The European Accessibility Act 2025 and your website: What you need to know

In June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into full effect — and it brings big changes for businesses operating in or selling to the EU. The EAA is designed to make everyday digital products and services more accessible to people with disabilities, helping to remove barriers and promote equal participation in society.

While the Act covers a wide range of technologies, websites and digital services that offer key products or services are a core focus. If you run an online store, provide financial or transport services, or offer e-books or telecom services, now is the time to check whether your website meets the new accessibility requirements.

In this article, we’ll explain what the EAA is, why it matters, and what steps you can take to prepare — with a particular focus on website accessibility and how Brace Digital can support you.

What Is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) is a European Union directive aimed at improving access to digital and physical products and services for people with disabilities. From 28 June 2025, it will require certain businesses to ensure their offerings are accessible, usable, and inclusive.

The legislation aims to create a consistent set of accessibility rules across the EU, helping to:

• Remove barriers for users with disabilities

• Increase the availability of accessible products and services

• Make it easier for businesses to sell into EU countries by standardising requirements

Who Needs to Comply?

The EAA applies to private companies selling covered products or services in the EU, including businesses based outside the EU but trading within the region.

Public sector organisations are already required to meet accessibility standards under separate EU laws, but the EAA extends similar obligations to the private sector.

Microenterprises (under 10 employees and under €2 million turnover) are exempt from the Act in most cases, but larger organisations — especially those operating online — must comply.

What Does the EAA 2025 Require?

The EAA 2025 aligns with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards and applies to certain digital services.

The key areas of compliance include:

Digital Content

Websites and mobile applications must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines, which means:

• Providing text alternatives for images

• Ensuring screen reader compatibility

• Enabling full keyboard navigation

Assistive Technology Support

All digital platforms must be compatible with assistive technologies such as:

• Screen readers

• Speech-to-text tools

• Voice commands

Customer Service Accessibility

Businesses providing essential digital services—such as online banking, e-commerce platforms, and transport booking systems—must offer:

• Accessible interfaces

• Alternative communication methods (e.g., phone, chat, or text-based support)

Emergency Services & Communications

Emergency-related services and information must be available in multiple formats, including:

• Voice, Text and Video

Accessible Documentation

User manuals, instructions, and legal documents must be provided in formats that accommodate different needs, such as:

• Braille

• Large print

• Audio versions

Emerging Technologies

If AI, AR, or other advanced tools are used as part of a covered service, they must be compatible with assistive technologies.

Monitoring & User Feedback (Recommended)

While not explicitly required, it is best practice to:

• Allow users to report accessibility issues

• Conduct periodic accessibility audits

What Are the Penalties?

Each EU country is responsible for enforcing the EAA through national legislation. While specific penalties vary, they are likely to include:

• Fines for non-compliance

• Legal action from customers or advocacy groups

• Exclusion from public procurement opportunities

• Reputational damage

But even beyond the legal risks, failing to provide an accessible website could mean losing potential customers, alienating users, and missing out on search engine optimisation (SEO) benefits

How Brace Digital Helps You Prepare for the EAA 2025

At Brace Digital, we’re already helping businesses prepare for the European Accessibility Act by making sure their Umbraco websites are accessible, compliant, user-friendly, and inclusive.

🚀 How We Help Businesses Get Ready

We work with businesses to audit, train, and implement accessibility improvements to ensure they meet EAA 2025 requirements ahead of the deadline. Whether you're redesigning your Umbraco website or improving what you already have, we can support you at every step.

📋 6-Monthly Accessibility Audits

Our regular audit service offers a comprehensive review of your website and digital services, highlighting areas that need improvement. We provide:

• Clear, jargon-free recommendations

• Cost estimates for implementing changes

• Prioritised actions based on risk and user impact

This helps you stay on track and avoid falling behind as the June 28, 2025 deadline approaches.

📘 Training on Accessibility Best Practices in Umbraco

If your website uses the Umbraco CMS, we offer tailored training that covers:

• Key accessibility principles for editors and developers

• How to implement accessible features using Umbraco tools

• Testing methods to maintain compliance as your site evolves

This is ideal for internal teams looking to take ownership of accessibility while using a powerful, flexible content management system.

🧪 Recommendations for Testing Website Accessibility

We also guide teams on how to test their website effectively using both automated tools and manual checks. Our advice includes:

• How to use screen readers like NVDA or VoiceOver

• Keyboard-only navigation checks

• Colour contrast tools and font scaling

• Step-by-step guidance on fixing common WCAG issues

By building accessibility testing into your QA process, you can ensure that updates and content changes remain compliant over time.

Final Thoughts

The European Accessibility Act marks a major shift towards more inclusive digital experiences — and that’s something every business should welcome. For websites in particular, the June 2025 deadline is a prompt to do better, not just to comply, but to include.

Accessible design benefits everyone. It helps businesses grow their audience, improve usability, boost search rankings, and demonstrate genuine social responsibility.

At Brace Digital, we believe accessibility should be practical, achievable, and built into your digital strategy — not treated as an afterthought.

Need Help Making Your Umbraco Website Accessible?

Brace Digital helps businesses audit, train, and implement accessibility improvements for EAA 2025 compliance.

If you use the Umbraco CMS, we’ll work with you to ensure your site is inclusive, legally compliant, and designed for all users.

Let’s get your website ready for the EEA Act in 2025 — and beyond.