The digital landscape is evolving rapidly, and accessibility is no longer optional—it’s becoming a legal requirement. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) set to take full effect on June 28, 2025, businesses across the globe are scrambling to understand what this means for their digital presence.
At Thails, we’ve been helping businesses navigate these changes, and we want to share what you need to know to stay ahead of the curve.
Understanding the European Accessibility Act
The EAA represents a significant shift in how we approach digital accessibility. This EU regulation mandates that digital products and services must be accessible to people with disabilities. What makes this particularly important is that it applies to any business serving EU consumers, regardless of where your company is actually located.
Think of it as creating digital spaces that work for everyone—from someone using a screen reader to navigate your website, to a customer who relies on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse.
Who Needs to Pay Attention?
If you’re running an e-commerce business, marketplace, or any consumer-facing digital service, the EAA likely applies to you. The regulation specifically targets:
- Online retailers selling directly to consumers
- Companies with 10 or more employees and annual turnover exceeding €2 million
- Any business outside the EU that serves European customers
The key takeaway? If you have EU customers, you need to be prepared.
What Compliance Actually Looks Like
Meeting EAA standards means adhering to internationally recognized guidelines like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and EN 301 549. In practical terms, this involves:
Navigation and Structure: Your website must be fully navigable using only a keyboard, with clear, logical structure that assistive technologies can understand.
Content Accessibility: Every image needs descriptive alt text, videos require captions or transcripts, and all text must be readable by screen readers.
User Interface Design: Forms need clear labels and helpful error messages, while colors and contrast must meet specific standards for visibility.
Purchasing Process: The entire customer journey, from browsing to checkout, must work seamlessly with assistive technologies.
The Business Case Beyond Compliance
While avoiding penalties is important—fines can range from €90,000 to €900,000 in some EU countries—the real opportunity lies in what accessibility brings to your business.
Over 135 million people in the EU have some form of disability. That’s a massive potential customer base that many businesses are inadvertently excluding. When you make your digital presence accessible, you’re not just checking a compliance box—you’re opening your doors to millions of potential customers.
Additionally, accessible websites typically perform better in search engines. The structured, semantic approach required for accessibility aligns beautifully with what search engines look for, often resulting in improved SEO performance.
Starting Your Accessibility Journey
The good news is that you don’t have to tackle this alone or wait until the last minute. Here’s how to get started:
Audit Your Current State: Use tools like WAVE, axe, or Google Lighthouse to identify accessibility issues on your current website.
Prioritize Critical Areas: Focus first on your most important user journeys—homepage, product pages, and checkout process.
Design with Accessibility in Mind: Choose themes and design elements that prioritize accessibility from the ground up, rather than trying to retrofit later.
Test with Real Users: Nothing beats getting feedback from people who actually use assistive technologies daily.
How Thails Approaches Digital Accessibility
At Thails, we believe accessibility should be built into every digital experience from day one, not bolted on as an afterthought. Our approach focuses on creating websites and digital platforms that don’t just meet compliance standards—they exceed them.
We work with businesses to conduct comprehensive accessibility audits, implement best practices during development, and establish ongoing monitoring systems to ensure continued compliance. Whether you’re building a new platform or retrofitting an existing one, we help you create digital experiences that truly work for everyone.
From technical implementation to user experience design, we guide our clients through every aspect of accessibility compliance. We also provide training for your team, because maintaining accessibility is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix.
The Time to Act is Now
With the EAA deadline approaching, businesses that start preparing now will have a significant advantage. Not only will they avoid the rush and potential penalties, but they’ll also gain early access to the benefits that come with accessible design.
Remember, accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about creating better experiences for all users. The improvements you make to support people with disabilities often make your website better for everyone.
If you’re ready to ensure your digital presence is accessible, compliant, and inclusive, we’re here to help. At Thails, we’re committed to building a more accessible digital world, one website at a time.
Ready to make your digital presence accessible to all? Contact Thails today to learn how we can help you navigate accessibility compliance and create inclusive digital experiences.
