[Free Checklist Included] Website accessibility regulations: why it’s time to start caring

Let’s be honest. When was the last time you actually did a proper accessibility check on your website? If you’re thinking, “Uh… never?” or maybe, “We ran a contrast checker once; that counts, right?” then yeah, we need to talk.

Accessibility isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore. It’s not something only public institutions or legal teams need to worry about. Whether you’re running a small shop selling handmade candles or managing a global B2B platform, if your website isn’t accessible, you’re potentially shutting out users and opening yourself up to some serious risks. We’re talking legal trouble, fines, damage to your brand reputation, and even conversions taking a hit because people can’t use your site properly.

Enter the EU Accessibility Act (EAA): a directive that requires all EU member states to put laws in place making sure certain consumer-facing products and services meet a minimum level of accessibility. In short: the EU’s making accessibility non-negotiable.

Why bother with website accessibility?

We will stick to three reasons. All important:

1. You’ll reach more users

There are over 1 billion people worldwide living with some form of disability. Making your site usable for people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments doesn’t just fulfill a requirement, but it makes your audience bigger and more inclusive.

2. You’ll avoid legal trouble

Lawsuits over inaccessible websites are on the rise. From retail giants to local service providers, no one’s immune. Compliance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) isn’t just best practice, it’s increasingly being treated as a legal obligation.

Some providers might be off the hook. If your company has fewer than 10 employees and makes less than €2 million a year globally, or if meeting the accessibility rules would put an unreasonable strain on your business, you could qualify for an exemption. Our advice? Check with a legal team.

3. It’s just good user experience

A lot of accessibility features are also fantastic for usability. Better labeling? Clear navigation? More readable content? These improvements don’t just help users with disabilities. They actually help everyone.

Key takeaways

The EAA sets the minimum standard, but individual countries can require more, so providers should always check local laws for stricter rules.

There are two big dates to keep in mind:

• 🗓️ From 28 June 2025, any new products or services that fall under the EAA need to follow the rules.
• 🗓️ By 28 June 2030, everything in-scope has to be compliant, no matter when it was launched.

If you’re not sure whether your product or service fits under the EAA, now’s the time to find out. And if it doesn’t meet the requirements? Better get to updating.

Oh, and skipping compliance isn’t without risks. Each country handles penalties differently: some might hit you with a fine, others could go further. That said, check with a legal team where you are standing.

We’ve put together a document that provides a checklist for evaluating website accessibility defined by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2.

Fill in the form below and you will receive an email with the file.

Pro tip for checking your accesibility state

Some links you might find useful:

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
• User way accesibility checker
• Wave accesibility evaluation tool

Reality check: where most websites fail

You might think your site is “pretty accessible.” But according to WCAG Level A (the minimum acceptable level) it’s probably not.

Here’s a look at the most common fails we see again and again:

Level A compliance: the non-negotiable requirements

Text alternatives (level A)

• All non-decorative images have descriptive alt text;
• Audio-only and video-only content has transcripts;
• Captchas include audio or other accessible alternatives;
• Icons or visual cues include screen reader-friendly labels;

Structure & semantics (level A)

• Semantic HTML used (<button>, <header>, <nav>, etc.);
• Page content is organized with headings in a logical order;
• Lists and tables use proper markup;

Keyboard navigation (level A)

• All content and controls can be accessed via keyboard only;
• No keyboard traps: users can tab in and out of all elements;
• Focus states are clearly visible;

Navigation & links (level A)

• “Skip to content” link is present;
• Page titles are descriptive and unique;
• Link text makes sense out of context (no “click here”);

Forms & input (level A)

• All form fields have labels or ARIA labels;
• Error messages are descriptive and accessible;
• Form instructions are provided where needed;

Content & language (level A)

• The page language is correctly declared (lang=”en”, etc.);

Time & media (level A)

• Users can extend or turn off time limits;
• Content that moves (like carousels) can be paused or stopped;
• No content flashes more than 3x per second;

Level AA compliance: the real standard

Time-based media (Level AA)

• Live video includes synchronized captions;
• Prerecorded video includes audio descriptions;

Distinguishable design (Level AA)

• Text and background have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1;
• Text (except captions) can be resized up to 200% without breaking layout;
• No images of text are used to convey info (unless essential or stylized);
• Layout does not require horizontal scrolling at 320px wide;

Adaptable layouts (Level AA)

• Content works in both portrait and landscape orientationInput fields use correct HTML to support autofill (e.g., autocomplete=”email”);

Navigable experiences (Level AA)

• At least two ways to reach every page (e.g., nav menu + sitemap);
• Headings and labels clearly describe their section or field;
• Keyboard focus indicators are visible and not obscured;
• Focused elements aren’t hidden behind sticky headers or overlays;

Input modalities (Level AA)

• Drag actions have single-click alternatives unless essential;
• Touch targets (like buttons) are at least 24×24 CSS pixels;

Readable content (Level AA)

• Language changes in the page are programmatically identified;

Predictable interfaces (Level AA)

• Repeated elements (nav, footers) are in the same order across pages;
• Similar elements are labeled consistently;

Input assistance (Level AA)

• When users make errors, suggestions are provided for correction;
• Critical actions (e.g., purchases) include:

– A chance to review before submission;

– Error checking and confirmation;

– An option to reverse the action;

Cognitive support (Level AA)

• Authentication does not rely solely on memory (e.g., provide password hints, biometric options, etc.);

Compatibility & feedback (Level AA)

• Status messages (like form success) are announced to screen readers using ARIA roles without shifting focus;

Level AAA compliance: the gold standard

Text alternatives (Level AAA):

• Every function or component that presents information or responds to user input has a text alternative that serves the same purpose;
• Text alternatives for non-text content include captions, sign language interpretations, and auditory descriptions;

Adaptable content (Level AAA):

• Content can be presented in different ways without losing information or structure;
• Information is provided in a simpler form or different layout that does not require reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level;

Distinguishable content (Level AAA):

• Text and images of text have a contrast ratio of at least 7:1;
• The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1;

Input modalities (Level AAA):

• Components can be operated through a keyboard or a pointing device;
• Motion actuation is not used to activate essential functions unless it can be disabled or adjusted;

Navigable content (Level AAA):

• A mechanism is available to allow the user to navigate to the main content;
• Users are allowed to postpone or suppress interruptions to the content until they can be controlled by the user;

Readable content (Level AAA):

• The text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200% without loss of content or functionality;

Predictable content (Level AAA):

• Web pages do not contain any component that blinks more than three times in any one-second period;
• Web pages are designed in a way that prevents triggering seizures;

Whether you’re just starting with Level A or striving for AAA excellence, every step you take makes a real difference for real people. If you need assistance in implementing the accesibility features on your webshop, we can help.