Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) has applied across the European Union. It requires a range of products and services — including many e-commerce websites and apps — to be accessible to people with disabilities.
If you run an online shop or digital service in Spain or elsewhere in the EU, or sell to EU consumers from the UK or Ireland, it is worth understanding what this means for you. This article is a general overview, not legal advice.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The EAA (Directive (EU) 2019/882) sets common accessibility requirements across EU member states for certain products and services. Each member state, including Spain and Ireland, has transposed it into national law. Its aim is to make everyday products and services usable by people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive impairments, as well as older users.
Which services are covered?
The Act covers a range of products and services, including:
- E-commerce services — websites and apps selling products or services to consumers.
- Banking services for consumers.
- E-books and dedicated reading software.
- Certain passenger transport services, such as ticketing and travel information.
- Electronic communications services.
- Some hardware, such as computers, smartphones, ATMs and ticket machines.
For most small businesses, the e-commerce category is the most relevant. If you sell to consumers online, the Act may apply to you.
The microenterprise exemption
There is an important exemption for very small service businesses. Microenterprises providing services — generally defined as businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million — are exempt from the service requirements.
So a small webshop run by a sole trader or a team of a few people is likely exempt. However:
- The exemption covers services, not products. Manufacturers of covered products have separate rules.
- Growth matters: if your business passes the thresholds, the requirements apply.
- National rules may add detail, so check how your country has implemented the Act.
What does “accessible” mean in practice?
The EAA sets functional requirements rather than a specific technical checklist, but in practice accessibility for websites is measured against the harmonised European standard EN 301 549, which in turn references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA.
Key principles include:
- Perceivable: content can be seen or heard by everyone. For example, images have alt text, videos have captions and text has sufficient contrast.
- Operable: the site can be used with a keyboard alone, not just a mouse, and nothing flashes in ways that could cause seizures.
- Understandable: clear language, predictable navigation and helpful error messages on forms.
- Robust: the site works with assistive technologies such as screen readers.
Why it is worth doing even if you are exempt
- More customers. A significant share of the population has some form of disability, and populations in Spain, the UK and Ireland are ageing. Accessible sites reach more people.
- Better SEO. Many accessibility practices — clear headings, alt text, descriptive links — also help search engines understand your content.
- Better usability for everyone. Clear layouts, readable text and simple forms improve conversion rates across the board.
- Future-proofing. If you grow beyond the microenterprise thresholds, you will already be compliant.
Quick accessibility wins
- Add descriptive alt text to every meaningful image.
- Check colour contrast between text and backgrounds.
- Use proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3) rather than just bold text.
- Make sure every form field has a visible label.
- Ensure your site can be navigated with the Tab key, with visible focus outlines.
- Add captions to videos.
- Use descriptive link text (“Read our pricing guide”) rather than “click here”.
- Avoid conveying information by colour alone.
Accessibility overlays are not a fix
You may see plugins and widgets promising instant accessibility compliance. Most accessibility experts advise against relying on these overlays. Genuine accessibility comes from good design and code, not a toolbar bolted onto the page.
Getting started
Run your site through free tools such as WAVE or Lighthouse to identify obvious issues, then work through them. For e-commerce sites near or above the thresholds, consider a professional audit.
Accessibility is part of how we build every website. If you would like an accessibility review of your site or webshop, contact us. And if you are still choosing a platform, read our WooCommerce vs Shopify comparison.
