European Accessibility Act: what your online shop needs to do
The EAA and e-commerce: who is covered, since when, what the law actually requires, exemptions, enforcement and penalties, and where to start.
In short
- Since 28 June 2025, e-commerce websites and apps selling to consumers in the European Union must be accessible to people with disabilities.
- This comes from EU Directive 2019/882, known as the European Accessibility Act (EAA), transposed into the national law of each Member State.
- Microenterprises providing services (fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million) are exempt.
- Each country designates a market surveillance authority and sets its own penalties.
- The technical reference is the European standard EN 301 549, which incorporates the WCAG success criteria.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act is an EU directive adopted in 2019 to harmonise accessibility requirements for digital products and services across the European Union. It covers, among others, computers and smartphones, payment terminals, banking services, e-readers, transport and communication services… and e-commerce services.
Each Member State has transposed it into national law. In France, for example, it sits in the Consumer Code (article L. 412-13), with an implementing decree (no. 2023-931 of 9 October 2023) and an order setting out the detailed requirements.
Is your shop covered?
Yes, if you sell online to consumers in the EU (e-commerce website, mobile app, marketplace) and your business is not a microenterprise. The platform makes no difference: Shopify, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, Magento or a custom build are all covered the same way.
The microenterprise exemption is narrower than many people think:
- you need both fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million;
- a growing shop that crosses these thresholds comes into scope;
- even when exempt, an accessible shop sells more: tens of millions of people in Europe live with a disability, not counting older people and temporary situations (a broken arm, a screen in bright sunlight…).
Since when?
The obligations have applied since 28 June 2025. Service contracts concluded before that date may continue unchanged until they expire, and at the latest until 28 June 2030. For an online shop, which concludes new sales every day, this does not push the deadline back: new purchase journeys must already be accessible.
What does the law actually require?
Your website and app must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust: the four WCAG principles. For a shop, this means very concretely:
- Product images: a text alternative describing what matters for the purchase (colour, material, model).
- Keyboard navigation: menus, size selection, add to basket and checkout must work without a mouse, with a visible focus indicator.
- Contrast: readable text and buttons (a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for body text).
- Forms (account, delivery, payment): every field has a label, errors are clearly explained and the field concerned is identified.
- Buttons and links: an understandable name, including icon buttons (basket, search, close).
- Zoom and small screens: the page stays usable at 200% zoom and on mobile.
- Screen readers: structured headings, page language declared, dynamic messages (added to basket, errors) announced.
You must also provide information about the accessibility of your service: explain how it meets the requirements, for example in your terms and conditions or on a dedicated page. Support services (customer service, online help) must be able to answer questions about accessibility.
Exemptions
The directive provides two exemptions, to be used with care:
- compliance would require a fundamental alteration of the nature of the service;
- it would impose a disproportionate burden on the business.
In both cases, a simple statement is not enough: the business must be able to justify its assessment against the criteria set by the regulations. For most shops, fixing an e-commerce theme falls under neither exemption.
Enforcement and penalties
Each Member State appoints market surveillance authorities and sets “effective, proportionate and dissuasive” penalties. In France, the DGCCRF (the consumer protection authority) carries out checks, consumers can report an inaccessible site on SignalConso, and a breach is punishable by a fifth-class fine: up to €1,500 for an individual and €7,500 for a company, per offence. Beyond fines, a public formal notice or a lawsuit by a disability organisation can seriously damage a brand.
Where to start?
- Review the pages that matter for sales: home, product listings, product page, basket, account creation, delivery, payment.
- Fix blocking issues first: anything that prevents ordering (an add-to-basket button unusable by keyboard, an unlabelled payment field…).
- Fix the theme rather than page by page: fixing the product page template fixes the whole catalogue.
- Publish your accessibility information and train customer service to handle requests.
- Monitor over time: a new theme, an app or a promotional campaign can reintroduce errors overnight.
An automated tool like Navwide detects a large share of technical errors and shows how to fix them. It does not replace human review: whether a text alternative is relevant or a journey is clear also has to be judged in use, ideally with people with disabilities. See also an example report.
Official sources
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (opens in a new tab)
- French consumer authority (DGCCRF) — factsheet on the Accessibility Directive (PDF, in French) (opens in a new tab)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific situation, consult a legal professional.