The European Accessibility Act: What you need to know
Is your business ready for the European Accessibility Act (EAA)? With the 2025 deadline approaching, ensuring your digital products, services, and communications are accessible isn’t just about compliance—it’s a game-changing opportunity to expand your audience and build a more inclusive brand. Here’s everything you need to know.
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Accessibility matters. Whether you’re a business leader or a software developer, ensuring your products and services are accessible isn’t just good practice—it’s also becoming a legal requirement across the European Union with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), a game-changing directive designed to create a more inclusive digital experience. But not just for European based businesses, this is also relevant for all businesses offering their products or services to the EU.
Table of contents
A timeline of key dates
What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?
The EAA, or Directive (EU) 2019/882, is a sweeping piece of legislation that mandates common accessibility standards across the EU. Its goal? To make products and services more accessible to persons with disabilities, fostering inclusivity by eliminating inconsistent accessibility rules among EU member states.
Why does the EAA exist?
At its core, the EAA is about creating an inclusive society. It empowers individuals with disabilities by enabling independent living, and participation in society on equal terms. On a macro level, it harmonizes accessibility requirements across the EU, making cross-border trade smoother for businesses.
Who benefits from the EAA?
The EAA aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) in defining persons with disabilities. But its benefits extend beyond this group. Pregnant women, the elderly, and travelers with temporary physical limitations will also see improved access to essential services.
What’s covered under the EAA?
The directive casts a wide net, covering both products and services. Highlights include:
Products: Smartphones, consumer computers, e-readers, and self-service terminals like ATMs.
Services: Electronic communications, e-commerce, transportation, consumer banking, and audiovisual media.
What if compliance is too burdensome?
The EAA acknowledges that smaller businesses might face challenges in meeting all its requirements. In cases of “disproportionate burden,” businesses may be exempt from certain obligations if they can prove that compliance imposes undue financial or organizational strain. They also can be exempt if small enough (less than a certain number of employees or annual revenues).
Accessibility requirements you need to meet
The EAA outlines specific accessibility features that businesses must incorporate:
Alternative text for images
Keyboard navigation
Adjustable font sizes
Text-to-speech and speech-to-text functionalities
Captioning and audio descriptions
Accessible customer support services
These requirements ensure that your products and services are perceivable, operable, and understandable. A statement or online notice of how you comply with the act may also be necessary.
Deadlines and enforcement
Mark your calendars. By June 28, 2025, all products and services must comply with the EAA’s requirements. National authorities across EU member states will oversee enforcement through market surveillance, investigations, and penalties for non-compliance.
A timeline of key dates
June 28, 2021: Draft standards introduced.
June 28, 2025: Deadline for compliance with accessibility standards for new products and services.
June 28, 2030: Transitional period ends for older contracts and products.
Indefinite future: Self-service terminals in use before 2025 can remain operational for up to 20 years.
Why this matters for businesses
The EAA isn’t just a checklist—it’s an opportunity. By embracing accessibility, you’re opening your doors to a wider audience, improving customer satisfaction, and aligning with global standards.
"As we are transcending more and more into a digital world, the importance of this accessibility act is becoming even more relevant. Many users are opting to use online sites and applications instead of the physical domain (a great example is in the banking industry where over
are using digital banking applications instead of in bank experiences. So now more than ever, people with disabilities need to have guaranteed access to this digital world, much like already in place in the physical world."
Darine Fayed VP General Council EMEA for Sinch
A quick reference table of global accessibility protections
Legislation | Scope & requirements | Who must comply | Compliance deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
Legislation | |||
European Accessibility Act (EAA) | Requires online trade in goods & services to be accessible to consumers. Must be implemented in national legislation. | All EU member states | June 28, 2025 |
Scope & requirements | |||
EN 301 549 | EU Web Accessibility Directive requiring WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for public sector websites & apps. | All public sector websites & mobile apps in the EU | Ongoing |
Who must comply | |||
Germany - BGG & BITV | BGG covers accessibility in federal agencies & services. BITV mandates accessibility in IT & communication technology. | Public institutions, agencies, suppliers, and contractors | Ongoing |
Compliance deadline | |||
Germany - BFSG | Requires accessible online stores & equal access for people with disabilities. | Businesses selling online in Germany | June 28, 2025 |
USA - ADA, Section 508 | Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in digital spaces & mandates IT accessibility. | Public & private entities, employment, education, transportation | Ongoing |
Canada - Accessible Canada Act (ACA) | Ensures access to goods, services, employment, and digital content. Requires WCAG 2.0 AA compliance | Private/non-profits with >50 employees & all public sector organizations | Ongoing |
Canada - AODA (Ontario) | Requires goods, services, and digital communication to be accessible. | Public & private sector organizations in Ontario | Ongoing |
Canada - AMA (Manitoba) | Mandates accessibility of websites, mobile apps, and digital content. | Public & private sector organizations in Manitoba | Ongoing |
Canada - Nova Scotia Accessibility Act | Requires accessibility in services, ICT, websites, and mobile apps. | Public & private sector organizations | Ongoing |
UK - Equality Act 2010 | Prohibits discrimination & mandates accessibility in digital services. | Public & private sector organizations | Ongoing |
UK - Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018 | Requires WCAG 2.1 AA compliance & an accessibility statement. | UK public sector bodies | September 23, 2018 |
Israel - Equal Rights for People with Disabilities Act 2013 | Requires websites & apps providing services/info to be accessible under WCAG 2.0 AA. | Public & private websites & apps | Ongoing |
Japan - JIS X 8341-3 | Requires accessibility in government websites & ICT. Inspired by WCAG 2.0 but not legally binding. | Government institutions & public services | Ongoing |
Australia - Disability Discrimination Act 1992 | Mandates WCAG 2.0 AA compliance for web accessibility. | Australian government & service providers | Ongoing |
Italy - Stanca Act | Requires WCAG 2.0 AA compliance & 22 technical requirements. | Public & government agencies, regional companies, transport & telecom | Ongoing |
India - RPD & Government Guidelines | Ensures ICT accessibility in public & private sectors. | Government agencies & private sector organizations | Ongoing |
France - Law № 2005-102 Article 47 (RGAA) | Mandates public digital communication accessibility, based on WCAG 2.1 AA. | Public digital communication services in France | Ongoing |
Brazil - L. 10.098 & Ordinance 5.296 | Requires accessibility in government websites & ICT. | Government agencies & service providers | Ongoing |
Spain - Law 34, Royal Decree 209 | Requires public admin websites to follow WCAG AA. | Public institutions, government-funded websites | Ongoing |
Take action now
The EAA is here to stay, and businesses have a window to adapt. Start early to make compliance less daunting. Remember, accessibility isn’t just about meeting legal obligations—it’s about building trust and inclusivity in every interaction.
Stay ahead of the curve and make your emails and digital services accessible. Mailgun is here to help. Let’s build smarter, more inclusive communications together.
