The EAA is in force.
Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act applies to online stores selling to EU consumers — wherever your business is based. Here's what it requires, how EN 301 549 maps to WCAG 2.1 AA, and how to start.
Built by Magebit, an EU company based in Latvia — EU accessibility software for EU compliance work.
What the EAA is, and who it applies to
The European Accessibility Act — Directive (EU) 2019/882 — harmonises accessibility requirements across the EU for a range of products and services, e-commerce among them. It has been enforceable since 28 June 2025, with a transition window until 28 June 2030 for some service contracts that predate the deadline.
Critically, it applies to e-commerce services offered to consumers in the EU regardless of where the seller is based. If you sell to EU customers, it can reach you from outside the Union too.
There is a microenterprise exemption for services: providers with fewer than 10 staff and annual turnover or balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million are exempt from the service obligations. The exemption works differently for products, so confirm your status before relying on it.
Deadlines & penalties by member state
The directive requires penalties that are "effective, proportionate and dissuasive", but each country sets its own. A representative selection is below — not an exhaustive list, and figures evolve as enforcement develops.
Germany
Up to €100,000Under the BFSG, the market-surveillance authority can impose fines up to €100,000 for non-compliant services (and up to €10,000 for inadequate accessibility information). Non-compliance can also draw competitor cease-and-desist claims.
Ireland
Up to €60,000 + imprisonmentIreland is notable for criminal liability: on conviction on indictment, fines up to €60,000 and/or up to 18 months imprisonment (summary offences up to €5,000 and/or 6 months), under S.I. No. 636 of 2023.
France
Up to €50,000 per serviceUp to €50,000 per non-compliant digital service, plus up to €25,000 for failing to publish the required accessibility statement, under Decree n°2023-931 and the Code de la consommation.
Spain
Up to €1,000,000A tiered regime from roughly €301 for minor infringements up to €1,000,000 for very serious ones, with the possibility of suspending business activity for serious cases.
Italy
Up to €40,000 / 5% turnoverFines up to €40,000, and up to 5% of annual turnover for entities previously covered by the Stanca Law. AgID enforces, with a 90-day period to cure before fines apply.
Latvia
Substantial finesLatvia — where Inclusify is based — transposed the EAA with substantial administrative fines and corrective-measure orders. Exact figures depend on the infringement; check the current national text for your situation.
Always check the current transposition and enforcement practice in your own member state — this overview is general information, not legal advice.
EN 301 549 maps to WCAG 2.1 AA
The EAA sets functional accessibility requirements rather than a single technical checklist. To show you meet them, the EU relies on the harmonised standard EN 301 549.
The web-content clauses of EN 301 549 incorporate WCAG 2.1 at Level AA. Conforming to the harmonised standard gives a presumption of conformity with the matching accessibility requirements — which is why, in practice, meeting WCAG 2.1 AA is the path most online stores take.
Presumption of conformity is a legal concept with limits; this is general information, not legal advice.
- 1European Accessibility ActDirective (EU) 2019/882
- 2EN 301 549Harmonised EU standard
- 3WCAG 2.1 Level AAWeb content criteria
How Inclusify helps
No tool can make a site "instantly compliant" — and be wary of anyone who claims otherwise. What Inclusify does is give you a practical, documented way to find issues, fix them against WCAG 2.1 AA, and keep them fixed.
Scan
Automated audits against WCAG 2.1 AA using the axe-core engine — the same standard EN 301 549 references for web content. See exactly where your store stands, page by page.
Monitor
Recurring scans track your site over time, so regressions are caught as you ship changes rather than discovered in a complaint or an injunction.
Document
On paid plans, download a dated record of what was audited, found, fixed and monitored — evidence of the good-faith remediation effort behind your accessibility work.
EAA
questions.
The European Accessibility Act is Directive (EU) 2019/882, an EU law harmonising accessibility requirements for a range of products and services — including e-commerce. Each EU member state transposed it into national law, and it has been enforceable since 28 June 2025. For online stores, it effectively means your website and checkout must be accessible to people with disabilities.
It can. The EAA applies to e-commerce services offered to consumers in the EU, regardless of where the seller is established. If you sell products or services to EU consumers through your website, the requirements can apply to you even if your company is based in the US, the UK or elsewhere. This page is general information, not legal advice about your specific situation.
The EAA sets functional accessibility requirements rather than naming a single technical checklist. In practice, the harmonised European standard EN 301 549 is used to demonstrate conformity, and its web-content clauses incorporate the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. So meeting WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical path most e-commerce sites take toward a presumption of conformity.
The EAA has been enforceable since 28 June 2025. There is a transition window until 28 June 2030 for certain service contracts that were in place before the deadline, and some self-service terminals have their own longer timelines. For new and ongoing e-commerce services offered to EU consumers, the requirements already apply.
Penalties are set by each member state and must be "effective, proportionate and dissuasive". They vary widely: for example, up to €100,000 per violation in Germany, up to €50,000 per service in France, up to €1,000,000 for very serious infringements in Spain, and — notably — criminal liability including possible imprisonment in Ireland. Beyond fines, businesses can face complaints, injunctions and reputational damage. Figures change as national practice develops, so check the current position for your member state.
The EAA provides a microenterprise exemption for service providers: businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million are exempt from the service obligations. Note this exemption works differently for products, and definitions can vary — confirm your status before relying on it.
EN 301 549 is the harmonised European standard for the accessibility of ICT products and services. Its requirements for web content are aligned with — and incorporate — WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Conforming to the standard gives a presumption of conformity with the corresponding accessibility requirements, which is why "EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA" is the pairing you will see referenced for EU web accessibility.
Inclusify scans your website against WCAG 2.1 AA using the axe-core engine, monitors it over time, and — on our paid plans — produces downloadable documentation of what was audited, found, fixed and monitored. That helps you identify issues, remediate them, and evidence your good-faith efforts. Inclusify is an EU-based accessibility software provider, not a law firm, and no tool can guarantee compliance — genuine remediation of your site is what matters.
Inclusify is a web accessibility software provider, not a law firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice. The information here — including deadlines, exemptions and member-state penalties — is general, may change as national enforcement develops, and may not apply to your situation. Inclusify does not make your site "EAA compliant"; genuine remediation of your website, and professional legal and accessibility advice where needed, are what determine your position. Consult a qualified adviser about your specific circumstances.
See where your store stands
Start with a free accessibility scan against WCAG 2.1 AA — in minutes, no account needed.