Countdown to the EAA Compliance Deadline: What You Need to Do Now to Be Compliant
Countdown to the EAA Compliance Deadline: What You Need to Do Now to Be Compliant
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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.
The European Accessibility Act (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 (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.
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
Comparison
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Success Criteria
Description
Complete
Non-text Content
All non-text content (i.e. images, image buttons, and image map hot spots) have appropriate alternative text.
Audio-Only and Video-Only
Descriptive and accurate transcripts are provided for video- and audio-only content.
Captions
Captions are provided for pre-recorded videos or on-live videos (e.g., YouTube)
Information and Relationships
Headings include the right semantic markup. Tables are linked to the appropriate headers and include captions if necessary. Text labels are associated with the right form inputs.
Meaningful Sequence
Navigation order follows code order; navigation is clear and intuitive.
Sensory Characteristics
Instructions are not dependent on visual location, shape, or size (i.e., ‘Instructions are listed on the right’ or ‘Click the square button to continue’).
Use of Color
Color alone is not used to portray information, nor is it used to distinguish links from surrounding text unless the color contrast ratio is appropriate.
Audio Control
Users can pause, stop, change volume, or mute audio content that automatically plays on a page for longer than three seconds.
Keyboard
Web elements can easily be shared via a keyboard and include pager-specific keyboard shortcuts.
No Keyboard Trap
Keyboard focus and shortcuts are not locked or trapped on any page elements.
Character Key Shortcuts
Users must be able to disable key commands and change to non-printable keys, such as (Ctrl, Alt, etc.).
Timing Adjustable
Pages with time limits allow users to adjust, turn off, or expand the time limit.
Pause, Stop, Hide
Automatically moving, blinking, scrolling, or updating content lasting longer than five seconds can be paused, stopped, or hidden by users.
Three Flashes or Below
Page content does not flash more than three times per second.
Bypass Blocks
Users can skip navigation or other page elements that are repeated across web pages.
Page Titles
The webpage has a descriptive, informative page title.
Focus Order
The order of links is clear and follows a logical, intuitive order.
Link Purpose
Users can understand the purpose of a link from the text alone. Links with similar text that redirect to different locations are easily distinguishable.
Pointer Gestures
User actions can be performed with a single pointer gesture.
Pointer Cancellation
Inadvertent activation of controls is avoided by non-use of the ‘onmousedown’ activation.
Motion Actuation
Functionalities triggered by user movement or moving the device can be disabled, and similar functionality can be achieved via standard controls like buttons or controls.
Error Identification
Form validation or input errors are clearly identified and access to the error is quickly provided.
WCAG Checklist Level AA
Comparison
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Success Criteria
Description
Complete
Captions
Live media with audio constraints synchronized captions.
Audio Description
Users have access to audio descriptions for non-live video.
Orientation
Web page orientation is not limited to portrait or landscape; users can adjust as needed.
Identify Input Purpose
Fields that collect certain user information have an ‘autocomplete’ attribute defined.
Contrast
Both text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. Large text has a ratio of at least 3:1.
Resize Text
Page elements are still readable and functional when zoomed to 200%.
Images of Text
If a visual representation can be portrayed through text alone, an image alone is not used to present text.
Reflow
Functionality is not lost when content is presented at a width of 320 pixels. Horizontal scrolling is avoided as much as possible.
Non-Text Contrast (Minimum)
A minimum contrast ratio of 3:1 is available for different objects, such as icons, charts, or graphs.
Text Spacing
Content or functionality is not lost when users adjust paragraph spacing.
Content on Hover or Focus
Content presented in hover or focus can be dismissed without moving the keyboard or printer.
Multiple Ways
Users have more than one way to find other web pages on a site.
Headings and Labels
Page headings and labels are informative and are not duplicated unless absolutely necessary.
Focus Visible
A visible indicator is present for page elements when they receive a keyboard focus.
Focus Not Observed
Elements with keyboard focus are entirely visible.
Dragging Movement
Actions that require pointer dragging can also be done with a single pointer.
Target Size
Pointer sizes are at minimum 24 by 24 pixels unless specified otherwise.
Language of Parts/Page
Language of pages is easily identifiable via the ‘lang’ attribute.
Consistent Navigation
Elements that repeat across a web page (e.g., a search bar) are consistently labeled as such across individual web pages.
Error Suggestion
When an error is detected, suggestions are provided for how to remedy the issue in a timely, accessible way.
Error Prevention
If a user changes or deletes financial, legal, or test data, the action can be reversed, confirmed, or verified as needed.
Excessive Authentication
Cognitive functions are not required during authentication processes unless it can be completed in another way, bypassed, or identification of non-text content is provided by the user (e.g., user-provided image).
Status Messages
Status messages are announced to screen readers via live region or ARIA alerts.
WCAG Checklist Level AAA
Comparison
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Success Criteria
Description
Complete
Sign Language
Sign language interpretation is provided for media with audio.
Extended Audio Description
When the original video contains insufficient pauses and is not optimized for audio description, a separate video with sufficient pauses and audio descriptions is provided.
Media Alternative
Pre-recorded media includes a descriptive transcript.
Audio-Only
Descriptive text is provided for live content that contains audio.
Identify Purpose
ARIA is used to enhance HTML semantics, enabling users to more easily understand the purpose of interface elements.
Contrast
Images and text have a color contrast ratio 7:1; large text has a contrast ratio.
Low or No Background Audio
Audio content has little to no background noise, ensuring it is easily distinguished.
Visual Presentation
Blocks of text over one sentence in length are: Less than 80 characters wide, not fully justified, have adequate line spacing, include appropriate foreground and background colors, and does not require horizontal scrolling if size is doubled.
Images of Text
Text within an image is used only for decoration, or if the information cannot be presented through text alone.
Keyboard
All functionalities are available via the keyboard.
No Timing
There are no time limits or constraints to page content or functionality.
Interruptions
Interruptions such as alerts or updates can be postponed by the user.
Re-Authenticating
Users can re-authenticate a page and continue activities without losing data.
Timeouts
Users are adequately warned of timeouts that can result in data loss (unless data can be preserved for more than hours of user inactivity).
Three Flashes
No page content flashes three times per second.
Animations from Interactions
Non-essential animations and movements can be disabled by users.
Location
A web page that’s part of a sequence of web pages are indicated as such through breadcrumbs or specifying sequence steps.
Link Purpose
Users can distinguish the purpose of each link through link text alone.
Section Headings
Sections of content are designated using headers.
Focus not Obscured (Enhanced)
Elements with keyboard focus are entirely visible.
Focus Appearance
Instances where custom indicators or backgrounds are in place have at least a 3:1 contrast between focused/unfocused states, and are at least as large as the area of 2 pixel thick perimeter surrounding the element.
Target Size
Clickable targets are 44 by 44 pixels in size unless an alternative target size is provided.
Concurrent Input Mechanisms
Content is not limited to one specific input type (i.e., keyboard-only or touch-only) and supports alternative inputs.
Unusual Words
Unfamiliar or ambiguous words are defined through an index, definition list, or other appropriate method.
Abbreviations
Unfamiliar abbreviations are expanded and defined the first time it is used.
Reading Level
More understandable alternatives are provided for advanced content (typically provided for content above a ninth-grade reading level).
Pronunciation
Pronunciation guides are provided for words that are vital to the comprehension of the page.
Change on Request
Substantial changes (i.e. spawning of pop-up windows or changes in keyboard focus) are initiated by the user and can disable options if desired.
Help
Instructions or cues are provided to users who need assistance to complete tasks.
Error Prevention
Users can reverse, verify, or confirm submissions after information is submitted.
Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)
Cognitive function tests are not required for any step in the authentication process unless the test can be bypassed or completed with assistance from another mechanism.
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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