Digital accessibility & EAA knowledge base
Everything a business in the EU needs to know about the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and digital accessibility — deadlines, penalties, obligations and how to prepare.
What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?
European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882): what it is, who it applies to, when it takes effect (28 June 2025) and which standard (WCAG 2.1 AA) you must meet.
The EAA across EU countries: laws, authorities, penalties
How Poland, Germany, France, Spain and Italy transposed the EAA: national laws, supervisory authorities and penalties for failing digital accessibility.
The accessibility statement — what it must contain
What an accessibility statement under the EAA must include: legal basis, compliance status, known issues, feedback mechanism and contact.
Why accessibility overlays don't ensure compliance
Overlays and accessibility widgets don't fix the code or ensure WCAG/EAA compliance. Why they are risky and what to do instead.
How to test your website's accessibility — a step-by-step guide
A step-by-step guide: how to check your website's accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA / EAA) with the EAAsy scanner in minutes, and what to do with the result.
What the EAAsy scanner detects — and what automation cannot cover
Multi-page crawl via sitemap, WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 AA, element screenshots, sanction risk, monitoring and diff — and the honest limit of automated audits (~30–40%).
Violations vs recommendations — what you must fix, and what's worth fixing
How WCAG violations (a legal requirement, counted in the score) differ from best-practice recommendations (they improve quality but aren't mandatory) — and how to prioritize fixes.
WCAG 2.2 AA checklist — an accessibility checklist
A practical WCAG 2.2 AA checklist: contrast, keyboard, forms, headings, focus and target size. The key accessibility criteria for businesses in the EU.
Penalties for inaccessibility (EAA) — enforcement and sanctions
What penalties apply for failing the EAA: market-surveillance authorities, the size of sanctions, how proceedings start and what a business in the EU really risks.
Online store accessibility (WCAG / EAA)
E-commerce accessibility under the EAA: cart, checkout, filters, product cards and forms. What to check in an online store to meet WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA.
Frequently asked questions
When does the EAA apply?
The European Accessibility Act requirements apply from 28 June 2025 across all EU member states.
Does the EAA apply to my business?
The EAA covers e-commerce, consumer banking, e-books, passenger transport and electronic communications, among others. Microenterprises providing services may be exempt — check the scope for your country.
Which technical standard must I meet?
EN 301 549, in the scope corresponding to the WCAG 2.1 guidelines at level AA.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
They vary by country — from a few thousand euros up to €1M (Spain) or a percentage of turnover. See the per-country implementation article.