The European Accessibility Act, or European Accessibility Act (EAA), marks a milestone for digital accessibility in Europe. Its objective is to ensure that key products and services on the European market are accessible to people with disabilities and an increasingly aging population.
This regulation is materialized through Directive (EU) 2019/882, which establishes harmonized accessibility requirements throughout the European Union. As its implementation date approaches – June 28, 2025 – many companies are wondering what this law entails, what products and services are covered, and how they should prepare.
In this article we explain clearly what the European Accessibility Act is, its scope, deadlines, requirements and how to comply with it to avoid sanctions.
What is the European Accessibility Law
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a European directive designed to improve the accessibility of certain products and services in the European single market. It focuses mainly on digital aspects and ensuring that people with disabilities can use them on equal terms.
The legal text that implements it is Directive (EU) 2019/882, adopted on April 17, 2019. This directive must be transposed into the national laws of the Member States, which have until June 28, 2025 to apply its provisions.
What products and services are affected by the European Accessibility Act
The Directive establishes a specific list of areas in which accessibility requirements must be applied:
Products
- ATMs and self-service terminals related to banking services.
- Ticket vending machines and billing.
- Telecommunications equipment (for example, smartphones).
- Electronic book reading devices (e-readers).
Services
- Electronic communications services (telephony and internet).
- Passenger transportation services (air, rail, road and water).
- Retail banking services.
- E-commerce (e-commerce websites and mobile applications).
- Audiovisual services (on-demand media content).
Application schedule and compliance deadlines
Directive 2019/882 establishes the following calendar:
- National transposition: had to be completed by June 28, 2022.
- Effective application: June 28, 2025.
This means that from that date onwards, all covered products and services marketed or provided in the EU must meet accessibility requirements.
Existing products
Products already on the market before that date are not subject to the requirements unless they are significantly modified.
Continuous services
Existing services (e.g. e-commerce websites or apps) will need to be adapted to comply with the Directive from June 28, 2025.
National transposition: Spain, France and Germany
Each country has transposed the Directive into its national legislation. Let’s briefly look at the status in some key markets:
Spain
- Law 11/2023, which modifies the General Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- The Spanish Data Protection Agency and other authorities will monitor compliance.
France
- Ordonnance n° 2022-550, published in April 2022.
- Supervision by the Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des frauds (DGCCRF).
Germany
- Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG), effective June 2021.
- Supervision by regional authorities (Länder).
Conclusion and recommendations
The European Accessibility Act represents a profound change in the design of digital products and services in Europe. Companies must:
- Check whether your products and services are covered by the Directive.
- Assess your current level of accessibility.
- Plan and implement the necessary adaptations before June 2025.
- Document compliance and be prepared for audits.
