European Accessibility Act (EAA) Compliance for Products & Services
Create one accessibility baseline for products and digital services, mapped to EN 301 549 / WCAG and the EAA’s Annex I requirements. Reduce country-by-country rework and prepare documentation for market surveillance.
What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive — Directive (EU) 2019/882, that harmonises accessibility requirements for certain consumer products and consumer-facing services across the single market.
When it applies?
The EAA is enforced via national laws across EU Member States and took effect on 28 June 2025.
What it covers?
Computers, operating systems, smartphones, e-readers, TV equipment, self-service terminals and services such as e-commerce, banking.
What “accessible” means for digital?
For websites, mobile apps, software and digital documents, conformance is typically demonstrated against EN 301 549 (the EU ICT accessibility standard), which references WCAG criteria for web and mobile.
Who Must Comply with the EAA?
Manufacturers, importers, distributors, authorised representatives, and service providers including non-EU companies that sell to or serve EU consumers.
Why it matters?
Legal obligation across the EU from 28 June 2025
One EU baseline, less fragmentation
Procurement readiness
Market access & growth
Sustainability & ESG
Risk reduction
Engineering efficiency
What the EAA Requires
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) sets EU-wide accessibility requirements for defined consumer products and consumer-facing services
Scope mapping (Annex I)
Digital accessibility (EN 301 549/WCAG)
Self-service terminals & devices
Information & support
Transactions and content flows
Assistive-tech interoperability
Testing and validation
Documentation and evidence
Supplier/procurement alignment
Maintenance and change control
What EAA Compliance Covers Inside an Application
Critical User Journeys
UI Components & Patterns
Media & Documents
Input, Control and Feedback
Embedded and Third-Party Elements
Governance and Evidence
Step-by-Step Path to Conformance
1. Scope
Confirm EAA applicability by product/service and market footprint.
2. Assessment
EN 301 549 / WCAG audit (web, mobile, docs, software, hardware heuristics).
3. Roadmap
Prioritize fixes, timelines, and ownership, define KPIs and regression gates.
4. Remediation
Patterns, code updates, content fixes, alt text/captions, form flows.
5. Validation
Automated checks, conformance statement drafting.
6. Sustain
Training, governance, vendor clauses, release checks, and monitoring.
Deliverables Provided
Inspector-ready accessibility assets aligned to the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1–2.2. Deliverables focus on clear evidence, prioritized remediation, and sustainable governance across web, mobile, embedded UIs, and self-service terminals.
EAA Scope Map (Annex I)
EN 301 549 / WCAG Crosswalk
Gap Assessment & Remediation Roadmap
UI Pattern Acceptance Criteria
Assistive-Technology Test Pack
Automated Scan Baseline & CI/CD Rules
Conformance (Accessibility) Statement Draft
Self-Service Terminal Checklist
Turn Accessibility into Market Access
Launch an EAA (European Accessibility Act) readiness review aligned to EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1–2.2 — covering scope mapping, prioritized fixes, and inspection-ready documentation for web, mobile, devices, and self-service terminals in the EU.
FAQs
Get concise answers on accessibility scope, timelines, and practical implementation steps.
Yes. If covered products or consumer-facing services are placed on the EU market or offered to EU consumers, EAA obligations apply. Maintain documentation, align to EN 301 549 for digital, and be prepared to respond to national authorities.
Authorities can request the conformance statement, technical documentation, test reports (automated + assistive-technology), remediation plans, and records of user-facing accessibility information. Non-compliance can lead to corrective measures, product withdrawal, or penalties.
A narrow route used case-by-case where making a specific feature accessible would be clearly disproportionate. A documented assessment is required, and accessible information and alternatives must still be provided where feasible.
Limited relief may exist (particularly for service microenterprises) under national transpositions, but accessibility information and documentation duties often remain. Treat as reduced scope, not a full exemption.
The operator remains responsible for end-to-end accessibility. Include accessibility clauses in contracts, request EN 301 549/WCAG evidence, test keyboard/screen-reader paths, and provide accessible alternatives (e.g., non-visual CAPTCHA options).
Update after major releases or on a time-boxed cadence (e.g., annually). Include scope, standards (WCAG via EN 301 549), methods used, known limitations, planned fixes, and a feedback/escalation channel.
Blend automated scans with manual WCAG evaluation and assistive-technology (AT) testing across supported browsers/devices. Cover critical journeys: sign-in, checkout/payment, booking/ticketing, media playback, PDFs/billing, and support flows. Capture reproducible evidence.