The Basics
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) aims to make products and services accessible to people with disabilities throughout the EU. The Act will take effect in Denmark on June 28, 2025.
The goal of the accessibility law is to ensure equal access to digital services and content for all EU citizens. By standardizing accessibility requirements across member states, around 80 million Europeans with disabilities will be able to use the services your business offers as intended.
It's a good idea to ensure your business meets these requirements now, as non-compliance could have serious consequences. Although the Danish Ministry of Industry has yet to specify penalties, we can look to other EU countries where the law is already in effect. In some cases, fines can reach up to €60,000. In Ireland, violations can even lead to prison sentences of up to six months.
Who does it apply to?
The legislation extends the same accessibility requirements that previously only applied to public sector services to certain private companies, products, and services. The new law will cover digital services such as:
- Webshops and e-commerce solutions
- Information screens and self-service tools
- Consumer-facing banking services
- E-book readers and smartphones
- Ticketing systems and transportation services
However, there are a few exceptions. The rules will not apply to media (video, animation, and sound) and documents published before June 28, 2025, nor to third-party content that a company hasn’t paid for or developed – such as content posted on third-party platforms like YouTube or Facebook.
So-called microenterprises will also be exempt. In the legislation, microenterprises are defined as companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover of less than €2 million.
Additionally, there are exemptions for cases where complying with the law would constitute a “disproportionate burden” or if compliance would lead to a fundamental change in the product's or service's core characteristics. The exact definitions of this remain unclear, and relevant authorities will assess each product or service individually.
What can you do?
Web accessibility may initially seem complex, but it’s based on four straightforward principles: web content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for everyone. This means it needs to work across different devices and assistive tools. In some cases, meeting these requirements is as simple as adjusting font sizes, optimizing color and contrast, or adding text descriptions to images and graphics. In other cases, it requires more comprehensive adjustments. Common challenges include implementing well-structured semantic HTML, creating accessible web forms, ensuring keyboard navigation, and using ARIA correctly in dynamic applications.
If your business provides digital services that fall under the affected areas, you’ll need to make adjustments to comply with the WCAG 2.1 level AA standard (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). It’s a good idea to assess what needs to be updated and to create a plan to ensure accessibility. There are several useful tools online that can scan your website to check for missing accessibility functionality, like accessibilitychecker.org. However, these tools won’t provide a comprehensive assessment, as certain functions always require manual checks.
If you’re running an e-commerce business or other services covered by this new legislation, we strongly recommend prioritizing accessibility to ensure future compliance with the standards. Similarly, if you're developing new products or services, it's essential to integrate accessibility from the very beginning.
At Dwarf, we develop digital products that meet WCAG 2.1 level AA standards. If you’re unsure whether you comply with the standards now, we also offer free accessibility checks, where we can advise you on how to meet the standards going forward.
