Is your organisation prepared for the European Accessibility Act?

Webinar on 28 May puts compliance up for discussion

Trade

In association with All human

Almost 87 million people living in the European Union have a disability. The fact that many digital products and services are currently unavailable to this large volume of people is what the European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025 aims to address.

Making digital accessibility a legal requirement is not a new concept, and anyone operating in the public sector will know it has been a legal requirement for public bodies’ websites and apps to be accessible since 2020.

What does the EAA mean for businesses?

Starting 28 June 2025, specific products and services will be required to meet established
accessibility standards.

The list includes:
● Computers and operating systems
● ATMs, ticketing and check-in machines
● Smartphones
● TV equipment related to digital television services
● Telephony services and related equipment
● Access to audio-visual media services such as television broadcast and related
consumer equipment
● Services related to air, bus, rail and waterborne passenger transport
● Banking services
● E-books
● E-Commerce

What happens if you fail to meet the requirements?

The consequences include:
● A class A fine (€5,000) or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both
● A fine of up to €60,000 or imprisonment of up to 18 months or both
● Litigation by users

It’s worth adding that there are some exemptions. If you have not already done so, review
the Act and determine if you fall within its scope.

What organisations need to do to avoid fines or lawsuits

Once you have verified that your company falls within the scope of the legislation, the first step is to conduct an audit. This will determine which accessibility standards your assets pass or fail and provide a list of the issues that must be addressed. The volume and level of work needed to remediate your assets will help you determine your roadmap to compliance.

We recommend prioritising any fixes based on criticality and impact. Part of the solution must also include the preparation and publication of an accessibility statement, which must be displayed in an accessible format.

Once you have completed the necessary fixes, you must maintain continued accessibility. Compliance is not a checkbox activity. It must be consistently monitored, and as you add and update your digital assets, these must be tested to ensure they meet accessibility standards.

Ultimately, the best approach is to see accessibility as just one facet of the customer experience and to embed through training and mindset that everyone can and should have the same access to your brand, regardless of ability or age. And remember, there are many reasons beyond compliance to embed accessibility in your brand, not the least of which is that the exclusion of people reduces your revenue potential.

To explain more about compliance and implementing an accessibility roadmap, please join All human and Digital Business Ireland on Wednesday, 28 May, for a webinar entitled European Accessibility Act (EAA) Compliance: How to prepare for the 28 June deadline.

The hour-long discussion will be hosted by dp Fitzgerald, managing director of Truffle Hog, and feature contributions from Kathrin Chambers, Fáilte Ireland; Diarmuid Slattery & Declan Behan, New Graphic; Victor Timon of Byrne Wallace; and Zonja St. Clair of All human.

To register click here.