EAA Accessibility Statement – Template, Tool, Example, and Requirements

An accessibility statement is a crucial part of EAA compliance. It shows your commitment to digital accessibility and helps users understand how accessible your website or app is.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what to include, how to write it, and get access to a ready-to-use template based on the official EU model accessibility statement.

Why You Need an Accessibility Statement

An accessibility statement is more than a formality. It tells visitors that your website is built with inclusivity in mind and that you take accessibility seriously.

• Show commitment: Demonstrates care for inclusivity and builds trust with all users.
• Reduce legal risk: Helps meet accessibility laws and lowers compliance issues.
• Support users: Explains available accessibility features and gives contact options for feedback.
• Boost reputation: Enhances your brand’s image as responsible and user-focused.

Adding a clear accessibility statement positions your website as trustworthy, compliant, and user-friendly. It’s a simple step with lasting impact.

EAA Accessibility Statement Requirements

Your accessibility statement must cover the following five content areas, as outlined in the official EU model format (per Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523):

1. Your compliance status
2. List of non-accessible content
3. Information on the preparation of the statement
4. Feedback and contact information for users to reach out
5. Enforcement procedure when users are not satisfied with your response

Let’s look at each of these areas in detail so you know exactly what to include in your statement.

1. Compliance status

The EAA requires you to declare whether your website or mobile app is fully, partially, or not compliant with accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549.

• Fully compliant: all accessibility requirements have been met.
• Partially compliant: most of the site or app is accessible, but some issues remain (e.g., videos without captions).
• Not compliant: the product does not currently meet accessibility standards.

This gives users a quick understanding of your accessibility level and sets clear expectations from the start.

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Check your compliance status:

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2. Non-accessible content

The EAA also requires you to identify what isn’t accessible and explain why. Issues must be grouped into three official categories:

• Non-compliance: features that fail accessibility checks (e.g., missing alt text, low-contrast text, inaccessible PDFs).
• Disproportionate burden: issues that could be fixed but are too costly or technically complex right now (e.g., converting a large archive of historical documents).
• Outside scope: content not covered by the legislation (e.g., third-party plugins, embedded maps, live-streaming events).

Being open about limitations shows transparency and reassures users that you are aware of the gaps and working on improvements.

3. Preparation of the statement

This section explains how and when the statement was created. The EAA requires you to include the method of assessment and the date of the most recent review.

• Date prepared: Specify when the statement was written or updated. e.g., “March 2025.”
• Assessment method: self-evaluation, external audit, automated testing, or a combination.
• Assistive technologies tested: specify tools like NVDA, VoiceOver, screen magnifiers, or keyboard-only navigation.
• User testing: mention if people with disabilities were involved in the evaluation.

Including this information makes your statement more credible and shows that your claims are based on structured testing.

4. Feedback and contact information

You must provide a way for users to report accessibility issues or request accessible alternatives.

• Direct contact details: email address, phone number, or web form.
• Responsible team or person: for example, “Digital Accessibility Team.”
• Response time: set expectations such as “within 5 working days.”

A clear feedback process builds trust and makes it easier for users to raise issues confidently.

5. Enforcement procedure

Finally, you need to explain what users can do if they aren’t satisfied with your response.

• Right to escalate complaints: let users know they can take further action.
• Enforcement authority: name the relevant national body responsible for accessibility enforcement.
• Contact details and link: provide an email, phone number, and link to the authority’s complaint page or form.

This ensures accountability and gives users a clear path to escalate unresolved issues while showing that your organisation respects their rights.

Optional Content for an EAA Accessibility Statement

Beyond the required sections, you can include optional details to make your accessibility statement more informative and user-friendly. These extras aren’t mandatory, but they can strengthen trust and show a deeper commitment to accessibility.

Here are some examples you may want to add:

	What to Include
Commitment to accessibility	State goals beyond the legal minimum (e.g., WCAG 2.2 AA). Share remedial measures and timelines for fixing issues.
Formal endorsement	Add a short note of support from leadership (management or board-level) to show accessibility is a top priority.
Website or app details	List the date of initial publication, date of most recent substantial update, and (for apps) version number and release date.
Evaluation reports	Provide a link to an audit or compliance report, especially if declaring full compliance.
Support services	Offer extra phone support for people with disabilities and mention if assistive technology support/training is available.
Other relevant information	Include details like ongoing projects, upcoming audits, or partnerships with accessibility experts.

Including optional content can make your accessibility statement more impactful by showing a genuine commitment beyond the legal minimum. You can learn more about these optional content suggestions in Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523 (opens in a new tab).

How to Create an EAA Accessibility Statement Easily

You can create an EAA accessibility statement for free using the WebYes Accessibility Statement Generator (opens in a new tab). The tool guides you through the process and includes all the fields required by the EAA, making it simple to produce a compliant statement.

When using the tool to create your accessibility statement, remember to add all the elements required by the EAA. Since the generator is general-purpose, not every field is marked as mandatory, so it’s important to ensure your statement fully meets EAA requirements (opens in a new tab).

How to Write an EAA Accessibility Statement on Your Own

If you’d rather draft your accessibility statement manually, you’ll need to follow the requirements set out in the EAA. Writing it yourself gives you more control over the details, but it also means you must ensure every required element is included.

To write an EAA accessibility statement, you must provide the following information:

1. Give your current compliance status
2. List what’s not accessible
3. Add basic statement details
4. Tell people how to reach you
5. Explain how to escalate complaints

Let’s explore each of these steps in more detail.

Step 1: Give your current compliance status

Start your accessibility statement by clearly stating how accessible your website or mobile application is. This gives users a quick understanding of where you stand.

You have three official options to choose from:

• Fully compliant: Your website or app meets all the relevant accessibility requirements (typically WCAG 2.1 AA).
• Partially compliant: Most of your site is accessible, but there are some known issues. In this case, you’ll explain what isn’t accessible later.
• Not compliant: Your website or app does not meet accessibility standards at all. Be honest and explain the gaps in the next section.

Example:

Step 2: List what’s not accessible

In this part, explain which parts of your website or mobile app are not accessible, and why. You must organise this under three official categories:

1. Non-compliance with the accessibility requirements: List features or content that do not meet accessibility standards (e.g., missing alt text, low contrast, inaccessible forms).
2. Disproportionate burden: This is where you list content you could fix, but can’t right now because it would be too costly or complex relative to your size/resources.
3. The content is not within the scope of the applicable legislation: List anything not covered by the law – like third-party plugins, old documents published before a certain date, or live streaming.

Example:

Step 3: Add basic statement details

This part shows when and how you evaluated your website or mobile app for accessibility. Keep it simple and factual.

Your content here should include:

• The date the statement was prepared
• The method used to assess accessibility (self-assessment or third-party audit)
• The date of the most recent review

Example:

Step 4: Tell people how to reach you

Let users know how they can contact you if they face accessibility issues or need content in an alternative format (like a screen-readable version of a document).

For that purpose, your statement must include:

• A feedback mechanism: This can be an email address, contact form, phone number, or a dedicated accessibility support link.
• Contact details of the responsible person, team, or unit: You can name a specific department (e.g., “Digital Accessibility Team”) or give a general point of contact.

Example:

Step 5: Explain how to escalate complaints

This part tells users what to do if they’re not satisfied with how you handled their accessibility request or complaint.

You need to:

• Briefly describe the escalation process: Let users know they have the right to lodge a complaint if they don’t receive a timely or adequate response to their accessibility issue.
• Link to the enforcement procedure or authority: Provide a URL to the relevant national body’s complaint procedure page or form, if available.
• Include contact information for the enforcement body: This might be a digital accessibility monitoring agency, ombudsman, or equality authority, depending on your country.

Best Practices for Writing a Strong EAA Accessibility Statement

Now that you know the required steps, it’s important to think about how to make your statement not only compliant but also meaningful to your users. A well-written accessibility statement can reduce complaints, improve trust, and show that your business is serious about inclusion.

Here are some best practices to guide you:

• Be transparent: Don’t hide accessibility issues or exaggerate compliance. Clear and honest statements help users know what to expect.
• Use plain language: Avoid technical jargon. Write in simple terms so your message is easy for everyone to understand.
• Make it easy to find: Place the statement in a visible spot, like your website footer or app settings. Accessibility information should never feel hidden.
• Review regularly: Update your statement at least once a year, or sooner if you make significant accessibility changes.
• Keep it relevant: Focus only on what applies to your service. Leaving out unnecessary sections makes the statement cleaner and more useful.

An accessibility statement is more than just a legal requirement. It shows responsibility and respect for all users. By keeping your statement transparent, accessible, and up to date, you meet compliance obligations while also strengthening trust with your audience.

EAA Accessibility Statement Template

Below is a ready-to-use EAA accessibility statement template. It includes all five required content areas and follows the structure defined in Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1523 (opens in a new tab). Fill in the blanks and adapt it to reflect your website or mobile app’s accessibility status.

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ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

[Name of organization] is committed to making its [website(s)] and/or [mobile application(s)] accessible, in accordance with [insert name of national legislation transposing Directive (EU) 2016/2102].

This accessibility statement applies to:[Insert the scope – e.g., specific website(s) or mobile application(s) this statement covers].

Compliance status

This [website/mobile application] is:

(a) Fully compliant with [insert standard – e.g., EN 301 549 v3.2.1 and WCAG 2.1 AA].

(b) Partially compliant with [insert standard], due to the non-compliances and/or exemptions listed below.

(c) Not compliant with [insert standard]. The non-compliances and/or exemptions are listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is not accessible for the following reason(s):

(a) Non-compliance with the accessibility legislation:
[List the parts of the site/app that do not meet the requirements, and describe the issues.]

(b) Disproportionate burden:
[List content/features that are currently exempt under Article 5 of the Directive due to disproportionate burden.]

(c) Out of scope of the legislation:
[List any content or features not covered by the Directive, such as third-party content.]

[Where possible, indicate accessible alternatives.]

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on: [Insert date]
Method used to prepare the statement: [Self-assessment / Third-party audit]
Last reviewed on: [Insert most recent review date]

Feedback and contact information

If you experience any accessibility barriers or need content in an alternative format, please contact us:

[Insert contact form link or email address]
[Insert responsible department/person's contact info]

Enforcement procedure

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint via the enforcement procedure:

[Insert link to national enforcement body or procedure]
[Insert enforcement authority contact info]

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