What the EU Accessibility Act means for your website

The European Union recently passed the European Accessibility Act, a landmark piece of legislation that aims to make a wide range of everyday products and services more accessible for people with disabilities. As a web development agency that has always had accessibility at the forefront of everything we do, we want to make sure our clients (new, old and future!) really understand how this new law will impact their websites and online presence.

“The European Accessibility Act will make life easier for at least 87 million people – almost one in five Europeans – who have disabilities”

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act, also known as Directive 2019/882, requires certain products and services to meet common accessibility standards across the EU. The goal is to make sure people with disabilities (whether permanent or temporary!) can fully participate in society, by giving them better access to things like computers, phones, banking services, e-commerce websites etc. 

“Given their increasing importance for communication and participation in the economy, digital technologies are the focus of the European Accessibility Act.”

Some of the key areas covered by the Act include:

• Websites and mobile apps: Making sure content can be easily navigated, understood, and interacted with using assistive technologies.
• Self-service terminals (e.g. cash & ticketing machines): Visual, auditory, and tactile cues to guide users through operations.
• Smartphones and other comms devices: Individual customisation, text-to-speech, and other accessibility features.
• Computers and operating systems: Integrated accessibility tools and alternative input methods.
• Banking services: Accessible online banking platforms and in-person services.
• E-books: Text-to-speech, magnification, and other assistive reading features.
• Audio-visual media services: Captions, audio descriptions, and sign language support.

But don’t panic if you have assets that fall into that list, businesses have until June 2025 to ensure their products and services comply with the new accessibility requirements.

How will it affect your website?

If you’re a business owner or marketing manager, you’re probably wondering how the EU Accessibility Act will impact your website. The good news is that many of the accessibility requirements align with best practices that any web development agency worth their salt already follows. So in short, if your dev agency is a good one, you’ll be just fine.

Some of the key website accessibility standards included in the Act are:

• Providing text alternatives for non-text content (e.g. alt text for images)
• Making sure content can be presented in different ways (e.g. larger text, simpler layout) without losing information or structure
• Making all functionality available from a keyboard
• Providing ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are
• Making text readable and understandable
• Compatible with a wide range of assistive technologies

The Act also requires businesses to provide information about their website’s accessibility features, which means now is a great time to take stock and double check your agency has everything in order for when this new level of transparency comes into effect! 

What this means for your web development partner

As a web development agency who works with clients within the EU, we’re closely following the implementation of the Accessibility Act. We’re already incorporating the required accessibility standards into the websites we build and maintain for our clients, because that’s just how we roll anyway!

Our team of expert developers and designers have always understood how to create accessible, compliant websites that provide a great user experience for all. So this latest Act is just building on what we’re already awesome at; beyond simply telling you what the new requirements are, we can proactively help improve your site’s accessibility. We specialise in conducting thorough accessibility audits to identify any gaps or issues that need to be addressed. From there, we can work with you to redesign any problematic elements, incorporating accessible design principles and assistive technology features. 

Need a little extra guidance? Our compliance consulting services can help you navigate the new regulations and make any changes necessary to meet the Act’s standards. So whether you’re an existing client, or just one we haven’t met yet, we’ll work closely with you to assess your site, identify any gaps, and make the necessary updates to guarantee you meet the new legal requirements by the 2025 deadline.

Don’t wait to get started

The June 2025 compliance deadline may seem far away, but it’s important not to wait until the last minute. We’re not talking quick fixes here; accessibility is an ongoing process that requires planning and diligence. And if your website hasn’t been looked at in a while your accessibility to-do list might be long! Failure to comply with the Act before the deadline could result in fines and penalties, so we’re advising all our clients to take proactive steps now, to avoid a legal headache later.

Need some advice about European Accessibility Act compliance? Reach out to our team today to discuss how the EU Accessibility Act will impact your website and online presence. Together, we can make sure your business is prepared and positioned for success under the new regulations.

The Author

Jonny Vaughan

Founder & Technical Director of 10 Degrees. Jonny's day to day focus is on determining the best technical solutions for our clients, driving technical innovation and leading our sustainability agenda.

The 10 Degrees Team