A quick Google search for “EAA” might lead you to the Experimental Aircraft Association. But if you’re here, you’re looking for the other EAA – the European Accessibility Act. And for good reason: by the end of June 2025, accessibility won’t be optional. It’ll be the law, and any business trading in the EU, whether B2B or B2C, must be ready for EAA compliance.
What you should know about the EAA
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) was introduced in 2019 to standardise accessibility rules across the EU. Its goal is to make sure people with disabilities can access digital products and services just like everyone else.
From 28 June 2025, any business selling digital products or services in the EU will need to meet these accessibility standards. There’s a grace period for existing products — they have until 2030 to catch up. But anything new launched after the 2025 deadline has to be accessible from day one. EAA compliance will become a non-negotiable requirement, with serious consequences for those who don’t take it seriously.
And it’s not just new launches. According to Aquent’s Gymnasium Program Director, Andrew Miller, in his webinar on accessibility by design, rolling out updates to archive content — like changing a citation in a whitepaper or adding a new module to a landing page — can trigger the need for full compliance, as the product will be treated as new under the regulation.
What’s also important to understand is that the EAA sets a baseline, not a ceiling. Individual EU member states are free to enforce stricter requirements, and many do. Penalties for non-compliance vary, but they’re designed to be effective and dissuasive.
According to InclusiveWeb, France can impose fines of up to €250,000 and publicly name non-compliant companies. In Germany, penalties can reach €500,000. Spain, Ireland and Austria all have similar systems in place, with some countries issuing daily fines or even suspending services until the issue is resolved. Repeat violations can even lead to criminal charges in some jurisdictions.
For many companies, this is a wake-up call: accessibility is now a legal, commercial, and competitive necessity. And forward-thinking brands see it not as a cost, but as an opportunity to innovate, reach untapped markets, and build stronger, more loyal customer relationships.
Why accessibility by design is the only viable strategy
Too many businesses still think they can bolt on accessibility later.
In reality, however, retrofitting an inaccessible website or app is more expensive, more disruptive, and often ends up being a fire drill that could’ve been avoided. According to Barclays, fixing accessibility issues after launch can cost up to ten times more than building them in from the start. That’s not just extra spend. It’s a serious risk to your digital strategy. And for most businesses, it’s a risk they can’t afford to take.
Just look at how the big players do it. Apple bakes accessibility into every product, not as a bolt-on, but as standard. From VoiceOver to personalised display settings, these features are part of the experience from day one. Microsoft took a similar approach with the Xbox Adaptive Controller. It wasn’t a retrofit — it was designed with accessibility at the core. And Barclays? They redesigned their mobile banking app with accessibility in mind and ended up saving money and improving customer satisfaction at the same time.
There’s more to it than cost savings. Designing for accessibility early gives your teams room to learn, experiment and get it right. Your designers, developers and content teams can build with best practice in mind, without scrambling to meet last-minute compliance checks. It’s a smarter, more sustainable way to create digital products that actually work for everyone. And as regulations get stricter and users expect more, this approach will save you time, money and a lot of hassle down the line. Which brings us to the bigger picture.
Accessibility is a competitive advantage
Accessibility is still seen by some as a nice-to-have or a compliance checkbox. It’s not. It’s one of the biggest business opportunities out there — and most brands are still sleeping on it.
By prioritising accessibility, you’re opening your brand up to over 100 million people in the EU alone. Globally? That figure jumps to 1.3 billion. Add in their families, friends and carers, and suddenly you’re looking at a market worth around $13 trillion. In the UK, it’s even got a name: the purple pound.
So when businesses overlook this audience, they’re not just missing the mark on inclusion — they’re walking away from serious revenue.
Here’s why accessibility is a smart business decision:
Increased sales and reduced lost revenue
Accessibility sharpens your business performance. Take Legal & General, a UK financial services firm that rebuilt its website to meet WCAG standards. They conducted a full accessibility audit, real user testing with disabled people, and a focused redesign that prioritised clear navigation, faster loading times, and a more structured content experience.
The results were immediate:
- Organic traffic jumped 25% within 24 hours of launch, eventually rising to 50%.
- Conversions doubled in just three months.
- Technical improvements reduced page load times by 75%, cutting annual maintenance costs by an estimated £200,000.
- The project delivered a full return on investment in under a year.
Accessibility didn’t slow them down. It gave them a head start. Brands that invest in inclusive design aren’t only doing the right thing – they’re unlocking efficiency, reach and revenue.
Building trust and brand loyalty
Accessible design is a sign that your brand actually cares about people — all people. And that builds trust. More and more, consumers are choosing to engage with companies that make inclusion part of their core values. It’s not just good ethics, it’s good business.
In fact, regulators in countries like France, Germany and Spain have started naming and shaming brands that fail to meet accessibility standards. So if you’re falling short, you’re not just alienating users. You’re putting your reputation on the line.
Brands like Apple, Microsoft and Barclays have made accessibility a core part of their value proposition. It’s not performative, it’s practical. They’re designing for real-world needs, and their customers recognise that. As a result, they reap the rewards of deeper trust and longer-term loyalty.
Driving innovation and technological advancement
Another advantage is that accessibility drives innovation.
Many features that were once considered “accessibility add-ons” have evolved into mainstream benefits. For example, voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa were initially developed for users with mobility impairments. Today, millions of people use these features daily. Live captions, predictive text, and alternative input methods – all born out of a need for accessible design – are now standard in many digital services.
By investing in accessibility, you’re positioning your business to lead the market in innovation while also meeting legal standards.
What businesses need to do before June 2025
If you haven’t yet made digital accessibility a priority, the next four months are critical. With the EAA deadline set in stone, you need to act now to ensure your digital products and services are compliant and truly accessible.
We’ve already put together a comprehensive guide to ensuring accessibility, But, in short, here is a checklist of actions you need to take immediately:
- Assess your digital assets with a comprehensive accessibility audit. This means evaluating your websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, and self-service terminals against standards like WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549. Automated tools can flag common issues, but nothing beats real-user testing with assistive technologies (like screen readers, keyboard navigation, and voice controls) to uncover barriers that might not be immediately obvious.
- Ensure that all new products and services are built with accessibility in mind from day one. This is non-negotiable after June 2025. Embed accessibility requirements into your product roadmaps and development processes so that every feature, every page, and every update is compliant right out of the gate. Don’t leave it as a post-launch fix, as that only leads to costly retrofits and rushed implementations.
- Training is essential. Your developers, designers, and content creators must be equipped with the knowledge to create truly accessible experiences. Invest in workshops, online courses, and perhaps even an in-house accessibility champion who can keep everyone on track. It’s about making accessibility a core part of your team’s DNA.
- Review your third-party tools, too. Many businesses rely on SaaS providers, CMS platforms, or e-commerce solutions that might not be fully accessible. Make sure these vendors meet the necessary standards because if they don’t, your business could still be held liable for compliance failures.
- Put in place a long-term monitoring strategy. Accessibility isn’t a one-and-done project. Digital products evolve, new features are added, and third-party integrations come and go. Establish continuous monitoring, regular audits, and a robust feedback mechanism so you can catch any issues early and keep your products in line with EAA compliance over time.
Getting compliant is the foundation for long-term business value. By taking action now, you’re building the kind of digital experiences that win trust, drive performance, and stand out in a crowded market.
In conclusion
Many see the EAA as a regulatory hurdle. But, in reality, it’s an opportunity. By embracing accessibility from the ground up, you can avoid the high costs of retrofitting, tap into a massive market, drive innovation, and build a brand that consumers trust. Forward-thinking companies are already leading the way, and you can too.
If you’re ready to turn compliance into a competitive advantage – whether you need an accessibility audit, expert advice, or help with accessible web design and development – we’re here to help.
