{"id":112077,"date":"2025-05-23T10:44:28","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T08:44:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.wingify.com\/blog\/practical-guide-to-european-accessibility-act\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T17:24:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T11:54:06","slug":"practical-guide-to-european-accessibility-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingify.com\/blog\/practical-guide-to-european-accessibility-act\/","title":{"rendered":"A Practical Guide to the European Accessibility Act"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This guest blog on the European Accessibility Act is written by Dr. Thomas Hein<\/a><\/strong>, Head of Digital Inclusion at Arc Inclusion<\/a><\/strong> and Head of Customer Research at REO Digital<\/a><\/strong>. With a background in decision-making psychology and over a decade of experience, Thomas helps organisations embed accessibility and user insight into their design systems, development workflows, and leadership practices. He\u2019s worked across sectors including finance, retail, utilities, and healthcare, and is known for making accessibility and UX practical, evidence-based, and commercially relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arc Inclusion<\/strong> is a consultancy that partners with organisations to build inclusive digital products and services \u2014 combining accessibility expertise with deep design and delivery know-how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

REO Digital<\/strong> is a user research and service design agency that helps teams deliver digital services grounded in real user needs \u2014 ensuring they are not only usable but inclusive by design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


In this blog, Thomas shares practical guidance on navigating one of the biggest shifts in digital accessibility policy to date: the European Accessibility Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The countdown is on: by 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) <\/a>will come into full effect across the EU. For organisations offering digital products and services, it marks a decisive shift. No longer optional, accessibility will become a legal requirement for doing business in Europe. Yet for many, the specifics remain unclear \u2014 and misconceptions are rife. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"European<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

1. Why the European Accessibility Act Matters \u2014 and Who Can\u2019t Afford to Ignore It<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The European Accessibility Act is an EU directive designed to harmonise accessibility requirements across member states. It covers both physical and digital goods and services \u2014 from banking apps to e-commerce platforms, transport ticketing systems to e-books \u2014 and aims to ensure that people with disabilities can use and interact with them on equal terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it doesn\u2019t stop at EU-based companies. If your business sells to EU customers, the EAA applies to you, even if you\u2019re based in the UK or elsewhere. Whether you\u2019re an online retailer shipping to Berlin, a banking app available in Madrid, or a ticketing platform used in Paris \u2014 the legislation counts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to comply could mean more than a slap on the wrist. Each EU country has the power to set and enforce its own penalties. That means fines can pile up \u2014 ranging from \u20ac5,000 to \u20ac500,000 depending on the market \u2014 and, in some cases, your product could be banned from sale altogether. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you\u2019re trying to secure public sector contracts \u2014 or selling into other businesses as a B2B supplier or SaaS provider \u2014 forget it: non-compliance is a non-starter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More and more organisations, not just governments, are embedding accessibility requirements into procurement processes, meaning your product won\u2019t even make it onto the shortlist without meeting the EAA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Think WCAG Is Enough? Think Again.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To understand what the EAA demands, it\u2019s important to get clear on two key standards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n