For someone new to accessibility and working toward EAA compliance, the EAA and EN 301 549 can be confusing. Are they the same, or do you need to follow both?
With the June 28, 2025, compliance deadline fast approaching, it’s crucial to understand how these two frameworks are connected.
In this guide, we’ll explain what the European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549 are, how they work together, and the steps you can take to meet their requirements.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a European Union directive aimed at improving the accessibility of products and services across member states.
It is not a law on its own; rather, it serves as a directive that requires member states to pass or amend their national laws to align with its accessibility requirements. In doing so, the act is implemented as 27 national laws across the EU.
For example, Germany, as a member state, must update its laws to align with the EAA’s requirements. This means introducing rules to ensure products and services are accessible to people with disabilities. Failure to comply with these rules will result in fines and penalties as defined by Germany’s updated laws.
The EAA’s primary goal is to harmonise accessibility standards across Europe, ensuring a consistent minimum level of accessibility for people with disabilities, no matter where they are in the EU. It also aims to promote a free market by removing barriers caused by differing accessibility laws in each member state.
Wondering if the EAA applies to you? Read: Who Needs to Comply with the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?
EN 301 549 is a European standard that provides technical guidelines for making ICT (Information & Communication Technology) products and services accessible.
It is not a law but a set of guidelines developed by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) in collaboration with the European Commission to help businesses align with accessibility requirements under laws like the EAA.
The standard covers both hardware and software aspects of ICT, ensuring digital inclusion across a wide range of technologies. You can access the complete EN 301 549 standard on the ETSI official website.
The EAA sets the rules for making products and services accessible, while EN 301 549 provides the technical details on how to meet those rules.
Think of the EAA as the requirement that says your website must be accessible, and EN 301 549 as the guidebook that shows you how to achieve it.
However, EN 301 549 focuses solely on ICT accessibility, so it does not cover all the requirements of the EAA. We’ll explore these gaps in the next section.
No, EN 301 549 conformance does not automatically mean EAA compliance.
While EN 301 549 provides guidance for making ICT (Information and Communication Technology) products and services accessible, its scope is limited to ICT. There are some EAA requirements that it therefore does not address.
For these areas, businesses must follow other harmonised standards if available, or directly implement the requirements as stated in the EAA’s regulatory text. This ensures businesses meet all requirements for full EAA compliance.
The EN 301 549 will likely be updated to include all EAA requirements, simplifying compliance by serving as a single point of reference instead of relying on multiple standards. However, this update has not yet been confirmed.
Is your business based in the UK? Check out: Does the European Accessibility Act (EAA) Apply to the UK?
Complying with the EAA and EN 301 549 might feel overwhelming, but we’ve broken it down into six simple steps. These will help you meet the requirements and ensure your products and services are accessible to everyone.
Start by understanding which products or services in your portfolio are subject to the EAA’s accessibility requirements. These typically include digital assets like websites and apps, as well as physical products like ticket machines and payment terminals.
Evaluate your products and services to gauge their current level of accessibility and pinpoint gaps. WebYes can help you perform a detailed accessibility audit and identify issues that need fixing to make your website EAA-compliant.
Create a step-by-step plan to address accessibility issues uncovered during the audit. Ensure this plan includes setting timelines, assigning tasks, and securing the necessary resources to implement fixes effectively.
Train your team on accessibility standards like WCAG and EN 301 549 to ensure everyone understands the requirements. A knowledgeable team reduces the chances of introducing non-compliant features during future updates.
Draft and publish an accessibility statement that outlines your efforts to make your products and services accessible. This should include information about your compliance status, key features, and a contact option for user feedback.
Accessibility doesn’t end after the fixes are made – continuous monitoring is essential to maintain compliance. With WebYes, you can track accessibility and quickly address any new WCAG violations introduced through updates or changes.
The June 28, 2025, deadline for EAA compliance is fast approaching, and understanding the roles of the EAA and EN 301 549 is essential. While the EAA sets the legal framework, EN 301 549 provides the technical guidance for ICT products and services.
To achieve full EAA compliance, businesses must address all accessibility requirements, including areas not covered by EN 301 549. WebYes can support you throughout this process by offering detailed audits to assess compliance and continuous monitoring to maintain it.
Article by
Melwyn holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and has been writing professionally for over 4 years. He has a strong background in SEO and is certified in web accessibility from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). When he's not writing about website optimisation, you can find him enjoying a game of FIFA or exploring the open world of GTA.
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