What is the European Accessibility Act?

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), formally known as Directive (EU) 2019/882, is a landmark piece of EU legislation that establishes common accessibility requirements for key products and services across all EU member states.

Adopted on 17 April 2019, the EAA aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services by removing barriers created by divergent national rules.

Who does the EAA affect?

The EAA applies to economic operators placing products on the market or providing services within the EU, including:

• Manufacturers of covered products
• Importers and distributors of covered products
• Service providers offering covered services to EU consumers

This includes businesses based outside the EU if they sell products or provide services to EU consumers.

What products and services are covered?

Products

• Computers and operating systems
• ATMs, ticketing machines, and check-in machines
• Smartphones and tablets
• TV equipment related to digital TV services
• E-readers

Services

• E-commerce websites and mobile applications
• Banking services (online and mobile banking)
• Telecommunications services
• Transport services (urban, extra-urban, rail, air, waterborne)
• Audio-visual media services
• E-books and digital publications

What does the EAA require?

The EAA defines accessibility requirements in Annex I, which is structured into sections:

Section I — General Requirements

These apply to all covered products (a separate section of Annex I covers services). They cover perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness of user interfaces — principles closely aligned with WCAG 2.1.

Websites and Apps

Websites and web applications must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance, as specified in the harmonised standard EN 301 549 v3.2.1.

Section IV — Sector-Specific Requirements

Additional obligations for specific sectors (banking, transport, e-commerce, etc.).

Service Information Requirements (Annex V)

Service providers must publish an accessibility declaration (the "Annex V declaration") documenting how their service meets the requirements. You'll need to draft and publish this declaration yourself — the explainer pages here can help you understand what it needs to cover.

Exemptions (Articles 4 and 14)

Microenterprises (fewer than 10 employees, turnover under EUR 2 million) are exempt for services. Any operator may claim a disproportionate burden exemption, but must document and reassess it.

Key dates

How is the EAA enforced?

Each EU member state designates a market surveillance authority responsible for enforcement. Non-compliance can result in:

• Fines (amount varies by member state)
• Product withdrawal from the market
• Service suspension orders
• Public naming of non-compliant operators

The EAA also establishes a complaints procedure — consumers and organisations can report non-compliance to national authorities.

How does the EAA relate to WCAG?

The EAA references the harmonised standard EN 301 549, which in turn maps to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. However, the EAA goes beyond WCAG:

• WCAG is a technical standard for web content
• The EAA is a legal framework covering products AND services
• Annex I includes requirements that don't have direct WCAG equivalents (e.g., sector-specific obligations, declaration requirements)

RankProof's automated WCAG checks give you the technical picture. They can't confirm legal compliance on their own — pair them with the explainer pages here and, where it matters, professional legal advice.