European Accessibility Act (EAA) Compliance

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a law in the European Union. It makes sure websites, apps, and many tech products work well for people with disabilities. The EU passed it in April 2019. Each EU country turned it into local law by June 2022. Businesses had to follow it starting June 28, 2025.

Before this law, each EU country had its own accessibility rules. That was hard for businesses. The EAA creates one set of rules for all 27 EU countries. It helps more than 87 million people with disabilities in the EU use the web. It also gives businesses clear rules to follow.

Who has to follow the EAA?

You must follow the EAA if you sell to people in the EU. It does not matter where your business is based. The law covers these products and services:

• Online stores: websites and apps that sell to shoppers in the EU
• Banking services: online banking and mobile banking
• E-books and e-reader software
• Phone, chat, and video calling apps
• Streaming services (TV and movies on demand)
• Travel services: tickets, schedules, and live travel info
• Tech products: computers, phones, e-readers, ATMs, ticket machines, and checkout kiosks

Very small businesses can skip some rules

A microenterprise has fewer than 10 workers and makes €2 million or less per year. These small service businesses do not have to follow the service rules. But they should still try to be accessible. Small businesses that sell products must still follow the product rules.

What does the EAA ask you to do?

The EAA lists what a website should do, not every small detail. The EU also made a tech standard called EN 301 549. It uses the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. If you follow WCAG 2.1 AA, you are following the EAA. This is the safest path.

WCAG 2.1 AA is built on four big ideas, called POUR:

• Perceivable: people can see or hear your content. Add alt text to images. Add captions to videos. Use text that is easy to read.
• Operable: people can use your site. It must work with a keyboard. Menus must be clear. Nothing should flash in a way that causes seizures.
• Understandable: the site is easy to figure out. Words are clear. Buttons do what they say. Forms help you fix mistakes.
• Robust: the site works with screen readers and other helper tools, now and later.

You must post an accessibility statement

The EAA says you must share an accessibility statement. This is a page that explains how your service meets the rules. It should list any parts that are not accessible yet. It should also give users a way to report problems.

Important EAA dates

• April 17, 2019: the EU passed the law
• June 28, 2022: EU countries turned it into local law
• June 28, 2025: businesses must follow the law
• June 28, 2030: end of the grace period for products in use before June 28, 2025

Penalties for breaking the law

Each EU country sets its own penalties. Most include:

• Fines: a few thousand euros for small problems. Hundreds of thousands of euros for big or repeat problems in places like France, Germany, and Italy.
• Pulling products: regulators can stop you from selling a product.
• Lawsuits: consumer groups and individuals can take you to court.
• Bad press: rulings are often made public. This can hurt your brand and your chance of winning contracts.

How NeuroText helps with the EAA

NeuroText is an accessibility widget you add to your site. It is also a free browser extension. It gives every visitor controls to change how your site looks and reads. It helps you follow accessibility rules. It does not replace the work of making your code accessible.

NeuroText helps with many WCAG 2.1 AA rules:

• Text contrast: users can turn up contrast and pick color tints.
• Text size and spacing: users can change font size, line height, and space between letters and words.
• Dyslexia fonts: easy-to-read fonts for people with dyslexia.
• Motion: users can pause animations and turn off movement.
• Page outline: NeuroText makes a list of page sections so users can jump around fast.
• Text to speech: more than 20 voices read your page out loud.
• Page summary: AI can shorten long pages into a quick summary.

Your EAA checklist

• Check if the law applies to you (do you sell to the EU? are you a microenterprise?).
• Test your site against WCAG 2.1 AA. Use both automated tools and real people.
• Fix the most important pages first: checkout, account, and help pages.
• Post an accessibility statement with a way for users to reach you.
• Add a tool like NeuroText so users can adjust the page.
• Train your team on how to build accessible pages.
• Keep notes on what you fixed. Regulators will ask for proof.

Common questions

When did the European Accessibility Act start?

The EU passed the law on April 17, 2019. Each country had to turn it into a local law by June 28, 2022. Businesses had to follow it starting June 28, 2025.

Does the EAA apply to my website?

It applies if you sell to people in the EU. It covers online stores, banking, e-books, streaming, phone and messaging apps, travel tickets, and more. It does not matter where your business is based. If you sell to EU shoppers, the law probably applies to you.

Are small businesses exempt?

Very small businesses called microenterprises do not have to follow the service rules. A microenterprise has fewer than 10 workers and makes €2 million or less per year. But if they sell physical products, they still have product rules to follow.

What accessibility rules does the EAA use?

The EAA points to a standard called EN 301 549. That standard uses the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. If your website meets WCAG 2.1 AA, you are in good shape.

What are the penalties if I break the law?

Each EU country sets its own penalties. Fines can be a few thousand euros for small problems. They can be hundreds of thousands of euros for big or repeat problems. Regulators can also pull a product from the market. Consumer groups can sue.

Does NeuroText make my website fully EAA compliant?

No single tool can do that. The EAA needs accessible code and content across the whole site. NeuroText adds reading and navigation controls that help with many WCAG 2.1 AA rules. Think of it as a helpful tool, not a full fix.

This page is for general info only. It is not legal advice. For help with your own business, talk to a lawyer in the EU country that matters to you.