June 2025 marked a new starting point for IT businesses: the European Accessibility Act (EAA) demanded serious attention, including penalties and fines for non-compliance. It doesn’t matter whether a company is European or not. If it sells goods or provides services in the EU, it is obliged to comply with the EAA and ensure that its mobile apps and websites comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Website accessibility is a global challenge. Statistics vary by country and may even look good in some places. For example, in the US, the number of lawsuits related to website accessibility issues filed in federal court decreased in 2024 compared to 2023 and 2022. However, the researchers aren’t too optimistic — they say this is partly because of the difficulty of tracking the total number of lawsuits and the decline in activity by some plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Newcomers who are just getting their product off the ground had to make their products accessible right when the rules came into effect, that is, on June 28, 2025. Those who have been in the market for a long time knew they had a transition period, but its duration depends on the business sector. For example, for European online services, marketplaces, and online stores, this period will last until June 28, 2030. By that time, business owners must develop, maintain, and scale a sustainable digital accessibility program.
What are the benefits for a company of implementing a digital accessibility program?
Before we get into the benefits, let’s explain the consequences of non-compliance with European accessibility law. Besides fines, regulators can publicly call out companies that don’t comply. It’s like a “name and shame”: the company gets publicly listed as breaking the rules, and everyone — from customers to competitors — finds out. Customers may leave negative reviews on forums or social media, and don’t want to use services or products, so the company suffers brand backlash.
However, when a company implements a digital accessibility program, it can:
- Make digital products and services that follow the EAA rules.
- Create and keep evidence that your products and services meet these rules.
- Get users’ feedback about the accessibility of services and products and respond to it.
- Answer questions about accessibility in a timely manner.
- Fix and update products or services if there are accessibility problems.
How can your business get ready for EAA compliance in stages?
Focusing on these areas can help your business see clearly what needs to be done, plan the right actions, get your team ready, and make sure you stay compliant with the EAA for the long term.
Check whether the EAA matters for your business
Ask yourself: Do you have digital content that customers can see or use? Are you bigger than a tiny microenterprise? Do you sell products or services in any EU country?
If the answer is “Yes”, then the EAA rules apply to you.
Remember that the EAA has specific requirements for different categories and types of services and products. Companies should analyze how their offerings meet these requirements to ensure ongoing compliance. After all, how can you fix what you haven’t checked?
Localize your compliance strategy
The EAA is not a uniform law for all European countries. It is a directive that each EU country adapts to its own national regulations and establishes a government body to monitor compliance.
Estimate the potential impact of non-compliance
Not following the EAA can get very expensive. Fines can go up to hundreds of thousands of euros, and in some cases even include jail time. Each EU country can fine you separately, so the costs can add up quickly. And honestly — why risk all that when compliance is totally within reach?
Scope your digital assets and team readiness
It’s important to understand the level of accessibility of your digital assets and their EAA compliance. All you need to do is gather some initial, high-level data — how else will you know where to start? Based on this data, you can identify easy wins and determine further long-term and short-term steps to ensure compliance.
However, accessibility isn’t something one person can handle alone. Specialists, from designers to developers, from content creators to UX writers, take part in a workflow. Understand their skills and find where talent gaps lie. This will give you a clearer picture and help shape the right strategy.
Train your team for each role and tool it up for accessibility
To meet EAA requirements, the team needs not just general information, but specific knowledge and tools for each role. This means designers learn one thing, developers another, and content creators something else. Without such role-based training, it will be impossible to build a working digital accessibility system that can truly scale.
Use automated tools to quickly spot accessibility issues and see how your digital products are doing. Finding gaps, follow up with testing and fixing tools to sort them out. Just be careful — avoid any “one-size-fits-all” solutions like overlays or widgets, because the EU doesn’t officially approve them.
Follow a single standard and keep it consistent
It’s important for your company to choose a unified and appropriate accessibility standard. It provides clear and measurable guidelines for policy and planning, a consistent approach for all products and processes, and the assurance that you meet EAA requirements. EN 301 549 is spreadly used, reliable, and should meet the strict EAA requirements. For long-term compliance, it’s also worth checking for WCAG 2.2 AA.
Keep documentation and communicate your progress
According to the EAA, your company must retain and provide information for the entire life of your service. It’s important to determine what applicable data you will retain, how you will do so, and who is responsible for this process.
Think of your policy as your company’s accessibility manifesto. It demonstrates that you try to make your websites, apps, and digital tools accessible to people. This manifesto should document your goals, responsibilities, procedures, your budget, and resource expectations. Anyone can access your public accessibility statement that is up to date, and includes a possibility for users to share feedback or report issues. After all, actions speak louder than words.
How does Attico make accessibility easier for your business?
EAA isn’t just about complying with the law. It’s about creating a culture of inclusion where digital products are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. This helps businesses grow long-term, increases customer loyalty, and expands market share.
You can try checking accessibility on your own, and our article on the top web accessibility tools can become useful for you. These tools are fast, reliable, and practical; they are very likely to help you catch the most common issues.
But even the smartest AI checkers and best tools can’t replace a human touch. Real-life situations, like mobile-only access, slow internet, or users dealing with fatigue, stress, or cognitive challenges, need careful attention.
That’s where the Attico team comes in. We provide web accessibility services that help you build inclusive experiences. You’ll get clear, practical recommendations that show your team exactly what needs improving without unnecessary theory or confusing jargon.