European Accessibility Act (EAA): the 2025 deadline and what to do
Updated 2026-06-19 · WebX Auditor
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) has applied since 28 June 2025. It requires many private-sector digital services — e-commerce, banking, transport, e-books and more — sold to EU consumers to meet EN 301 549, which adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA for websites. Non-compliance can mean enforcement action and exclusion from EU markets; the first lawsuits landed in France in late 2025. Start by auditing your site against WCAG 2.1 AA and publishing an accessibility statement.
- What is the EAA?
- Who has to comply?
- Key dates
- What happens if you don’t comply?
- How to check and fix your site
What is the EAA?
The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) harmonises accessibility requirements for products and services across EU member states. For websites and apps, it points to the harmonised standard EN 301 549, whose web requirements are based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Who has to comply?
The EAA targets consumer-facing digital services including e-commerce, consumer banking, e-books and readers, electronic communications, and transport ticketing/information. It applies to businesses selling to EU consumers — including non-EU companies with EU customers. Microenterprises providing services may be partially exempt; check your member-state transposition.
Key dates
- 28 June 2025 — the EAA applies; new products and services must conform.
- Transition periods exist for some service contracts and self-service terminals already in use.
What happens if you don’t comply?
Enforcement is per member state and can include corrective orders, fines and — in practice — exclusion from EU markets and litigation risk. In November 2025 disability-rights organisations filed actions against major French retailers, an early signal of active enforcement.
How to check and fix your site
Practical path: (1) run an automated scan against WCAG 2.1 AA to catch machine-detectable issues; (2) manually test keyboard navigation and screen-reader behaviour; (3) fix prioritised issues; (4) publish an accessibility statement. You can start the first step now with the free EAA / EN 301 549 checker.
Frequently asked questions
Does the EAA apply to US companies?
Yes, if they offer covered digital products or services to consumers in the EU. The obligation follows the market, not the company’s location.
What standard does the EAA require?
EN 301 549, whose web requirements are based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Meeting WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical baseline.
Is an automated scan enough for EAA?
No. Automated scans catch a large share of issues but cannot verify everything. Manual testing and an accessibility statement are also required.