If you’re trying to figure out how to comply with the European Accessibility Act, you’ve probably seen WCAG mentioned everywhere – in articles, checklists, and compliance guides. It’s easy to feel confused: Is WCAG part of the law? Is it optional? How exactly does it fit into EAA requirements?
In this guide, we’ll break down how the EAA and WCAG are connected, where they differ, and what you need to do to meet accessibility standards. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how WCAG fits into your EAA compliance journey – and what steps to take next.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive that requires key products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities. It aims to create a consistent accessibility standard across EU countries, with compliance deadlines starting from June 28, 2025.
WCAG is an international standard for making websites and digital content accessible to people with disabilities. They outline technical requirements to ensure content is easy to perceive, operate, understand, and robust (POUR).
The European Accessibility Act provides the European standard EN 301 549 as the framework businesses must follow to achieve compliance. Under this standard, the accessibility requirements for digital services are based on WCAG.
Put simply:
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a legal directive that requires certain products and services, including digital services, to be accessible across the European Union.
Meanwhile, WCAG is a technical standard that provides guidance on making websites, mobile apps, and digital content accessible.
The current version of EN 301 549 refers to WCAG 2.1 Level AA for web, mobile, and digital content accessibility. However, the European standard is in the process of being updated to adopt WCAG 2.2 at the same conformance level.
If you’re aiming for EAA compliance, we recommend adopting WCAG 2.2 now, as it will soon become the expected standard under the updated EN 301 549. It ensures your digital services stay aligned with future legal requirements and eliminates the need for costly updates later.
WebYes helps you meet WCAG and EAA requirements by guiding you through the process of making your website accessible. You don’t need to understand the details of WCAG or EN 301 549. WebYes takes care of the technical side by finding the issues and guiding you through how to fix them.
Here’s how WebYes supports your accessibility and compliance journey:
By helping you meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA – the standard behind Europe’s accessibility rules – WebYes sets you on the path to EAA compliance. Run a free website audit to check your site’s accessibility and take the first step toward compliance.
Not entirely. WCAG compliance covers only websites, apps, and digital content. The EAA goes further, requiring accessibility for physical products and digital services. For more details, check out our guide: Who needs to comply with the EAA.
You can demonstrate compliance by publishing an up-to-date accessibility statement, maintaining documentation of audits and fixes, and keeping records of your testing cycles and ongoing accessibility monitoring.
Non-compliance may result in legal action, fines, or reputational damage, depending on enforcement in each EU country. You can find more details about the consequences of non-compliance in our EAA fines and penalties guide.
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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