01What the Act is
The European Accessibility Act is an EU directive, Directive (EU) 2019/882, that sets common accessibility requirements for key products and services across EU countries. 1 The European Commission lists e-commerce among the covered services, alongside banking, e-books, transport services and more. 3
02Who it applies to
The directive applies to covered products placed on the market, and covered services provided to consumers, after 28 June 2025. E-commerce services are on the list. 1
There is an important exemption: the requirements are not meant to apply to microenterprises providing services. A microenterprise is a business that employs fewer than 10 people and has an annual turnover or balance sheet of no more than €2 million. 1
If you sell to EU consumers from outside the EU, including from the UK, check with a legal adviser whether it applies to you. This article is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
03Where WCAG 2.2 fits in
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for accessible websites. WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation on 5 October 2023, and its success criteria come in three levels: A, AA and AAA. 4 Level AA is the level most laws and policies point to. In the UK, for example, public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.2 AA and publish an accessibility statement. 5
Content that meets WCAG 2.2 also meets the older 2.1 and 2.0 versions, so building to 2.2 AA covers you either way. 4
04The most common failures
WebAIM's 2026 study of the top one million home pages found detectable WCAG failures on 95.9% of them, with an average of 56.1 errors per page. 2 The six most common problems were:
- Low-contrast text: 83.9% of pages
- Images without alternative text: 53.1%
- Form fields without labels: 51%
- Empty links: 46.3%
- Empty buttons: 30.6%
- Missing page language: 13.5%
The good news: these are among the easiest problems to fix.
05Where to start
- Run an automated check on your key pages, then test by hand with only a keyboard
- Fix contrast, alt text, form labels and empty links and buttons first
- Test the checkout or enquiry form with a screen reader
- Respect “reduce motion” settings for animations
- Publish an accessibility statement that says what you tested and how to contact you
Every website we build targets WCAG 2.2 AA from the start. For an existing site, an accessibility audit and fix is usually the fastest route.
FAQQuestions people ask
When did the European Accessibility Act start to apply?
It applies to covered products placed on the market and covered services provided to consumers after 28 June 2025.
Is my small business exempt?
Microenterprises providing services, with fewer than 10 staff and no more than €2 million turnover or balance sheet, are exempt from the service requirements. Check your own case with a legal adviser.
Which WCAG level should my website meet?
WCAG 2.2 level AA. It is the level most accessibility laws and policies refer to.
SRCSources
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and servicesEUR-Lex, Official Journal of the EU
- The WebAIM Million (2026)WebAIM, Utah State University
- European Accessibility ActEuropean Commission
- WCAG 2 overviewW3C Web Accessibility Initiative
- Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodiesGOV.UK
Every figure links to its original source. Checked on 18 October 2026.