28 June 2022 marked the deadline for EU Member States to transpose the European Accessibility Act into national law. The Act breaks down barriers for persons with disabilities, one of the EU’s obligations as Party to the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Act ensures that everyone has access to a range of everyday products and services, including public transport, banking services, computers, TV, e-books, and online shopping.
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What is the European Accessibility Act, who benefits from it and why do we need it?
The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) is a landmark EU law which requires some everyday products and services to be accessible for persons with disabilities. It follows a commitment on accessibility made by the EU and all Member States upon ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The European Accessibility Act will makelife easier for at least 87 million people almost one in five Europeans who have disabilities, including many older people, and for those who have a temporary impairment. The new rules will facilitate these people’s access to public transport, banking services, computers, TVs, e-books, online shops, and much more. For persons with disabilities, accessibility is a precondition for participation in society on equal basis with others.
Both companies and customers will benefit from the Act’s common accessibility requirements. On the one hand, companies (in particular SMEs) will find it easier to trade with other EU countries and gain certainty that they can sell their products and services throughout the EU. On the other hand, as the Act will drive innovation, customers will benefit from a wider and more socially inclusive offer at more competitive prices.
Common accessibility requirements are also beneficial for everyone as they can help us all when using products and services in environments with low light or high noise. For example, we can all benefit from ATMs equipped with visual and audible signals indicating where to insert your bank card or where money comes out.
What do businesses have to do now to implement the act?
Businesses selling products and services covered by the Act must check the national laws and regulations transposing the European Accessibility Act in their country for compliance requirements. Businesses have three years to ensure that their products and services comply with the common EU accessibility requirements.
What services and products are covered by the Act?
Given their increasing importance for communication and participation in the economy, digital technologies are the focus of the European Accessibility Act.
The Act covers the following products and services:
Products
- Computers and operating systems
- Smartphones and other communication devices
- TV equipment related to digital television services
- ATMs and payment terminals (e.g., card payment machines in supermarkets)
- E-readers
- Ticketing and check-in machines
Services
- Phone services
- Banking services
- E-commerce
- Websites, mobile services, electronic tickets and all sources of information for air, bus, rail and waterborne transport services
- E-books
- Access to Audio-visual media services (AVMS)
- Calls to the European emergency number 112
What are the current rules, how and when will they change? Are there exceptions?
The European Accessibility Act does not amend, but rather complements existing EU sectorial legislation on accessibility. It clarifies in particular the public procurement and EU structural funds in relation to the accessibility requirements of the Act.
All EU Member States must have by now transposed the European Accessibility Act into national law. As of 28 June 2025, companies must ensure that the newly marketed products and services covered by the Act are accessible. Member States may decide to make some exceptions. For instance, they can allow more time for the application of the new rules to service providers using self-service terminals. Microenterprises (i.e., a small business with fewer than 10 employees) which provide services also are exempted from the obligations of the Act. Nevertheless, all microenterprises are encouraged to make their products and services accessible to persons with disabilities.
What are the common requirements requested by the Act?
The European Accessibility Act identifies the product features and service features that must be accessible for persons with disabilities. The Act uses functional EU accessibility requirements. It does not impose detailed technical restrictions to make products and services accessible. This allows room for innovation and flexibility.
For instance, the interface of products can be rendered accessible through an alternative to speech for communication, flexible magnification, volume adjustment, or other. Further, the Act requires websites to display information about the accessibility features of services. Users must be able to consult a website’s content and structure and to navigate through webpages, also when using assistive devices.
What can users do when services or products do not respect the new rules?
The European Accessibility Act puts in place a robust mechanism to ensure compliance with its accessibility requirements. It requires EU Member States to ensure:
- regular compliance checks
- complaints are reviewed and followed up
- companies take necessary corrective actions
- people know which authority to turn to with their complaint
As of 28 June 2025, customers will be able to file complaints before national courts or authorities if services or products do not respect the new rules.
Source: European Commission
