Blog An introduction to the European Accessibility Act (EAA)
What you need to know about the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
The European Accessibility Act (EAA)
June 28, 2025. That’s when the EAA becomes national law in all 27 EU member states. If your organization sells products or services within the EU, the time to get started on your compliance roadmap is now.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a directive of the European Union that aims to improve the accessibility of products and services for people with disabilities and the aging population in the EU.
The goal is to remove barriers created by divergent rules in different EU member states. This will make it easier for companies to operate across member states, foster innovation in the development of accessible technologies, and help ensure accessible products and services are more affordable and widely available.
The EAA represents a significant step towards greater inclusivity. It aims to benefit not only people with disabilities and the older population but also businesses by creating a larger, unified market for accessible products and services.
The EAA is transposed into national law and regulations in all EU member states. Though one goal is to harmonize digital accessibility in Europe, each country will have its own specific compliance requirements.
What does the EAA cover?
Products
- Computers and operating systems
- Smartphones and other communication devices
- TV equipment related to digital television services
- ATMs and payment terminals
- E-readers
- Ticketing and check-in machines
Services
- E-commerce
- Banking services
- Phone services
- Websites and mobile services
- Electronic tickets
- E-books
- Access to Audio-visual media services (AVMS)
- Calls to the European emergency number 112
EAA compliance outside the EU
The EAA also applies to any enterprise or business outside the EU that provides services or sells products in the EU.
Service providers must explain in their terms and conditions how a service meets the digital accessibility requirements. As applicable, the information must contain:
- A broad overview of the service presented in a manner that everyone can understand, regardless of their accessibility needs
- Detailed guidelines and explanations on using the service
- An explanation of how the service aligns with the digital accessibility standards listed in Annex I of the European Accessibility Act
Service providers must demonstrate that the service is delivered and monitored in compliance with all applicable requirements of the EAA, and this information must be made available to the public in an accessible format.
Ensuring compliance
It’s important to understand that the EAA is a directive, not a standard. It does not refer to a specific accessibility standard, and leaves it to each country to define its own regulations and adopt a specific standard and conformance level.
Currently, most member states are implementing EN 301 549, which cites WCAG 2.1 AA. Some countries are only citing WCAG 2.1 AA.
Deque recommends complying with more stringent accessibility standards. Proactive steps reduce the risk of non-conformance from penalties and reduce the burden on your accessibility and development teams.
EN 301 549
The harmonized standard of accessibility requirements for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and services in the EU, Canada and Australia.
WCAG 2.1 AA
A W3C recommendation for making web content more accessible. Version 2.1 was extended by WCAG 2.2 in October 2023.
Penalties for non-compliance
The penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the directive itself and will vary by jurisdiction and severity. Companies are encouraged to prioritize accessibility to avoid legal and financial repercussions.
The directive does mandate that penalties must be “effective, proportionate, and dissuasive,” and consumers can report infringements to a court or the enforcing body in their country.
Exceptions to EAA coverage
EU Member States hold the authority to grant specific exceptions under certain circumstances.
Microenterprises
The directive does not impose accessibility requirements on companies with less than 10 employees and an annual turnover/balance sheet of less than €2 million.
Disproportionate burden
An organization can receive an exemption for disproportionate burden if it can document that the cost of making its products or services accessible would be significantly more than the value of the increased accessibility to people with disabilities. The directive contains extensive criteria for determining whether something constitutes a disproportionate burden.
Meet EAA requirements with Deque
By working with Deque’s industry experts now, you can build your EAA compliance roadmap and be ready when the directive takes effect on June 28, 2025.
Regional experts
Deque has employees and offices worldwide with deep knowledge of local guidelines
Strategic Consulting
Our Principal Strategy Consultants help build, run and improve the world’s largest digital accessibility programs
Trusted and proven tools
Our axe tools are the defacto global standard with 875,000+ installs
Additional resources
Blog post 301,549 ways to improve accessibility: EN 301 549
WCAG's guidelines are not always the best fit–here's where EN 301 549 comes in.