Navigating the European Accessibility Act for Businesses

March 16, 2024
|In Accessibility, UX Design
|By Valentina

Portfolio

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a set of rules that all countries in the European Union agreed to follow to make sure products and services are easy for everyone to use, including people with disabilities and older adults. Think of it as making sure everyone can play the game, no matter what. This act started in April 2019 and is all about making things like phones, computers, ATMs, and websites easier for everyone to use​​.

Before this act, each country in the EU had its own rules, which could be confusing and made it hard for companies to sell their products in different countries. Now, with the EAA, there’s one set of rules for everyone, which should make things easier and cheaper, and open up more jobs​​. Since accessibility also improves search engine optimization (SEO), user retention rates, and brand loyalty, businesses have strong incentives to earn WCAG conformance before the European Accessibility Act is fully enforced.

The EAA requires that products must (source: EAA):

  • be designed and produced to maximize their use by people with disabilities,
  • comply with detailed rules on information and instructions, user interface and functionality design, support services and packaging.

The EAA requires that services must (source: EAA):

  • provide information about the service, its accessibility features, and facilities
  • make websites and mobile devices easily accessible
  • support systems, such as help desks, call centres and training to provide information on accessibility, and
  • apply practices, policies, and procedures to address the needs of people with disabilities.

All new products and services have to follow these rules by 28 June 2025. If something was already being sold before that date, it has until 28 June 2030 to meet the requirements. There are a few exceptions, but generally, this is the deadline everyone is working towards​​.

This act is important because it supports the idea that everyone, no matter their ability, should be able to use the same services and products. It’s not just a good thing to do; it’s also good for business because it means more people can use what companies are selling​​​​.

For businesses, especially those that sell products or services in Europe, it’s crucial to understand these rules and start planning how to meet them. This isn’t just for big companies; even smaller businesses need to pay attention because there could be penalties for not following the rules​​.