European Accessibility

What Is The European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive that requires many digital products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities across all member states. It encourages organizations to make websites, software, apps, and digital tools usable for everyone so that accessibility barriers do not fragment the EU’s internal market.​

EN 301 549 is the main technical standard referenced for EAA compliance and is built around WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the globally recognized baseline for web accessibility. By aligning with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and relevant EN 301 549 criteria, organizations meet most of the core digital requirements of the Act.​

Who Needs To Comply?

The EAA applies to a wide range of private and public organizations that place covered products or services on the EU market, including websites, e‑commerce platforms, mobile apps, banking interfaces, ticketing systems, and self‑service terminals. It affects businesses offering digital products and services such as online retailers, financial service providers, transport and ticketing systems, and many consumer devices.​

Some very small “micro‑enterprises” may qualify for limited exemptions, but many companies that want long‑term access to the European digital market still need to meet EAA requirements. Public‑sector websites and apps are already covered under the separate EU Web Accessibility Directive, which also relies on WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA.​

What Compliance Looks Like

Complying with the EAA and EN 301 549 means ensuring that digital platforms meet core accessibility requirements so people with visual, hearing, cognitive, and motor disabilities can use them effectively. Typical expectations include:​

• Clear, descriptive alternative text for meaningful images
• Full keyboard navigation without requiring a mouse
• Sufficient color contrast between text and background
• Layouts that remain usable when text is resized up to about 200%
• Logical headings and consistent navigation structures
• Clear error messages and guidance for correcting input errors
• Visible focus indicators for keyboard users
• Avoiding reliance on color alone to convey important information​

Compliance also extends to PDFs, documents, multimedia, and downloadable files, which should be properly tagged, captioned, and structured so screen readers and other assistive technologies can interpret them correctly.​

How To Start Becoming EAA Compliant

Achieving EAA compliance is an ongoing process rather than a one‑time checklist. A strong approach usually includes:​

• Comprehensive accessibility audit – Identify accessibility issues across websites, apps, documents, and media using both automated and expert manual testing.
• Implementation and remediation – Fix code and content issues, improve structure, and apply WCAG‑aligned accessibility best practices.
• Continuous improvement and monitoring – Re‑test as new content and features are added to maintain long‑term compliance and avoid future risks.​

Accessibility Solutions From QSeed Solutions

QSeed Solutions supports organizations in meeting EAA and EN 301 549 requirements through a structured, scalable process:

• Automated accessibility tools for rapid detection of common issues
• Expert manual audits for complex components and critical user journeys
• Accessibility remediation for documents, PDFs, and media assets
• Ongoing development support and monitoring to help maintain compliance over time​

By combining automated and manual testing, QSeed Solutions helps ensure that your digital presence remains usable, inclusive, and aligned with European and global accessibility standards.

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