On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force.
The what? The EAA is a directive around accessibility for people with disabilities. It will apply across different sectors and companies offering products and services within the EU. Thus, the European Union wants to make digital products and services accessible to all.
The EAA will apply to, among others:
- smartphones
- computers and operating systems
- terminals (ATMs and ticketing systems)
- telephone services
- access to audiovisual services
- banking services
- e-books and e-commerce (any online service that enters into an agreement with a user, such as webshops and online newspapers with a subscription)
what happens after june 28?
From June 28, 2025, every company covered by the EAA must comply with the digital accessibility guidelines.
Specifically, for your company, this means that your digital products and services must comply with the WCAG guidelines. You’ll have to publish an accessibility statement on your website or app.
This way, you provide an inclusive user experience, and avoid legal and financial consequences.
what are the WCAG guidelines?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international guidelines and recommendations for digital accessibility.
The WCAG were developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). W3C is an international organisation that designs guidelines and standards for the worldwide web, with the aim of making the web more accessible and user-friendly for everyone, including people with disabilities.
The WCAG consists of 78 criteria at 3 different levels ranging from A (basic requirements) to AAA (the most complex guidelines).
The EAA takes as its standard the WCAG 2.1 level AA guidelines. So websites and apps must meet all the criteria of both level A and AA.
how to prepare for the EAA?
A lot of changes, in other words. How do you prepare for this?
- Do an audit: to prepare for the EAA, do an audit of your website or app. That way, you can check whether you comply with the WCAG 2.1 level AA standard.
- Go for a manual check: prefer to look at it manually? Check that your website is accessible to people who only navigate via keyboard or use a screen reader. Check that all visual elements on your website or app have a textual alternative (WCAG 1.1.1 guideline).
- In addition, we also recommend checking all visual elements for colour contrast (for people with visual impairments) and checking that all content is logically structured and the user clearly sees where and what to do when there is a call-to-action or when input is requested.
we can help you.
Don’t know where to start? No worries!
At Randstad Digital, we are ready to help you get your digital product ready for the EAA. How will we do that? With a comprehensive audit and clear guidance on adapting your website or app. That way, you can be sure you'll be compliant with the guidelines after June 28!
Need help? Let us know at sylvie.depaepe@randstaddigital.com and we'll be happy to guide you along the way.