Your questions about the European Accessibility Act (EAA)

Updated February 2024.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) seeks to ensure equal access to digital products and services throughout Europe. 

• It applies to any business that wishes to trade in the EU, wherever it is based.
• It covers a wide range of goods and services.
• It becomes law in all EU member states in June 2025.
• It will affect UK businesses directly, as well as suppliers to public and private secor organisations.

What are the aims of The European Accessibility Act?

The EAA aims to improve the lives of disabled and older people in the EU by ensuring equal access to all products and services within the European Union.

It does this by replacing country-specific rules for accessibility with a common set of regulations.

What products does the European Accessibility Act Cover?

The Act is largely focused on technology and covers the products and services deemed most important to people with disabilities.

These include:

• Computers and operating systems
• Smartphones
• TV equipment and related broadcasting services
• Services related to various forms of transport
• Banking
• E-books
• E-commerce
• ATMs (cash machines), ticketing and check-in machines

Each product or service is covered by specific standards, which identify minimum requirements and must be met for that product or service to be legally traded inside the EU.

Who does the EAA apply to?

Unlike previous accessibility legislation, such as the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR), the EAA also covers private sector firms.

• It applies to any business with at least 10 staff and a turnover above €2 million.
• It applies to any business that trades in the EU.
• Companies headquartered based outside the EU must comply with the Act if they sell relevant goods or services within the EU.

Is this already law?

Not quite. The European Accessibility Act was passed in 2019, but member states will not start to implement the law until28 June 2025.

How is it being implemented?

Some EU laws are implemented centrally, but for the EAA each member state must publish their own individual laws and detailed regulations.

They must show who is responsible for its implementation and lay out the monitoring processes and penalties for non-compliance.

Some countries have started doing this - all of them must have laws in place by June 2025.

• This article about the EAA in Ireland explains its arrangements.
• This article about the EAA in Germany illustrates the similarities and differences between how member states are approaching their responsibilities.

What are the penalties for not complying with EAA?

Non-compliance with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will result in various penalties, depending on the severity and context - and also which country you are trading in.

Fines and Prison Sentences

• Regulatory authorities in a member state may impose fines on businesses that do not comply with the accessibility standards outlined in the EAA.
• The amount of the fine will vary based on the specific location, the nature of the violation and the size of the business.
• Ireland's newly announced laws can result in prison sentences.

Legal Proceedings:

• Businesses could face legal action from individuals or advocacy groups representing people with disabilities.
• This could result in lawsuits, court orders, or settlements requiring the business to rectify accessibility issues.

Reputational Damage:

• Non-compliance will harm your reputation and lead to negative publicity which affects the brand.

Loss of Customers:

• Inaccessible products or services alienate potential customers, whereas businesses that prioritise accessibility are more likely to attract a diverse customer base.

Business Disruption:

• Businesses may be forced to modify products, services, or websites to meet EAA standards which will be costly and disruptive.

Exclusion from procurement processes:

• EAA compliance will become more common in public and private sector procurement requirements.
• Non-compliant businesses may be excluded from participating in public procurement processes.

What should businesses be doing?

With a little over one year to go it’s crucial for businesses to:

• Speak to their legal team to make sure the EAA is on their radar,
• Work out how it applies to their business,
• Check the accessibility of products and services,
• Create a plan to address any concerns before 2025.

Need help?

• Speak to our team about how we can help you prepare for the EAA by testing your products and services.

Find out more

There are lots of resources online about the EAA, including the Accessible EU Centre website

Watch this panel discussion from TechShare Pro 2023, experts from Canada, Norway and the EU join a global policy leader from Microsoft about how people outside the EU need to prepare for the EAA.