Website Accessibility Laws: What the EAA in Europe and the ADA in the US Mean for You
Accessibility is now a legal requirement for many online businesses in Europe and a common source of claims in the US. What the European Accessibility Act and the ADA mean for websites and online stores, and how to get started.
An accessible website is one that people can use regardless of disability: with a screen reader, only a keyboard, low vision or limited motor control. For a long time this was considered good practice. Today it is increasingly a legal requirement on both sides of the Atlantic.
01The European Accessibility Act (EAA)
Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act applies across the EU. It covers a range of products and services, including e-commerce, banking services, e-books and passenger transport services. Online stores and service websites selling to consumers in the EU are expected to be accessible, with an exemption for micro-enterprises providing services. In practice, compliance is usually assessed against the WCAG guidelines through the European standard EN 301 549.
02The ADA in the United States
In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is widely interpreted to cover websites of businesses that serve the public. Courts and regulators commonly refer to WCAG 2.1 level AA as the benchmark, and businesses of all sizes regularly face accessibility claims. If you sell to US customers, accessibility is part of managing legal risk, not only a matter of good design.
03What WCAG asks for in practice
- Text alternatives. Meaningful images have descriptive alt text.
- Keyboard access. Every menu, form and button works without a mouse.
- Sufficient contrast. Text is readable against its background.
- Clear structure. Headings, labels and landmarks help screen readers navigate.
- Forms that explain errors. Users understand what went wrong and how to fix it.
- No time traps or flashing. Content doesn't disappear too quickly or flash in harmful ways.
- Resizable text. The layout still works when text is enlarged.
Most of these points are decided at the design stage. That is why we treat accessibility as part of UI/UX design, not as an afterthought.
04Accessibility is also good business
Benefits beyond compliance
| Benefit | How it helps |
|---|---|
| More customers | People with disabilities and older users can buy and contact you |
| Better SEO | Clear structure and alt text also help search engines |
| Higher conversion | Clear forms and contrast reduce drop-offs for everyone |
| Lower legal risk | Fewer complaints and claims in the EU and the US |
05How to get started
- Run an accessibility audit of key pages and the checkout or contact flow
- Fix contrast, missing alt texts and form labels first
- Make sure the whole site works with a keyboard
- Test with a screen reader on desktop and mobile
- Publish an accessibility statement with a contact for feedback
- Include accessibility checks in every new feature
For online stores, accessibility has to cover the whole purchase path, from product search to payment — something we plan from the start in e-commerce projects. For existing sites, an audit combined with technical SEO work is often the fastest way to improve both.
An accessible website isn't a special version for a few users. It's a better website for everyone.
Not sure if your website meets the requirements? Ask us for an accessibility review and we'll show you where to start.
