European Accessibility Act (EAA) Fines and Penalties (And How to Avoid Them)

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires businesses to meet accessibility standards by June 28, 2025. Companies that fail to meet the EAA requirements by this compliance deadline risk facing significant fines and penalties.

So, what kinds of penalties can you expect for non-compliance? And how can your business avoid them? In this guide, we’ll break down the fine and provide practical steps to help you stay on the right side of the law.

What Are the Fines and Penalties for Violating the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) leaves fines and penalties to the discretion of member states. In other words, they differ by country. They also depend on the severity of the breach and the type or size of the organisation.

Although the specifics differ, fines for violating the EAA generally fall into two categories:

Let’s now take a look at them in detail.

Non-compliance Fines

Non-compliance fines are administrative penalties for failing to meet EAA requirements. These fines typically range from €5,000 to €20,000 per issue, with each violation assessed separately based on its severity and context.

For example, an e-commerce website could be fined €8,000 for not providing alt text for images. This issue ranks lower on the severity scale but still makes the website inaccessible to visually impaired users relying on screen readers.

On the other hand, an educational platform might face a €18,000 penalty for not supporting keyboard navigation. This higher severity violation prevents individuals with mobility impairments from accessing critical learning resources.

Daily Penalties

If non-compliance is ongoing, that is, the issues are not resolved promptly, daily penalties may be imposed. These fines add up each day a violation continues and can reach up to €1,000 per day, putting financial pressure on businesses to act quickly.

For example, a tech startup might face a daily penalty of €1,000 for unresolved navigation issues on its platform. Over 30 days, this could result in a total fine of €30,000 unless the issues are addressed swiftly.

It is worth noting that the EAA includes “alternative dispute resolution mechanisms,” meaning authorities may first notify businesses and allow time to resolve issues before imposing penalties. This provides a fair opportunity to address compliance gaps.

Examples of EAA Fines in Different Countries

As mentioned earlier, EAA fines and penalties are not uniform across the EU; each member state decides how to enforce non-compliance.

Here’s a breakdown of the penalties businesses could face in different countries:

• Ireland: Severe violations can lead to fines of up to €60,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 18 months.
• Sweden: Non-compliance may result in fines up to €200,000, with corrective actions often required.
• Belgium: Fines can go up to €200,000 per breach, and persistent violations can lead to business suspension.
• France: Failing to make public-facing platforms accessible can incur fines of up to €250,000.
• Italy: Fines range from €5,000 to €40,000, or up to 5% of an organisation’s turnover in serious cases.
• Germany: Non-compliance can result in penalties of up to €100,000.
• Spain: Fines range from €30,000 to €600,000, depending on the severity of the violation.
• Netherlands: Fines can go up to fines up to €900,000.

The fines are clearly massive. On top of that, businesses can also face reputational damage, increased scrutiny, and even the risk of being excluded from key markets. Nobody wants that, so let’s look at how you can avoid these issues.

How to Avoid Costly EAA Penalties and Fines

By now, you’re aware of the risks of EAA non-compliance. To avoid these risks, all you have to do is comply with the EAA, right? But that’s easier said than done – making your products and services accessible can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to it.

But worry not. We’re here to guide you through the process and recommend tools to make EAA compliance easier. While it might seem complicated, achieving compliance can be broken down into four essential steps.

Let’s dive into them in this section.

Step 1: Conduct a comprehensive EAA audit

Start by evaluating your products and services against the EAA standards (EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA). This involves reviewing physical products, digital platforms (your website/app), and customer service processes to ensure they are accessible.

Use a combination of automated tools, manual reviews, and feedback from users with disabilities to identify areas of non-compliance. You can use tools such as WebYes to run an accessibility audit on your website to identify barriers.

Step 2: Implement necessary changes

Once you’ve identified the gaps, create an action plan to address them. Update your product designs, digital interfaces, and service workflows to meet EAA requirements. Prioritise changes that have the biggest impact on accessibility and usability for all customers.

Step 3: Establish continuous monitoring

Compliance isn’t a one-time effort. Set up systems to regularly review your products and services for accessibility. This includes testing updates, new features, or changes to ensure they align with the latest standards and regulations.

Step 5: Build Accessibility Awareness Within Your Team

Educate your team on accessibility principles and EAA requirements. Consider hosting workshops on WCAG guidelines, inclusive design principles, and the importance of accessibility. By fostering a culture of accessibility, you reduce the risk of future non-compliance.

Start Your EAA Compliance Journey with WebYes

As we’ve discussed, EAA non-compliance can lead to fines and penalties. But addressing accessibility shouldn’t just be about avoiding these consequences – it should be about ensuring everyone, including people with disabilities, can use your products or services.

Ready to get started? Use WebYes to audit your website for accessibility, identify areas of improvement, and take the first step toward EAA compliance today. Together, we can make the digital world a more inclusive place.

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