# EAA Compliance Checklist for Websites

> A step-by-step checklist to audit your website against every Annex I requirement, with practical guidance for each criterion.

https://rankproof.eu/guides/eaa-compliance-checklist

## Short answer

An EAA compliance check covers four things: the digital interface tested against EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the accessibility information required by Annex V, documented evidence that each Annex I requirement is met, and a written disproportionate-burden assessment wherever an exemption is claimed.

- **Interface standard**: EN 301 549 · WCAG 2.1 AA
- **Public information**: Annex V
- **Requirements to evidence**: Annex I
- **Enforceable since**: 28.06.2025

## EAA Compliance Checklist for Websites

Use this checklist to systematically audit your website's compliance with the European Accessibility Act's Annex I requirements. This covers the requirements most relevant to web services.

## Phase 1: Technical Foundation (WCAG 2.1 AA)

### Perceivable

- [ ] **All images have meaningful alt text** (WCAG 1.1.1 / Annex I.2.e)
- [ ] **Videos have captions and audio descriptions** (WCAG 1.2.1-1.2.5 / Annex I.2.f)
- [ ] **Content structure uses proper semantic HTML** (WCAG 1.3.1 / Annex I.1.b)
- [ ] **Content reflows at 320px width without horizontal scrolling** (WCAG 1.4.10 / Annex I.2.d)
- [ ] **Text contrast ratio is at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text)** (WCAG 1.4.3 / Annex I.2.c)
- [ ] **UI component contrast ratio is at least 3:1** (WCAG 1.4.11 / Annex I.2.c)
- [ ] **Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content** (WCAG 1.4.4 / Annex I.2.d)
- [ ] **Text spacing can be adjusted without breaking layout** (WCAG 1.4.12 / Annex I.2.d)

### Operable

- [ ] **All functionality is available via keyboard** (WCAG 2.1.1 / Annex I.2.g)
- [ ] **No keyboard traps exist** (WCAG 2.1.2 / Annex I.2.g)
- [ ] **Time limits can be adjusted or extended** (WCAG 2.2.1 / Annex I.2.h)
- [ ] **No content flashes more than 3 times per second** (WCAG 2.3.1 / Annex I.2.i)
- [ ] **Skip navigation links are provided** (WCAG 2.4.1 / Annex I.2.j)
- [ ] **Pages have descriptive titles** (WCAG 2.4.2 / Annex I.2.j)
- [ ] **Focus order is logical and intuitive** (WCAG 2.4.3 / Annex I.2.j)
- [ ] **Link purpose is clear from context** (WCAG 2.4.4 / Annex I.2.j)
- [ ] **Multiple navigation mechanisms are available** (WCAG 2.4.5 / Annex I.2.j)
- [ ] **Focus indicators are visible** (WCAG 2.4.7 / Annex I.2.j)

### Understandable

- [ ] **Page language is declared in HTML** (WCAG 3.1.1 / Annex I.2.k)
- [ ] **Language changes within content are marked** (WCAG 3.1.2 / Annex I.2.k)
- [ ] **Navigation is consistent across pages** (WCAG 3.2.3 / Annex I.2.l)
- [ ] **Form inputs have clear labels and instructions** (WCAG 3.3.2 / Annex I.2.m)
- [ ] **Error messages identify the problem and suggest a fix** (WCAG 3.3.3 / Annex I.2.m)

### Robust

- [ ] **HTML validates without significant errors** (WCAG 4.1.1 / Annex I.2.n)
- [ ] **All UI components have accessible names and roles** (WCAG 4.1.2 / Annex I.2.n)
- [ ] **Status messages are programmatically determinable** (WCAG 4.1.3 / Annex I.2.n)

## Phase 2: EAA-Specific Requirements

### Documentation (Annex I, Section I)

- [ ] **Accessibility features are documented** (I.1.a)
- [ ] **Assistive technology compatibility is described** (I.1.a)
- [ ] **Accessibility documentation is itself accessible** (I.1.a)

### Web-Specific (Annex I, Section III)

- [ ] **Website meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA overall** (III.a)
- [ ] **All web content types are accessible** (III.b)
- [ ] **Mobile web experience is accessible** (III.c)

### Sector-Specific (if applicable)

- [ ] **E-commerce: Product information and checkout are accessible** (IV.a)
- [ ] **Banking: Online banking and payment flows are accessible** (IV.b)
- [ ] **Transport: Booking and ticketing are accessible** (IV.c)
- [ ] **Telecom: Service portals and communication tools are accessible** (IV.d)

## Phase 3: Declaration and Process

### Annex V Declaration (Section V)

- [ ] **Declaration identifies your organisation (name, address)** (V.1.a)
- [ ] **Declaration identifies the product/service** (V.1.b)
- [ ] **Declaration references EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA** (V.1.c)
- [ ] **Declaration is publicly accessible on your website**
- [ ] **Declaration is in an accessible format**

### Ongoing Compliance

- [ ] **Regular accessibility audits are scheduled** (at least annually)
- [ ] **Accessibility feedback mechanism exists** (contact form, email)
- [ ] **Staff handling accessibility complaints are trained**
- [ ] **New features undergo accessibility testing before release**

## Automated vs Manual Testing

| Can be automated (use RankProof scan) | Requires manual testing |
|---|---|
| Colour contrast ratios | Meaningful alt text quality |
| Missing alt attributes | Logical reading order |
| Missing form labels | Keyboard navigation flow |
| HTML validation errors | Video caption accuracy |
| Language declarations | Error message helpfulness |
| ARIA attribute validity | Content understandability |

**Recommendation:** Start with an automated scan (use our free scanner) to identify technical issues, then conduct manual testing for quality and completeness.

## Primary sources

- [Directive (EU) 2019/882 — EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj)
- [EN 301 549 — ETSI](https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301500_301599/301549/)
- [WCAG 2.1 — W3C](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/)