One year countdown to the European Accessibility Act: Information for UK businesses
Accessibility
The European Accessibility Act or EAA (Directive (EU) 2019/882) requires digital products and services to be designed so they can be used to a full and equal extent by people with accessibility needs. The directive came into effect in 2019 and will be implemented as law across the European Union (EU) on 28 June 2025, meaning products and services new to the market must be conformant by this date.
You might be thinking that the UK aren’t part of the EU anymore, so the rules don’t apply – think again! Let us explain why the EAA is important worldwide, and what you should be doing to comply.
Applies to businesses who trade in the EU
The EAA applies to both private and public sector companies, and covers products and services including computers, smartphones, TV, banking, e-commerce, self-service terminals, transportation services, and e-books.
Regardless of where you are based, the EAA must be met by any business that wants to sell, produce, or distribute products within the EU. This includes big players like Microsoft and Eurostar, down to small service providers that have at least 10 employees and a turnover of €2 million or more.
Beneficial for everyone
While the EU is home to over 87 million disabled people, fifteen times this number have a disability worldwide , including 24% of the UK population . This number is increasing due to an ageing population and rise in diseases caused by unhealthy behaviours, meaning more and more are relying on products and services being accessible.
Whether you’ve broken your wrist, forgotten your headphones, or are sat in bright sunlight that causes glare on your devices, everyone experiences situational disabilities throughout their life. This means that inclusive, accessible design can benefit all of us by offering alternative ways of using a product or service and improving overall usability.
An opportunity to harmonise standards
One aim of the EAA is to reduce variability between laws, by providing transparent, consistent regulations across the EU that can be interpreted easily. Going one step further to align global accessibility laws would benefit businesses and consumers alike, by reducing ambiguity around what is and isn’t classed as accessible. This is why the standards have been developed collaboratively with input from non-EU countries including Canada.
By adhering to the EAA, UK businesses can ensure they are prioritising accessibility to the same extent as competitors, supporting innovation, a positive reputation, and a large customer base. It will also make it easier for companies to expand internationally in the future, increasing market opportunities.
What can you do as a UK business?
1. Understand the EAA
Spend time getting to know the EAA to determine whether your products and services are in-scope, and what accessibility requirements apply. Even if they’re not, try to learn from similar areas and use it as an opportunity to improve. The EAA requires service providers to publish a publicly available, accessible document explaining how you meet the relevant standards, so an understanding of these is step one.
2. Plan to succeed
Outline the steps you need to take to comply with new rules, reaching out to accessibility experts if you need help. Some things you may want to consider include:
While enforcement will differ across EU member states, “effective, proportionate, and dissuasive” penalties are likely to be accompanied with corrective monitoring to help businesses understand what changes you need to make.
3. Motivate your colleagues
User the EAA as a chance to advocate for accessibility within your business, shifting focus from the legalities to the customer. Involve stakeholders in the user research and design process by running empathy workshops, inviting them to observe testing, and showcasing best practice. Accessibility shouldn’t be daunting, and encouraging everyone to take small steps will support your success.
If you need help boosting the accessibility of your products or services to comply with the EAA, or help with spreading the message of accessibility, through user research, audits, or empathy workshops, then please get in touch!
Incorporating neurodiversity-friendly design decisions actually improves the experience for everyone. Whether or not you have neurodiverse needs and ...
Incorporating neurodiversity-friendly design decisions actually improves the experience for everyone. Whether or not you have neurodiverse needs and encounter barriers...
The SMG appointed System Concepts to carry out an exciting accessibility project to support their aims to make STEM and their workplaces accessible to...
The SMG appointed System Concepts to carry out an exciting accessibility project to support their aims to make STEM and their workplaces accessible to the broadest range of people possible...