European Accessibility Act (EAA)
An EU directive that requires products and services, including websites and mobile applications, sold in the European market to meet specific accessibility requirements, with enforcement beginning June 28, 2025.
The EAA (Directive 2019/882) applies to a broad range of products and services including e-commerce websites, banking services, e-books, transport services, and telecommunications. Unlike WCAG, which is a technical standard, the EAA is a legal obligation that references the EN 301 549 standard, which in turn aligns closely with WCAG 2.1 AA.
The EAA applies to businesses operating in the EU market, including non-EU companies selling to EU customers. Micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees and under 2 million EUR turnover) may be exempt for services but not products. Non-compliance can result in market withdrawal orders and financial penalties determined by each EU member state.
Why It Matters for QA Teams
The EAA deadline has passed and enforcement is active. QA teams working on websites that serve EU customers must integrate accessibility testing into every release cycle to ensure ongoing compliance.
Example
An e-commerce company based in the US sells products to customers in Germany and France. Their QA team conducts an accessibility audit against EN 301 549 and finds that their checkout process requires mouse-only interactions for selecting shipping options and their product image carousels lack keyboard controls. Both issues must be fixed to comply with the EAA.