The EU Accessibility Rules Are Now in Force — Is Your Business Compliant?

As of June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is officially in effect. That means digital accessibility is no longer optional — it’s the law.

If your company offers any kind of commercial digital service in the EU — including e-commerce, booking platforms, banking apps, e-books, or software with a user interface — your product must now comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

Even if you're a freelancer, digital agency, or software house, you are also responsible for ensuring accessibility in the products you deliver.

1. What’s the legal basis?

The obligation stems from two EU directives:

  • Directive 2016/2102 (EU) – in force since 2018, applied to the public sector only.
  • Directive 2019/882 (EU) – the European Accessibility Act (EAA), now applies to the private sector as of June 28, 2025.

If you were building software for government clients — accessibility was already required. If you build digital solutions for businesses or consumers — you are now legally required to comply.

2. Who must comply?

Since June 28, 2025, digital accessibility is required for:

  • Online stores and e-commerce platforms
  • Booking and ticketing systems
  • Banking and financial apps
  • E-books and e-learning platforms
  • All consumer-facing software and websites in the EU
Note: If your platform was built before this date but is still publicly accessible, it must comply.

That means you should already have audited your systems and made updates to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If not — you’re at risk of non-compliance penalties.

3. What are the required accessibility features?

  • Alt text for all images: All informative images (logos, charts, photos) must have descriptive alt attributes.
  • Adequate color contrast: Minimum 4.5:1 for regular text, 3:1 for large text.
  • Keyboard-only navigation: Your app must work fully with keyboard navigation.
  • Semantic HTML and ARIA: Use structured headings and ARIA roles where needed.
  • Clear labels and error messages: Forms must have labeled fields and specific error descriptions.
  • Responsive and scalable layout: Layout must support 200% zoom and mobile screens without breaking.

4. Who enforces this and what are the penalties?

Enforcement is handled by national authorities in each EU country, such as:

  • A Ministry for Digital Affairs (or equivalent)
  • Consumer protection or telecom authorities

Users can report issues (e.g. unreadable contrast, missing alt texts). Authorities may audit your site and give you 30 days to fix the issue.

Consequences for non-compliance include:
  • Fines, depending on severity
  • Public warnings that damage reputation
  • Loss of public funding (e.g. for grant-based projects)

What now?

Digital accessibility is now the law. If your website or application isn’t compliant, you must act now to reduce legal and reputational risk.

At Lukode, we help companies:

  • Audit digital products for accessibility compliance
  • Fix WCAG 2.1 AA issues
  • Build accessible websites and apps from the start
Contact us – Let’s get your product compliant