June 18th, 2025 | by Martyna Mrozek, Filip Konofał
From Compliance to Opportunity – Embrace the European Accessibility Act
Table of contents
What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?
On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act, or Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 17, 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services, will come into force throughout the European Union. Its main objective is to increase the accessibility of certain goods and services on the EU internal market for a broader range of users, including people with disabilities and limitations. This regulation reflects the pursuit of greater societal inclusivity, in which people with special needs have equal access to essential goods and services, especially in the era of digitalization of our daily lives.
What are the benefits for businesses arising from this regulation?
Uniform rules for all member states: Thanks to the harmonization of regulations across the entire EU, companies do not have to adapt their products and services to diverse national requirements.
Market expansion: According to Eurostat data (as of 2023), about 1 in 4 adults in the EU lives with some form of disability. Considering that our society is aging, this proportion will increase in the coming years. This represents a huge, untapped market of customers who, due to their limitations, are currently unable to use certain products or services.
Improved image: Implementing accessibility requirements in your company can be a significant asset, demonstrating the social responsibility of the organization.
Which products and services are covered by the directive?
The new regulations cover a wide range of products, including: consumer computer hardware and its operating system, payment terminals, end-user devices such as smartphones, televisions, and e-book readers, as well as services in areas such as telecommunications, transport, banking, and e-commerce. The obligations apply to a broad range of economic actors, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, and service providers.
What obligations does the directive impose on companies?
Companies offering products or services covered by the directive must ensure their accessibility by adapting them to the needs of people with sensory, mobility, or cognitive limitations. In implementing the directive, companies should analyze their products and services in terms of the new requirements and appropriately document the measures taken to meet them. Additionally, customers should be provided with information about accessibility and have access to a channel for submitting complaints if, in their opinion, a product or service does not meet these requirements.
What are the consequences of failing to adapt?
Failure to comply with the new regulation may result in severe sanctions. Consumers are entitled to submit complaints to the relevant national authorities if a product or service does not meet accessibility requirements. Depending on the scale of non-compliance, sanctions in individual EU countries may take the form of administrative orders, including the withdrawal of a product or service from the market, as well as substantial financial penalties. In Poland, this amounts to ten times the average wage, but the penalty may not exceed 10% of the turnover for the previous year.
What does the European Accessibility Act mean for digital products?
The European Accessibility Act applies to a wide range of digital products made available within the EU market, including Websites and Online Portals (both public administration sites and private services –such as consumer banking platforms, telecommunications services, e-commerce, medical applications, and much more), Mobile Applications (for iOS, Android, and other operating systems), Electronic Documents (PDFs, e-books, presentations), and Device User Interfaces (for example, smart TVs and ATMs).
Under this directive, digital products must meet the accessibility requirements defined by the harmonized EN 301 549 standard, aligned with WCAG 2.1 guidelines at the AA level. In practical terms, products must provide alternative text descriptions for images, maintain semantic document structures, ensure sufficient color contrast (minimum 4.5:1 for text), offer full keyboard navigation support, include captions or text transcripts for multimedia content, and avoid flashing elements that could trigger seizures.
To ensure ongoing compliance, companies are encouraged to conduct regular accessibility audits (both automated and manual), document implemented improvements clearly, and establish accessible feedback channels for users. Adopting these requirements offers substantial benefits, including reaching a wider audience, improving overall user experience, reducing long-term maintenance costs through early accessibility integration, and enhancing the company’s reputation.
Nevertheless, implementation may involve challenges, such as addressing technical complexities in large-scale systems, embedding accessibility early in the design process (accessibility by design), and maintaining ongoing compliance. Failure to comply can lead to serious consequences, including user complaints, administrative actions such as the removal of digital products from app stores (e.g., App Store or Google Play), financial penalties, and damage to brand reputation and consumer trust.
Achieve EAA Compliance with CSHARK
Prepare your business for the European Accessibility Act with CSHARK as your trusted technology partner. We offer end-to-end support in aligning your digital products with EAA requirements – turning compliance into a strategic advantage. Our product design team conducts in-depth accessibility audits of your digital product to quickly identify and address non-compliance risks. We implement tailored technical solutions that meet EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA standards, enhancing your product’s usability, inclusivity, and reach.
At CSHARK, we believe accessibility starts at the foundation – that’s why we apply an accessibility by design approach, embedding inclusive thinking into every stage of the product development process. Our product design team plays a critical role in this transformation: we create intuitive, accessible user interfaces that not only meet legal standards but also elevate the overall user experience. By prioritizing clarity, consistency, and universal usability, we ensure your product is both compliant and compelling.
You’ll receive complete, audit-ready documentation and accessibility statements, giving you confidence during regulatory inspections and in communications with stakeholders. We also validate accessibility in practice through testing with diverse user groups. With CSHARK, EAA compliance is not just a legal requirement – it’s an opportunity to future-proof your digital offering, strengthen your brand, and lead with responsibility.