Web Accessibility Part 1: Why It Matters, and What Changes Under the EAA?

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:37:00 +0000
Accessibility, Web Accessibility, Digital Accessibility, Frontend

Digital accessibility is no longer just a "nice to have" — it's becoming a legal requirement across the European Union. In this first piece of our two-part series, we explore what digital accessibility means, why it matters (not just ethically but also legally and strategically), and what changes will affect businesses and institutions after the European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force.

You’ll learn who benefits from accessible design, what obligations are involved, and how investing in accessibility leads to better digital products for everyone.

If you're a developer looking for practical techniques and implementation tips, head over to Part 2 of this series: Practical Essentials for Front-End Developers.

What is the European Accessibility Act?

On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) entered into force. This legislation is expected to have a significant impact on the way digital products are designed and created in the European Union. Companies and public institutions will be required to adapt their services, including digital ones, to new accessibility standards.

For businesses operating in the EU, this means ensuring that their physical and digital products meet the EAA requirements. Even non-EU companies selling their services or products within the EU must comply with these regulations if they wish to continue operating in this market. Only micro-enterprises (companies with fewer than 10 employees and annual revenues of less than $2 million) are exempt from this obligation.

It is worth remembering two critical deadlines that determine the pace of implementation of the regulations:

1. From June 28, 2025, all newly created products and services must comply with EAA requirements.

2. Creators of existing solutions have until June 28, 2030, to adapt currently operating services and applications to the new standards.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act can lead to serious consequences, from financial penalties ranging from several thousand to even several hundred thousand euros (depending on the Member State) to product sales bans within the EU and loss of reputation and customers to more accessible competitors.

For front-end developers, UX/UI designers, business owners, and app developers, this is a clear signal that accessibility must be taken seriously not just as best practice but also as a legal requirement.

This is a good time to examine web accessibility, why it's so important, and what can be done to make websites and web applications accessible to the widest possible range of users, including people with disabilities, seniors, and users with limited access to technology.

Who does the European Accessibility Act apply to?

The European Accessibility Act covers many products and services that impact users' daily lives. These regulations include:

1. Companies offering digital services and products, including online stores, banking platforms, video services, and mobile applications. These obligations apply to companies registered in the EU and entities outside the European Union (e.g., from the US) that target their offerings to EU customers.

2. Manufacturers of digital and physical equipment, such as general-purpose computers, self-service terminals, ATMs, and smartphones. These requirements apply to...