European Accessibility Act Compliance
The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) is the first law to require accessible digital products and services from private businesses across all 27 EU member states. If you sell into the EU — from anywhere — it applies to you. We make conformance with EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA straightforward.
27
EU member states covered
2025
Applied from 28 June
EN 301 549
Harmonised standard (WCAG 2.1 AA)
€1M
Top penalty ceiling (Spain)
Who must comply?
The EAA covers a broad set of consumer-facing digital products and services. Critically, it applies to any business placing these on the EU market — including US and UK companies with EU customers. Microenterprises providing services (under 10 staff and €2M turnover) are largely exempt.
- E-commerce and online stores
- Consumer banking and financial services
- Telecommunications services
- Transport (booking, ticketing, real-time travel info)
- E-books and dedicated reading software
- Audiovisual media access services
- Self-service terminals (ATMs, ticketing, check-in)
- Operating systems, smartphones, and computing hardware
Enforcement & penalties by country
Enforcement is active and accelerating — France issued formal notices to major retailers in late 2025. Penalties are set per member state and can scale with company revenue.
| Country | Framework | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | BFSG | Up to €100,000 per violation; products can be withdrawn from market |
| France | via RGAA / DGCCRF | Up to €75,000 (and up to ~4% of revenue); active enforcement since late 2025 |
| Spain | RD transposition | Up to €600,000 — and up to €1,000,000 for serious/repeat breaches |
| Italy | AgID oversight | Base fines €5,000–€40,000, up to 5% of annual turnover |
| Ireland | EU Regs 2023 | Up to €60,000 / 18 months; personal officer liability; private right of action |
| Netherlands | ACM oversight | Up to ~€87,000 per violation |
Penalty figures are indicative and vary by member state and circumstance. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm specifics with qualified EU counsel.
How we get you to EN 301 549 conformance
EAA scope assessment — confirm which of your products and services are covered and which member-state authorities apply.
EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA audit — automated scanning plus manual testing with JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver against the harmonised standard.
Prioritised remediation — we fix the barriers (or work alongside your team) and re-test to confirm conformance.
Conformance documentation — an EN 301 549 accessibility statement and conformance report you can stand behind with regulators and customers.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the EAA apply to US or UK companies?
- Yes. The EAA applies to any business that places covered products or services on the EU market, regardless of where the business is headquartered. A US or UK e-commerce store, bank, or SaaS platform with EU customers is in scope.
- What is the deadline?
- The EAA has applied since 28 June 2025. Some service providers have a transitional period for legacy service contracts and self-service terminals running until 28 June 2030, but new products and services must conform now.
- What technical standard must we meet?
- Conformance is assessed against the harmonised European standard EN 301 549, which currently aligns with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and is moving toward WCAG 2.2. If you already meet WCAG 2.1 AA, you are most of the way there.
- Are small businesses exempt?
- Microenterprises providing services (fewer than 10 staff and under €2 million annual turnover) are largely exempt from the service obligations, though product manufacturers are treated differently. We can confirm whether your organisation is in scope.
- How is the EAA different from the ADA?
- US ADA exposure is reactive — driven by lawsuits after the fact. The EAA is proactive and regulatory: a harmonised obligation across 27 member states with market-surveillance authorities, per-violation fines, and the power to remove non-conforming products from the market.
Selling into the EU? Let's confirm where you stand.
Book a free consultation. We'll assess your EAA exposure and map the fastest path to EN 301 549 conformance.
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