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The EAA deadline has passed — what EU shops must do now

· EAA · WCAG · compliance

The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) has applied since 28 June 2025. If you sell to consumers anywhere in the EU, your online shop now has to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA — and enforcement is no longer hypothetical.

What actually changed

The EAA turns accessibility from a nice-to-have into a legal obligation for most e-commerce. National authorities in Poland, Germany and Czechia can now investigate complaints and issue fines.

Fix these first

  • Missing image alt text — every meaningful product image needs a concise, descriptive alternative text.
  • Decorative images — these need an empty alt so screen readers skip them.
  • Colour contrast — body text must meet the 4.5:1 ratio.
  • An accessibility statement — the EAA Annex V format is a self-declaration you publish yourself.

Where to start

Run a free WCAG check on your storefront to see where you stand, then prioritise the pages with the most traffic. Most shops can close the biggest gaps in a single afternoon.