EAA Compliance — Requirements & Checklist for Businesses 2026

EAA compliance is now mandatory for any business selling digital products or services to EU customers. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force on June 28, 2025, and enforcement is already underway across all EU member states.

This comprehensive guide provides a complete EAA compliance checklist for businesses — covering requirements, step-by-step implementation, and how to test your website for free.

What is EAA Compliance?

EAA compliance means meeting the accessibility requirements of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The EAA requires digital products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities, including those who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, have motor impairments, or experience cognitive disabilities.

The technical standard for EAA compliance is EN 301 549, which is based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA with additional requirements for hardware, software, and documentation.

Who Must Comply with EAA?

The EAA applies to any business that offers digital products or services to EU customers — regardless of where the company is located. This includes:

• E-commerce websites selling to EU customers
• Banks and financial institutions operating in the EU
• Transport services (airlines, trains, buses) with EU routes
• Telecom providers and e-book platforms
• Self-service terminals (ATMs, ticketing machines)
• US companies with EU customers (extraterritorial effect)

EAA Compliance Requirements — Complete Checklist

1. Web Content — WCAG 2.1 Level AA

Perceivable — Can users perceive the content?

• ✅ All images have descriptive alt text (WCAG 1.1.1)
• ✅ Color contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text (WCAG 1.4.3)
• ✅ Text resizes up to 200% without breaking (WCAG 1.4.4)
• ✅ Captions for all video content (WCAG 1.2.2)
• ✅ Transcripts for audio content (WCAG 1.2.1)

Operable — Can users navigate and interact?

• ✅ All functionality works with keyboard (WCAG 2.1.1)
• ✅ Visible focus indicators (WCAG 2.4.7)
• ✅ Skip navigation link (WCAG 2.4.1)
• ✅ Logical tab order (WCAG 2.4.3)
• ✅ No keyboard traps (WCAG 2.1.2)

Understandable — Can users understand the content?

• ✅ All form fields have visible labels (WCAG 3.3.2)
• ✅ Clear error messages (WCAG 3.3.1)
• ✅ Language declaration (WCAG 3.1.1)
• ✅ Consistent navigation (WCAG 3.2.3)

Robust — Can assistive technologies read the content?

• ✅ ARIA labels for custom components (WCAG 4.1.2)
• ✅ Screen reader support (WCAG 4.1.2)
• ✅ Valid HTML (WCAG 4.1.1)

2. Non-Web Documents

EN 301 549 requires all electronic documents to be accessible:

• ✅ PDFs must be tagged with proper reading order
• ✅ Alt text for all images in documents
• ✅ Language specification for documents
• ✅ Form fields with proper labels
• ✅ Bookmarks for long documents

3. Software and Mobile Apps

EN 301 549 covers software and mobile applications:

• ✅ Keyboard accessibility for all functions
• ✅ Screen reader compatibility (VoiceOver/TalkBack)
• ✅ Color contrast for all UI elements
• ✅ Touch target size of 44x44px minimum
• ✅ Focus indicators visible

EAA Compliance — Step-by-Step Implementation Plan

Step 1: Run a Free EAA Compliance Scan

Visit AccessiTool's free EAA compliance checker and enter your website URL. Get a detailed report in 60 seconds.

Step 2: Review Your Compliance Report

You'll receive a compliance score (0-100%), a list of violations, warnings, and passed checks — plus specific fix recommendations.

Step 3: Fix Critical Issues First

Start with the most critical violations that are easiest to fix and have the biggest impact:

• Missing alt text — Add descriptive alt text to all images
• Low color contrast — Ensure 4.5:1 ratio for normal text
• Keyboard accessibility — Test with Tab key only
• Form labels — Add visible labels to all form fields
• Language declaration — Add HTML lang attribute

Step 4: Test with Screen Readers

Automated tools can only catch about 30-40% of accessibility issues. Manual testing with screen readers is essential:

• NVDA — Free screen reader for Windows
• VoiceOver — Built-in screen reader for Mac
• JAWS — Professional screen reader for Windows

Step 5: Document Your Compliance

Keep records of your scans, fixes, and testing results. This documentation is your legal defense if a complaint is filed.

Step 6: Maintain Compliance with Regular Testing

Websites change constantly — new pages, images, forms, and third-party widgets can introduce accessibility issues. Monthly scans and quarterly manual testing are recommended.

Penalties for EAA Non-Compliance

EU member states are responsible for enforcing the EAA. Penalties vary by country but can include:

• Fines up to €100,000 per violation
• Legal action from competitors or customers
• Reputational damage and loss of customer trust
• Ban from operating in certain EU markets

EAA vs ADA — What's the Difference?

Many businesses confuse the EAA with the ADA. Here are the key differences:

• Scope: ADA applies to US businesses; EAA applies to any business selling to EU customers
• Technical Standard: Both reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA (ADA) and EN 301 549 (EAA)
• Enforcement: ADA enforced through lawsuits; EAA enforced by EU member states
• Penalties: ADA up to $75,000; EAA up to €100,000
• Extraterritorial: ADA applies to US businesses only; EAA applies to any business with EU customers

Frequently Asked Questions — EAA Compliance

Internal Links — EAA Resources