EAA Compliance

Overview

Guides compliance with the European Accessibility Act (EU Directive 2019/882) and the underlying technical standard EN 301 549. Covers scope, deadlines, exemptions, and enforcement across EU member states.

Instructions

When conducting an EAA/EN 301 549 compliance review:

1. Determine which law applies:

   • Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) — public sector websites and mobile apps (already in force since 2020/2021)
   • European Accessibility Act (EAA) — private sector products and services (enforced from 28 June 2025)

2. Identify if the product/service is in scope (see Products and Services section)

3. Evaluate against EN 301 549 v3.2.1, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA for web content (Clause 9) and extends to:

   • Non-web documents (Clause 10)
   • Non-web software / mobile apps (Clause 11)
   • Hardware and self-service terminals (Clause 12-13)

4. Check exemptions — microenterprises, disproportionate burden, fundamental alteration

5. Provide remediation guidance with reference to specific EN 301 549 clauses

6. Recommend accessibility statement — required under both WAD and EAA

Products and Services in Scope (EAA)

Products

• Computers and operating systems
• Smartphones and tablets
• TV equipment and related services
• E-readers
• Self-service terminals (ATMs, ticket machines, check-in kiosks, payment terminals)
• Consumer telecommunication equipment

Services

• E-commerce websites and mobile apps
• Banking services (online and ATMs)
• E-books and dedicated software
• Audiovisual media services
• Transport services (websites, apps, ticketing, real-time travel info)
• Telephony and messaging services

EN 301 549 Structure

Who Must Comply

Territorial reach: Any organization offering in-scope services to EU consumers, regardless of where the organization is headquartered.

Deadlines

Exemptions

• Microenterprises — fewer than 10 employees AND annual turnover ≤ €2 million (EAA only)
• Disproportionate burden — documented assessment required; does not exempt from all requirements
• Fundamental alteration — compliance would change the nature of the product/service
• Third-party content — not funded, developed, or controlled by the economic operator
• Archived content — not updated after 28 June 2025

Penalties

Enforcement is per member state. Examples:

Penalties must be "effective, proportionate, and dissuasive."

Presumption of Conformity

Products/services conforming to harmonised European standards (notably EN 301 549) benefit from a "presumption of conformity" — they are presumed to meet EAA requirements without further proof.

Accessibility Statement

Both WAD and EAA require publishing an accessibility statement that includes:

• Scope of content covered
• Standard used (EN 301 549)
• Level of conformance achieved
• Known limitations with rationale
• Contact mechanism for reporting barriers
• Link to enforcement procedure

Examples

Example: E-commerce Audit

Input: "Our online store sells to EU customers, what do we need?"

Response approach:

1. Confirm the store is in scope (e-commerce service)
2. Check for microenterprise exemption
3. Audit website against EN 301 549 Clause 9 (= WCAG 2.1 AA)
4. Audit mobile app against Clause 11 if applicable
5. Check self-service terminals (kiosks) against Clause 8 if applicable
6. Verify accessibility statement is published

Example: SaaS Product

Input: "We're a US company with EU customers, does EAA apply?"

Response approach:

1. Yes — EAA applies to any organization offering in-scope services to EU consumers
2. Determine which product/service categories apply
3. Audit against EN 301 549 (not just WCAG)
4. Note that EN 301 549 covers software (Clause 11), not just web content

Guidelines

• Always determine WAD vs EAA applicability first — different obligations and history
• Reference EN 301 549 clause numbers, not just WCAG criteria, when reporting issues
• EN 301 549 is broader than WCAG — covers hardware, RTT, biometrics, documentation
• Note that EN 301 549 v4.1.1 (expected 2026) will incorporate WCAG 2.2
• Microenterprise exemption applies only to EAA, not to WAD
• Never recommend overlay widgets as a compliance solution

References

• European Accessibility Act: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/european-accessibility-act-eaa_en
• EN 301 549 v3.2.1 (PDF): https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301500_301599/301549/03.02.01_60/en_301549v030201p.pdf
• Web Accessibility Directive: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/web-accessibility
• WCAG 2.1: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/