Everything you need to know about the new European Accessibility Act 2025
From 28 June 2025, the new European Accessibility Act will apply in the EU - and this will also affect your website or online shop. The aim of this law is to ensure that everyone, with or without a disability, can shop with you in a relaxed manner. Sounds complicated at first? Don't worry!
In this blog article, you will learn everything you need to know about web accessibility, what the new directive means for you and how you can make your company fit for the future. Including all obligations, deadlines and requirements as well as free quick tests to check the accessibility of your website. Let's get started right away!
Definition: What does web accessibility mean?
- Web accessibility means that websites, apps and other digital content are designed in such a way that they can be easily used by all people - especially those with physical or mental impairments, such as visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments.
The aim is therefore to remove or avoid potential barriers so that everyone has unrestricted access to information, products and services. In concrete terms, this means that texts are written in simple language and clearly structured, colours are chosen with sufficient contrast and user interfaces can also be used with aids such as screen readers or voice control. Accessible webdesign also includes alternative texts for images, subtitles or transcripts for videos and audio files, as well as clear and comprehensible navigation.
The purpose of digital accessibility is not to exclude anyone due to technical or design barriers, but to offer all users an experience that is as equal and pleasant as possible. Ultimately, not only people with disabilities benefit from this, but all users, as an accessible shop is clearer, easier to understand and simpler to use.
What exactly is the European Accessibility Act and when does it apply?
The European Accessibility Act officially comes into force on 28 June 2025 with separate laws in each EU country.
Every EU country must have transposed the requirements into national law by this date. This means that the name of the actual law in France, Germany or Poland may be different, but it will include the same guidelines on web accessibility.
The law obliges providers of digital services and products to make them accessible in order to make them equally accessible to all people - especially people with disabilities. It applies not only to online shops, but also to other digital areas such as websites, apps, banking services, e-books, electronic communication services and ticket machines.
In concrete terms, the implementation of the directive means for e-commerce companies:
- From 28 June 2025, all new digital offerings must be immediately accessible.
- For existing digital offerings, there is a transitional period until 28 June 2030 to make the necessary adjustments.
- Web content must be clear, comprehensible and well-structured, e.g. by using understandable language and a clear structure.
- User interfaces and navigation structures must be intuitive to use and enable the use of aids such as screen readers, keyboard navigation and voice control.
- All visual elements (images, graphics, videos) require alternative texts or explanatory subtitles.
- Audio media (audio and video content) must be provided with subtitles or written transcriptions.
- Design elements such as buttons, forms and links must be clearly recognisable and have a high-contrast design.
- Technical standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), should be observed during implementation in order to fulfil the legal requirements.
Are there transitional periods?
... and how are old and new digital offers regulated?
While all new digital offerings, i.e. content or services that are only published or offered after 28 June 2025, must be immediately accessible, there is a transition period for existing digital offerings - i.e. those that already exist before this date. This is a total of five years, so you have until 28 June 2030 at the latest to adapt existing content and services to the new legal requirements.
- Another exception applies to self-service terminals that were put into operation before 28 June 2025. These may still be used until 28 June 2040, but for a maximum of 20 years from their first use.
Compliance with the law not only offers advantages for people with disabilities, but also generally increases the user-friendliness and attractiveness of your digital offerings! Accessibility therefore not only means legal compliance, but also a clear competitive advantage and a better user experience for all your customers.
What are the penalties for non-compliance with the EAA's new rules?
If companies do not comply with the requirements of the Accessibility Act, there are concrete consequences:
- Firstly, companies receive a request from the authorities to rectify defects within a certain period of time.
- Failure to comply with this deadline can result in fines of up to 80,000 euros. The exact amount depends on the severity and frequency of the offences.
- In the case of persistent or repeated offences, higher fines and penalty payments or legal action are possible.
- Violations can also lead to considerable damage to the company's image and reputation. It is therefore important to implement the EAA's legal requirements at an early stage in order to avoid risks.
Who does the law apply to? Which e-commerce companies are affected?
The European Accessibility Act specifically affects all providers of digital services and products that are active in the EU and whose offerings are accessible online. In the area of e-commerce, this particularly includes online shops, digital marketplaces and platforms on which products or services are offered or sold online.
However, there are exceptions for micro-enterprises:
According to the law, these are companies that employ fewer than ten people and either have an annual turnover of no more than €2 million or an annual balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. These micro-enterprises are not obliged to implement the accessibility requirements.
The following applies to all other companies: as soon as your offering is publicly accessible and includes interactive digital processes, i.e. if customers can shop online, place orders, make payments or manage customer accounts, you are affected by the law.
Digital services such as online consultations, bookings or the downloading of digital content (e.g. e-books, software or music) are also included.
Examples of affected companies and services:
- Online shops of all kinds (electronics, food, jewellery, etc.)
- Logistics and fulfilment service providers with online order and delivery management
- Fashion and clothing manufacturers with their own online shop
- Suppliers of dietary supplements and supplements with their own digital sales channel
- Digital marketplaces (such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy)
- Platforms for online services (e.g. booking platforms, digital consultations)
- Digital content providers (e-book retailers, music and streaming services)
- Influencers who sell their products and services digitally via various channels
- Financial service providers with digital services (online banking, digital insurance)
- Telecommunications providers with online contract management
The obligations of the European Accessibility Act for companies
The aim is to design web services in such a way that everyone can use them without any problems. Companies are therefore obliged to regularly check whether their services are digitally accessible and make improvements where necessary. This ensures that everyone can participate in digital life on an equal footing and that no one is excluded by technical barriers.
The Accessibility Act, which comes into force at the end of June, therefore imposes the following obligations on companies across the EU:
Obligations for manufacturers:
- Digital products such as websites, apps, software or e-books must be designed to be accessible and comply with current standards (e.g. WCAG).
- Manufacturers must provide clear information on the accessibility of their products, e.g. through comprehensible instructions and help texts.
- Products must be regularly tested for accessibility and adapted if necessary.
- Accessibility requirements should already be taken into account during the development of new products and integrated into quality testing.
- The development team should be regularly trained and sensitised to web accessibility.
Obligations for importers:
- Imported digital products must be checked for accessibility and comply with legal requirements.
- Information on the accessibility of imported products must be made available to customers in a clear and easily understandable way.
- Importers should actively work with foreign manufacturers to implement the necessary accessibility adaptations.
- Tests and measures to ensure accessibility should be documented.
Obligations for retailers and sellers:
- Retailers are responsible for ensuring that the products and services they offer are digitally accessible and for checking this regularly.
- Information on accessibility must be displayed openly and clearly on the respective sales platforms and in the online shops.
- Customers must be supported by accessible communication options such as chat, email or telephone advice if required.
- Retailers should offer alternative solutions so that people with disabilities can also use the products and services without any problems.
- Customer service staff should receive regular training on topics relating to web accessibility.
Obligations for service providers:
- Digital services such as online advice, bookings or contract conclusions must be offered barrier-free and regularly checked for accessibility.
- Service providers must ensure that all online platforms, websites and service portals used are designed to be accessible.
- User interfaces and navigation must be intuitive and easy to use and support all common aids, such as screen readers, keyboard use or voice control.
- Service providers must offer alternative communication channels in order to optimally support customers with special needs.
- Employees should be regularly trained in dealing with barrier-free communication and customer-orientated support.
Checklist: When is a website accessible?
Online shops and e-commerce platforms are essentially websites. And a website as such is considered accessible if it is easily accessible and fully usable for all people - regardless of physical, mental or technical limitations. Digital accessibility therefore means that nobody is excluded due to the design or technical realisation of a website.
This means in general terms:
- Content should be clearly structured and organised.
- Text must be easy to read, which requires a sufficient font size and good colour contrasts between text and background.
- Intuitive, easy-to-follow navigation is essential so that users can quickly find what they are looking for.
- Alternative texts are required for visual content such as images, graphics or symbols so that they can be recognised and correctly conveyed by aids such as screen readers.
- Videos should have subtitles and ideally also offer transcripts to enable people with hearing impairments to make full use of them.
- Forms, buttons and interactive elements must be clearly recognisable and easy to use, even if they are only used by keyboard or voice control.
- The website must be technically compatible with various aids such as screen readers, voice control, keyboard navigation and other assistive technologies.
- Content should be written in simple language or at least be understandable and clearly formulated so as not to exclude users with cognitive impairments or limited language skills.
- It should also be possible to switch off moving content (such as animations or videos that start automatically) so as not to burden users with sensory sensitivities.
To fulfil all these requirements, there are internationally recognised standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Read on to find out more!
What are the WCAG and what do you need to consider?
The W3C is the world's leading organisation for web standards and developed the WCAG in 1999 to create a uniform basis for accessible web content. They are intended to ensure that websites are equally accessible to all people - regardless of disabilities or technical limitations.
The WCAG consists of four basic principles:
1. perceptibility
All content on a website must be clearly visible and easily recognisable. This includes, for example:
- Text that is easy to read, with sufficient contrast between text and background.
- Images and graphics need alternative texts so that people with visual impairments can also understand the information.
- Videos should have clear subtitles so that they can also be understood by deaf people.
- The content should be organised logically and clearly so that every user can find their way around quickly.
2. usability:
Websites must be easy to use - whether with a mouse, keyboard or voice control:
- All functions must be fully operable with the keyboard, not just the mouse.
- Links, buttons and forms should be clearly recognisable and easy to click on.
- Navigation must be simple and intuitive so that users can quickly find what they are looking for.
- Users should have enough time to read content or perform actions.
3. comprehensibility:
Websites should be clear and easy to understand:
- Use simple and clear language so that the content is understandable for everyone.
- Navigation and layout should be logical and clear.
- If content or functions are more complex, provide additional help or explanations.
- Error messages, e.g. in forms, should be clearly explained and easy to correct.
4. reliability:
Websites must be technically implemented in such a way that they can be used permanently and by different devices:
- Content must work well with aids such as screen readers or voice control.
- The website should be displayed on different browsers and devices without any problems.
- Use current web standards such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript to make it easier to use.
- Regularly check whether the page is still accessible and adjust it if necessary to ensure that your website remains accessible.
Good to know: The WCAG themselves are not legal regulations, but technical standards that various countries have included in their legislation! In the EU and thus in Germany, for example, the WCAG are a central component of the German Accessibility Act (BFSG), which will apply from the end of June 2025. In the USA, they are in turn part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
How do you make a website accessible?
To make a website accessible, there are several important and detailed steps that you should definitely consider - here is an overview of the most important points and how you can best proceed:
1. planning and structure:
- Start thinking about accessibility as early as the planning phase. Think carefully about how you can structure and organise content logically so that it is easily accessible.
- Decide on simple and comprehensible language that can be easily understood by as many people as possible.
- Plan intuitive and clear navigation so that users can quickly find what they are looking for.
- Consider different types of impairments (e.g. visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments) from the outset.
2. barrier-free design:
- Use sufficiently high colour contrasts between font and background to ensure good legibility for users with visual impairments.
- Use clear and easily recognisable fonts that remain legible at different sizes.
- Make sure that the layout and structure are clear and not too complex to facilitate orientation and operation.
- Avoid animations or effects that could be highly distracting or irritate users, or allow them to be switched off.
3. technical implementation and development:
- Ensure that all content and functions of your website are fully accessible via the keyboard. This is particularly important for users who cannot use a mouse.
- Use alternative text for images, graphics and other visual elements so that screen reader users can understand this content.
- Integrate subtitles or transcriptions for videos and audios so that they are accessible for deaf or hard of hearing people.
- Use clear and descriptive link text (instead of ‘click here’) to help users with assistive technology find their way around.
- Ensure that forms are clearly labelled and easy to complete, including for people who use assistive technology.
4. testing and quality assurance
- Regularly check whether all areas of your website are accessible using special testing tools (you can find a list of free quick tests here) and screen readers.
- Also test your website with real users who use aids and assistive technologies. This will allow you to recognise potential difficulties early on and rectify them.
- Pay particular attention to feedback from these tests in order to continuously improve your site.
5. regular optimisation and maintenance:
- Regularly check whether your website continues to comply with current accessibility standards (such as the WCAG guidelines).
- Update your content regularly and ensure that new content is also designed to be accessible.
- Keep up to date with technical innovations and changes in the area of accessibility and adapt your website accordingly.
These basic measures will ensure that your website is easily accessible and barrier-free for all users. Of course, this is not a one-off effort, but rather a regular process.
Tips for accessible content
The appropriate preparation of texts, images, audio and videos as well as the choice of a suitable content management system (CMS) play a central role when it comes to web accessibility. There are also various tools that can be used to test and optimise the accessibility of a website.
As already mentioned, you can optimise your website as follows, this time broken down by type of content:
1. texts:
- Simple language: use clear, short sentences and avoid jargon so that the content is understandable for everyone.
- Structure and hierarchy: headings should be logically organised (H1 for main heading, H2 for subheadings, etc.) so that screen readers can interpret the structure correctly.
- Comprehensible links: Avoid generic link text such as ‘Click here’ - instead, links should describe the content, e.g. ‘Learn more about accessibility’.
- Pay attention to contrasts: The text should stand out clearly from the background (recommended: contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1).
- Enable text scaling: Users should be able to easily adjust the font size without compromising layout or functionality.
2. images and graphics:
- Use alt text: Each image should have an alternative description that screen readers can read. The alt text should explain briefly but precisely what is shown in the image.
- Label decorative images: If an image is purely decorative, it should be marked as such (e.g. with alt=‘’) so that it is ignored by screen readers.
- Describe infographics and diagrams: Graphical representations should also be provided as text versions to make their content accessible to visually impaired users.
3. audios and videos:
- Subtitles for videos: All videos should have synchronised subtitles to allow access for deaf or hard of hearing people.
- Provide audio descriptions: Blind or visually impaired users benefit from additional audio descriptions that explain relevant visual content.
- Transcripts for audio content: Podcasts and other audio content should be provided in text form.
- Avoid automatic playback: Content should not start without the user's consent, as this can be distracting for people with motor or cognitive impairments.
Good to know: Find out many more useful tips on accessible videos here!
Suitable content management systems (CMS) for web accessibility
An accessible CMS is of course essential for creating and managing accessible content. The following systems are particularly suitable:
- WordPress: With appropriate plugins (e.g. WP Accessibility, One Click Accessibility), many accessibility requirements can be implemented. Themes should be checked for accessibility.
- TYPO3: Inherently offers many accessibility functions, such as better structuring of content and support for semantic HTML.
- Drupal: Enables easy implementation of WCAG-compliant websites with accessible themes and modules.
- Joomla!: Supports accessible web development with suitable templates and extensions.
- Grav: A modern flat-file CMS that focuses on accessibility and is suitable for smaller websites.
Good to know: When using a CMS, care should be taken to ensure that themes and plugins are also designed to be accessible. This is often not the case, as there are many custom designs floating around that are not optimised for accessibility!
Free tests and tools for checking web accessibility
To ensure that a website is actually accessible, regular tests should be carried out using various tools. Here we list some free quick tests that you can carry out to check the general status of your website.
Important: These quick tests are of course no substitute for a comprehensive audit by a digital accessibility agency, for example, and do not check all points of the new regulation.
Automated test tools
- WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): Analyses websites for accessibility issues and shows suggestions for improvement.
- axe DevTools (Web App): A powerful browser plugin that detects accessibility issues and suggests solutions.
- Google Lighthouse: Evaluates the accessibility of websites and provides optimisation tips.
- Siteimprove Accessibility Checker: Provides detailed analyses of compliance with WCAG guidelines.
Manual tests and screen readers (apps)
- NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access): Free screen reader for Windows that can be used to test how visually impaired users perceive a website.
- VoiceOver (macOS & iOS): Enables accessibility testing on Apple devices.
- TalkBack (Android): Screen reader for mobile devices to check the usability of apps and websites.
Colour and contrast checker
- WebAIM Contrast Checker: Checks whether texts have sufficient colour contrast.
- Color Oracle: Simulates colour blindness and helps to optimise content for colour-blind users.
Test keyboard navigation
Many users with motor impairments only use the keyboard to navigate websites. The following aspects should be tested:
- Do all interactive elements (links, forms, buttons) work using the tab key?
- Is the current focus visible when elements are scrolled through using the tab key?
- Can drop-down menus, pop-ups and modal windows be operated without a mouse?
As a leading 3PL provider, we want to actively support our customers in making their companies more accessible, as this topic is close to our hearts. Web accessibility not only means a better user experience, but also more accessibility for everyone.
That's why we help online shops to optimise their processes and implement accessible solutions. Together, we create a more inclusive shopping experience and enable more people to participate in digital commerce without restrictions.
- If you have any questions in this regard or would like us to take care of your logistics, simply send us a message - no strings attached!
Sources
Here you can find further information on the European Accessibility Act:
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/union-equality-strategy-rights-persons-disabilities-2021-2030/european-accessibility-act_en
Further sources on the Accessibility Act in the EU (in German)
https://www.aktion-mensch.de/inklusion/barrierefreiheit/
https://bfsg-gesetz.de/
https://www.wko.at/ce-kennzeichnung-normen/informationen-zum-barrierefreiheitsgesetz
Images:
Canva, pixabay, Quivo © 2025
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