Countdown to the EAA Compliance Deadline: What You Need to Do Now to Be Compliant
The compliance deadline for the European Accessibility Act is fast approaching. Luckily, there’s still time to bring your digital content into compliance and avoid expensive fines and penalties. Below, we’ll break down the compliance deadline and which requirements you need to meet to be considered compliant.
Author: Missy Jensen, Senior Copywriter, SEO
Originally Published: 02/27/2025
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Blank calendar with text reading 'EAA' on one of the dates. The accessibility symbol is in the background.
The European Accessibility Act(opens in a new tab) (EAA) compliance deadline is set for June 28, 2025. At the time of this writing, that’s 121 days. That might seem like a long time, but in reality, the window to implement accessibility changes is closing quickly.
The good news: There’s still time to bring your digital content into compliance and improve digital accessibility for the millions of people in the European Union (EU) living with a disability and minimize legal risk, loss of market access, and reputational damage.
Below, you’ll learn exactly what you need to do to prepare for the upcoming EAA compliance deadline and how doing so unlocks huge opportunities for your business. But first — a quick refresher on what the EAA is.
A Quick Review of the European Accessibility Act
The EAA was designed to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities so thatthey can fully participate in society. It includes mandatory accessibility requirements for businesses that provide digital and physical goods within EU member states, ensuring the disability community has equal access to essential services like banking, eCommerce, government, and digital content.
The EAA aligns with the international accessibility standards included in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines(opens in a new tab) (WCAG). To be considered EAA-compliant, organizations must meet the success criteria outlined in WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which we’ll explain in more detail below.
Who Needs to Comply with the EAA?
Unlike other accessibility laws, which only apply to public-sector organizations, the EAA also applies to private-sector companies, including eCommerce, banking services, media, transportation, business-to-business (B2B), business-to-government (B2G), and restaurants.
Put simply, any organization operating within the EU market must comply with the EAA. This includes U.S.-based companies that sell to customers in the EU.
Are there Exemptions to the EAA?
There are exemptions to EAA compliance — micro-enterprises with a small number of employees (less than 10) and an annual turnover below €2 million do not need to comply with the EAA, for instance.
Additionally, organizations can receive an EAA exemption if they can prove the cost of making their products, services, or digital content EAA-compliant would be higher than the value of increasing accessibility around their digital products. However, this exemption — called a disproportionate burden — includes strict criteria for determining whether or not something can be considered a disproportionate burden.
What is Covered Under the EAA?
The EAA applies to a wide range of online products and digital services, including:
Websites
Smartphones
Mobile apps
Online stores
Payment gateways
Customer portals
Telecommunication services
Messaging apps
Video conferencing tools
ATMs
Online banking platforms
Payment terminals
Ticketing systems
Real-time travel information
Self-service kiosks
eBooks
Smart TVs
Digital media
Each of these offerings must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Failing to do so can result in costly fines, penalties, and reputational damage.
When is the EAA Compliance Deadline?
As mentioned above, the deadline for compliance is June 28, 2025. By this date, organizations that provide products or services within the EU must meet the accessibility compliance requirements included in WCAG 2.1 Level AA. After this date, the EAA will be a national law in all EU states, with individual member states responsible for ensuring compliance.
Failing to meet EAA requirements can result in serious consequences — both from a financial and business perspective. Financially, non-compliance with the EAA can result in fines and penalties reaching €100,000 or more. You may also face market restrictions for failing to meet accessibility best practices. From a business perspective, non-compliance can result in damage to your brand reputation, especially considering the increased public awareness around accessibility issues. Failing to meet accessibility requirements can put your company in a negative light, eroding customer trust and decreasing brand loyalty.
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Horizontal line with four evenly spaced dots; one reads 'EAA' and has a cursor hovering over it and the accessibility symbol on top.
How to Meet EAA Compliance Requirements
With the EAA compliance deadline approaching, it’s time to take more proactive steps toward compliance. This means following the success criterion included in WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Below is a checklist of all 78 success criterion that the EAA will enforce. We recommend starting with Level A and Level AA features first, as these are required for EAA compliance.
WCAG Checklist Level A
WCAG Checklist Level AA
WCAG Checklist Level AAA
The Benefits of EAA Compliance
The EAA is not just another regulation — it’s a huge step in creating a more accessible digital and physical marketplace. It’s also one that brings numerous benefits to organizations:
Minimizes financial and legal risk: As mentioned above, non-compliance with the EAA can result in expensive fines, penalties, demand letters, and even a marketplace ban. In more extreme cases, lawsuits can occur, which can quickly become expensive. Meeting EAA compliance requirements minimizes this risk, enabling you to operate normally.
Higher SEO rankings: Accessible websites can rank higher in search results, getting your products or services in front of more people.
Expand your audience reach: More than 135 million people in the EU live with a disability. By making your digital content more accessible, you can tap into this underserved market and unlock new revenue opportunities.
Maintain a strong business reputation: By meeting EAA requirements, you showcase your commitment to providing an accessible, inclusive experience for all users, which can help build trust with consumers, partners, and investors.
Here’s the bottom line: Meeting EAA compliance requirements goes far beyond just fulfilling legal obligations. EAA compliance brings tangible benefits — ones that can drive significant business growth and long-term success.
The Clock is Ticking — Get Ready with AudioEye
The EAA compliance deadline is approaching fast. Preparing now gives your business the upper hand, reducing legal risk, financial penalties, and losing business opportunities within the EU marketplace. To help you realize all the benefits of EAA compliance, there’s AudioEye.
AudioEye simplifies and streamlines your path to EAA compliance with our three-pronged approach to accessibility and our industry-leading accessibility tools. From our free Web Accessibility Scanner that finds 30 WCAG violations (more than any other tool on the market) to our Expert Audits from accessibility experts and individuals from the disability community, AudioEye has everything needed to meet accessibility requirements. Plus, with AudioEye Assurance, you’ll enjoy a level of protection that’s 400% more effective than consulting or automation-only approaches.
Don’t wait until the last minute. Start taking proactive steps toward EAA compliance to minimize your risk. Get started with a free accessibility scan.
Want to see what more AudioEye can do for your business? Schedule a demo today.
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