The European Accessibility Act: what web agencies should know
The EAA has applied since June 2025. Which client sites it affects, what standard it points to, and how agencies can help without overpromising.
Rongu team · Published
The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) sets common accessibility requirements for a range of products and services sold to consumers in the EU. Its rules have applied since 28 June 2025, through national laws in each member state.
Which clients are affected
The EAA covers specific services, including:
- e-commerce,
- consumer banking services,
- e-books and dedicated reading software,
- electronic communications and some transport services,
- access to audiovisual media services.
Microenterprises providing services (fewer than 10 employees and at most €2 million turnover or balance sheet) are exempt from the service requirements. Many of your clients will fall in scope; some won't. They should check with their own advisers.
The standard behind it
The harmonised standard EN 301 549 is the practical reference for web content, and it points to WCAG success criteria at level AA. Working to WCAG 2.2 AA is a sensible target.
What agencies can offer
- An initial review: automated scans plus a manual review of key templates and journeys.
- Fixes in code: prioritised by impact and reach.
- Monitoring: so new releases don't undo the work.
- An accessibility statement: describing the current state, known problems and how users can report issues.
Avoid overpromising
No tool or agency can guarantee that a site meets the EAA. Conformance depends on the site and on ongoing work. Be clear with clients about what you check, what you fix and what remains their decision.
AccessWatch can help with monitoring and with accessibility statements built from real results.