European Accessibility Act Deadline – Full Timeline Breakdown

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) deadline depends on whether a product or service is already on the market and its category. If you operate in the EU, you need to determine whether you qualify for a later deadline or must comply by June 2025.

In this guide, we’ll break down the key deadlines, explain who they apply to, and help you get started with EAA compliance. Let’s dive in!

When Is the European Accessibility Act Deadline?

The official European Accessibility Act (EAA) deadline is June 28, 2025. However, products and services already on the market before this date don’t need to comply by that day – they have a later compliance deadline.

Here’s a breakdown of the deadlines:

Note that the 5-year exception for products and services placed on the market before June 28, 2025, does not apply in some countries, such as Portugal. To ensure compliance, it’s advisable to check local regulations specific to your market.

Who Needs to Comply with the EAA?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies to businesses that provide digital or physical products and services in the EU. This includes companies outside the EU if they sell to or serve EU customers.

However, the EAA exempts micro-enterprises – businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual revenue below 2 million euros – from compliance requirements. That said, they are still encouraged to adopt accessibility practices.

How Can Organisations Prepare for EAA Compliance?

With the EAA deadline approaching, businesses need to prepare now to avoid last-minute challenges. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Understand If and When You Need to Comply

• Check if your business is affected. If you offer e-commerce, banking, transport, media, or digital services, you likely need to comply.
• Know your deadline. Determine whether you must comply by June 28, 2025, or if a later deadline applies to your products and services.

Step 2: Get Expert Guidance or a Consultation

• Bring in an accessibility expert. They can assess your current state, guide your team, and create a roadmap.
• Consider a consultation. If you’re new to accessibility and on a budget, a one-time consultation can provide valuable guidance on where to start.

Step 3: Assess Your Current Accessibility Efforts

• Review existing accessibility policies. Identify whether your company already follows WCAG, EN 301 549, or other accessibility standards.
• Identify compliance gaps. Compare current efforts with EAA requirements to understand what still needs to be addressed.

Step 4: Plan Your Budget, Resources, and Team Responsibilities

• Set a realistic budget. Identify costs for audits, training, accessibility improvements, and expert consultation.
• Assign clear responsibilities. Ensure key teams – developers, designers, content creators, and leadership – understand their role in accessibility preparation.
• Create a timeline. Plan out key preparation steps and assign deadlines well before your compliance deadline.

Once you’ve completed the preparation phase, the next step is execution. This involves conducting an accessibility audit on your products and services to identify barriers. From there, you’ll need to fix accessibility issues to meet EAA compliance.

How Can WebYes Help You Achieve EAA Compliance?

WebYes makes EAA compliance easy with automated website audits and ongoing monitoring to keep your site accessible. If you’re new to accessibility and unsure where to begin, here’s how we can help:

• Automated website audits to detect accessibility issues.
• Scans for WCAG 2.2 AA & EN 301 549 compliance gaps.
• Ongoing monitoring to track new accessibility risks as your website updates.

EAA compliance can feel like a lot, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. WebYes makes it easier by scanning your website for accessibility issues and keeping an eye on potential risks. Get started today and take the first step toward a more accessible website.