one of which is expected to be EN 301549 - a technical standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
EN 301549 outlines the official accessibility requirements for websites, mobile apps, and other digital tools, and serves as the main reference point for evaluating whether a product or service meets the law’s expectations.
The EAA applies to both public and private sectors.
Already bound by the Web Accessibility Directive, public sector websites and apps will now see those requirements reinforced by the EAA.
What’s new is the expanded reach into the private sector.
For the first time, many private businesses will be legally required to ensure their digital products and services are accessible to people with disabilities.
This infographic details how the EAA evoloved over the years. Descriptive alt text has been added for those using assistive technology.
The EAA doesn’t apply to every business or industry. Instead, it clearly defines the types of products and services that fall under its scope.
These include:
While these categories are largely made up of private sector services, public organizations offering similar products or services may also be required to comply with the EAA.
The EAA applies to companies it categorizes as enterprises. Organizations with fewer than 10 employees and less than €2 million in annual turnover are considered microenterprises, and will likely be exempt from the EAA’s service-related requirements.
However, if you manufacture products covered by the EAA – such as smartphones, payment terminals, or other consumer tech – you may still need to meet certain accessibility obligations, even if you qualify as a microenterprise.
The EAA doesn’t set specific technical standards for accessibility.
Instead, it outlines general requirements and leaves room for flexibility in how those requirements are met.
According to the EAA’s official Fact Sheet, the law will “not impose detailed technical solutions telling how to make” a site compliant. That means businesses have the freedom to choose how they meet accessibility goals, as long as the end result is inclusive.
That said, EN 301549 is widely recognized as and expected to be the standard to follow under the EAA.
While the law doesn’t mention it by name, EN 301549 is already widely used by public sector organizations when selecting digital services. It was also repeatedly referenced throughout the legislative process, making it the expected benchmark for evaluating compliance.
Developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), EN 301549 is the official accessibility standard of the European Union for digital products and services.
It outlines detailed technical requirements to ensure websites, applications, and other digital tools are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
EN 301549 is built on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - specifically WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG is the standard for compliance under laws like Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). It is also referenced by many courts when ruling on web accessibility cases under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Ultimately, complying with the EAA through EN 301549 entails meeting the guidelines set out in WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Since WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance is central to meeting EN 301549 - and, by extension, complying with the EAA - it’s worth understanding what that actually entails.
Some of the key guidelines you’ll need to follow include:
While these are important action items, the full list of requirements for WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance is quite extensive. In addition to core web design and development practices, WCAG also covers aspects like structure, semantics, focus management, and responsive behavior.
It’s also important to note that web accessibility applies to more than just your website’s layout or code.
Under WCAG, PDFs, videos, and other online assets must also be configured so that they can be accessed by everyone, regardless of ability:
To explore WCAG in more depth and get a comprehensive understanding of what full conformance entails, we recommend you check out these resources:
EAA compliance calls for a comprehensive approach; one that considers not just the accessibility of your website, but also your online assets, like documents and videos, and even the infrastructure and development processes behind your digital presence.
To address this full scope, many organizations turn to end-to-end accessibility solution providers like accessiBe, which offer a range of tools and services tailored to different levels of accessibility maturity; from initial audits to ongoing monitoring and remediation.
Whether you're just getting started or building on an existing accessibility strategy, accessiBe offers solutions that scale with your need, while adhering to the security and compliance standards relevant to European organizations.
Here are some of the tools and services that support different stages of the journey:
accessWidget helps websites meet many core WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines through AI-driven testing and remediation. It helps make your website compatible with screen readers and allows for keyboard-only navigation, quickly helping you reach high levels of accessibility and compliance.
Organizations with more advanced compliance requirements, such as those with complex websites or industry-specific needs, can benefit from manual testing and custom remediation (MTCR), as well.
Combining AI and human expertise, MTCR starts with an audit of key user journeys on your site. The insights gathered inform targeted adjustments to accessWidget, helping it better support those specific flows and improve accessibility.
Accessibility extends beyond your site’s structure and interface; it also applies to the assets you publish and share.
accessServices provides targeted testing and remediation for online content such as PDFs, and videos.
Organizations seeking a comprehensive accessibility audit can rely on accessServices, which offers the opportunity to include individuals with diverse disabilities in the testing process, ensuring that real-world experiences inform and guide meaningful accessibility improvements.
Organizations looking to incorporate accessibility natively into their site or platform can leverage accessFlow, a centralized platform that brings structure, visibility, and accountability to digital accessibility efforts.
accessFlow enables developers, team leads, and project managers to embed accessibility into their existing workflows - even if they have little to no prior experience, making it easier to create accessible code without disrupting day-to-day development.
