Date:
Aug 21, 2026
Author:
Pavel Danyi
001
Scope
The European Accessibility Act has applied since 28 June 2025. It sets accessibility requirements for a range of products and services sold to consumers in the EU, including e-commerce, banking services, e-books and passenger transport services.
The law follows the customer, not the company. An Australian online shop selling to shoppers in Germany or the Czech Republic can fall within scope, even without an office in Europe.
002
Exceptions
Micro-enterprises providing services, meaning businesses with fewer than ten staff and annual turnover or balance sheet total under two million euros, are exempt from the service requirements. Products are treated differently, so check both.
Even when you are exempt, accessible design widens your audience and usually improves search visibility and conversion. It is rarely wasted effort.
003
Standards
In practice, compliance for websites and apps is measured against the harmonised European standard EN 301 549, which builds on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Designing to WCAG 2.2 AA puts you in a strong position.
Typical gaps we find are low colour contrast, missing form labels, keyboard traps and images without text alternatives. Most can be fixed within a few weeks.
004
Next steps
Start with an audit of your key journeys: finding a product, adding it to the basket and paying. Fix what blocks people first, then publish an accessibility statement explaining what you support and how customers can contact you.
This article is general information, not legal advice. If you are unsure whether the Act applies to you, speak to a lawyer familiar with EU consumer law.
