Overview of the EAA
The EAA mandates that many consumer products and services offered within the EU, including e-commerce, banking, and transportation, are accessible. To comply with the law, organizations must ensure that consumer-facing digital experiences—such as websites and mobile apps—related to covered products and services are usable for people with disabilities.
Regarding digital accessibility, the presumptive standard for EAA compliance is EN 301 549, the harmonized European standard.
All 27 EU Member States were obligated to incorporate the EAA into their laws by 2023 and to begin enforcement by June 2025.
Does the EAA apply to your organization?
Many organizations that serve consumers in EU Member States are required to comply with the EAA. The law applies directly to any organization that provides consumers with covered products and services, including the following.
E-commerce and online services
- Websites and mobile apps
- Other digital content and communications (including videos, documents, digital maps, and email)
Banking services
- Websites and mobile apps
- Other digital content and communications (including videos, documents, digital maps, and email)
- Consumer banking services
- ATMs, point-of-sale devices, kiosks, and self-service transaction machines
- Contact information
Computers and mobile devices
- Computers and mobile phones
- Communication and telephony equipment with computer capabilities
- Media equipment with computer capabilities
- E-readers
- Point-of-sale devices and self-service kiosks
Shops and restaurants
- Point-of-sale devices
- Self-service technologies
- Kiosks
Air travel and other passenger transport (excluding government-run transport)
- Websites and mobile apps
- Other digital content and communications (including videos, documents, digital maps, and email)
- Point-of-sale devices, kiosks, and self-service transaction machines
- Electronic tickets and electronic ticketing services
- Delivery of transport service information, including real-time travel information
Media streaming and telephony
- Websites and mobile apps
- Other digital content and communications (including videos, documents, digital maps, and email)
- Communication and telephony equipment with computer capabilities
- Media equipment with computer capabilities
The Complete Guide to European Accessibility Act (EAA) Compliance
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The EAA and third-party content
The EAA’s requirements extend to third-party content: content developed by a third-party entity that is integrated into an organization’s products or services or produced on behalf of that organization. Examples of third-party content include:
- Embedded media
- User-generated content
- Third-party ads on an organization’s platform.
The EAA and business-to-business (B2B) organizations
While the EAA’s requirements are aimed at consumer-facing businesses, the law also has implications for vendors that supply covered products to these organizations.
To ensure compliance, business-to-consumer (B2C) companies will likely require proof of accessibility as part of their procurement process, so failing to ensure products are accessible may result in lost business opportunities for B2B organizations.
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