E-commerce and banking
Online shops, consumer banking, transport booking, e-books and telecoms — their websites and apps.
COMPLIANCE · EUROPEAN ACCESSIBILITY ACTCOMPLIANCE · EUROPEAN ACCESSIBILITY ACT
Is your website EAA compliant?
Since June 28, 2025 the European Accessibility Act applies to many businesses selling to EU consumers — wherever they are based — measured against WCAG 2.1 AA.
- In force since
- June 28, 2025
- Standard
- EN 301 549, WCAG 2.1 AA for web
- How it’s enforced
- Each EU member state
- What ADAGuard tests
- WCAG 2.2 A and AA, which includes 2.1
Who the EAA applies to.
Services launched before June 2025
Existing services have until June 28, 2030 to comply.
Microenterprises
Service providers with fewer than 10 staff and under €2 million turnover are exempt from the service obligations.
What WCAG 2.1 AA asks for.
- 1.1.1Images have text alternativesTested automatically
- 1.4.3Text contrast of at least 4.5:1Tested automatically
- 2.1.1Everything works with a keyboardTested automatically
- 1.3.1Headings, lists and labels are marked upTested automatically
- 3.3.2Form fields have labels or instructionsTested automatically
- 1.4.10Content reflows on small screensTested automatically
- 1.2.2Videos have captionsPartly tested
- 2.4.3Focus moves in a sensible orderNeeds a person
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Complaints, audits and national penalties.
Each member state sets its own penalties and market-surveillance authority, and disability organisations and individuals can file complaints. Services also have to publish how they meet the requirements.
Overlays don’t fix it
An overlay changes the page in each visitor’s browser. It doesn’t change your code, so the problems WCAG measures are still there.
Fixing the code does
Accessible markup, tested and kept that way, is what WCAG measures — and what a person using a screen reader actually needs.
Scan
Find what automated testing can find — 40 of the 55 WCAG 2.2 A/AA criteria, fully or partly.
Fix, most severe first
Critical issues block people outright. Each comes with its element and how to fix it.
Test the rest, then keep watching
Review the criteria that need a person, and schedule scans so new releases don’t regress.
QuestionsEAA questions.
Does the EAA apply to US companies?
Yes, if they sell covered products or services to consumers in the EU — where the company is based doesn’t matter. Microenterprises providing services are exempt.
What is the EAA deadline?
June 28, 2025 for new products and services. Services already offered before then have until June 28, 2030.
What standard does the EAA use?
EN 301 549, the European standard, whose web section maps to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. WCAG 2.2 AA includes all of it.
Is WCAG compliance enough for the EAA?
For a website or app, meeting WCAG 2.1 AA covers the technical requirements of EN 301 549’s web section. The EAA also asks for things WCAG doesn’t cover, such as information on how your service meets the requirements and accessible support channels.
How do I check my website for EAA compliance?
Scan your pages against WCAG 2.2 AA, which includes the WCAG 2.1 AA requirements of EN 301 549, then test by hand what a scan can’t judge — about 15 of the 55 criteria. The EAA also asks you to describe how your service meets the requirements.
Does complying with the ADA satisfy the EAA?
The technical bar is the same — WCAG 2.1 AA — but the EAA adds its own duties, such as describing how your service meets the requirements. Check both.
This page explains the law in general terms. It isn’t legal advice — talk to a lawyer about your situation.
Find out where you stand.
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- Your score in 10–30 seconds