Digital Accessibility: What the European Accessibility Act Means for Your Website in 2026

Digital Accessibility: What the European Accessibility Act Means for Your Website in 2026

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been in force since 28 June 2025 and sets mandatory digital accessibility requirements for products and services across the EU. For businesses in the Netherlands, this means websites, online shops and apps must meet strict accessibility standards. Fail to do so and you risk fines of up to €900,000. In this article we explain exactly what the EAA involves, who it applies to and how to get your digital presence in order in time.

Key takeaways (TL;DR)

• The European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been in force since 28 June 2025 and applies in all EU member states, including the Netherlands
• Mandatory for businesses with 10+ employees or more than €2 million in annual turnover
• Micro-enterprises are exempt: businesses with fewer than 10 employees and less than €2 million in turnover
• WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard that websites, online shops and apps must meet
• The ACM enforces the rules in the Netherlands and can impose fines of up to €900,000 or 1% of annual turnover
• Existing services have until June 2030, but new products must comply now
• Digital accessibility improves your SEO and delivers 50% more user engagement

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) is EU legislation that ensures digital products and services are accessible to everyone. An estimated 15 to 20% of the Dutch population lives with some form of disability. That group deserves the same access to digital services as anyone else.

The EAA came into force in all EU member states on 28 June 2025. In the Netherlands, supervision lies with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (Autoriteit Consument & Markt, ACM). Unlike earlier directives that applied only to government bodies, the EAA explicitly targets the private sector.

Who does the EAA apply to?

The EAA applies to your business if it meets at least one of these criteria:

• 10 or more employees, or
• More than €2 million in annual turnover

Micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees and less than €2 million in turnover are exempt. Note that both criteria must apply for the exemption. Do you have 8 employees but €3 million in turnover? Then the law does apply to you.

Which products and services are covered?

The EAA has a broad scope. The following digital services must be accessible:

• Websites and online shops - including ordering and payment processes
• Mobile apps - on both iOS and Android
• E-books and e-readers
• Banking services - online banking and cash machines
• Telecom services - telephony and messaging
• E-commerce platforms - all online sales channels

Planning to have a website built or an online shop developed? Then make digital accessibility part of the design and development from day one.

What is the WCAG 2.1 AA standard?

The EAA refers to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA as its technical standard. This international standard is built around four principles that make your website accessible:

1. Perceivable

Content must be perceivable by every user:

• Alt text for images so screen readers can read them aloud
• Sufficient colour contrast (at least 4.5:1 for normal text)
• Captions on videos for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors

2. Operable

Your website must be fully usable without a mouse:

• Keyboard navigation for all interactive elements
• Skip links to jump straight to the main content
• No time limits on forms and interactions

3. Understandable

Content and navigation must be clear and predictable:

• Plain language at CEFR B1 level
• Consistent navigation throughout the website
• Error handling with clear messages on forms

4. Robust

Your website must work with assistive technology:

• Correct HTML semantics so screen readers interpret content properly
• ARIA labels where standard HTML isn't enough
• Compatibility with different browsers and assistive tools

A solid technical SEO foundation overlaps heavily with these accessibility requirements: both demand clean code, a correct heading hierarchy and structured content.

Enforcement and fines: what's at stake?

In the Netherlands, the ACM is responsible for supervising compliance with the EAA. The ACM has serious enforcement powers:

The ACM can enforce both reactively (following complaints) and proactively. In other words, it doesn't have to wait for a consumer complaint: the ACM can launch its own investigation.

Which deadlines apply?

The EAA has two key deadlines for digital accessibility:

• New products and services: must have complied with the accessibility requirements since 28 June 2025
• Existing products and services: have a transition period until 28 June 2030 to comply

Don't wait until 2030. Bringing an existing website or online shop up to WCAG 2.1 AA takes time, especially if accessibility wasn't considered from the start. Start your assessment today with our free Quick Scan.

The SEO benefit of digital accessibility

Investing in digital accessibility also improves your visibility in Google. Many accessibility improvements are identical to SEO optimisations:

• Alt text helps Google understand and index images
• A heading hierarchy (H1-H6) provides structure that search engines value
• Fast load times are both an accessibility requirement and a ranking factor
• Mobile-friendly design is essential for accessibility and for Google

Research shows that accessible websites generate up to 50% more user engagement. On top of that, 71% of users with a disability leave an inaccessible website immediately. By making your site accessible, you reach a larger audience and lower your bounce rate.

Want to know how SEO and web development come together? Read our article on combining SEO and website development.

Practical checklist: 8 things to check today

Want to get started straight away? Check these eight points on your website:

1. Alt text: Do all images have descriptive alt text?
2. Colour contrast: Does your text meet the minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1?
3. Keyboard navigation: Can you operate every menu, button and form with the keyboard?
4. Heading structure: Is there exactly one H1 per page, with a logical hierarchy?
5. Forms: Do all input fields have labels and clear error messages?
6. Video captions: Do all videos have captions or a transcript?
7. Responsive design: Does the website work well on every screen size?
8. Skip links: Can users navigate straight to the main content?

Not ticking every box? A professional accessibility audit gives you a complete picture of what needs to be done.

TRON Group: Accessible Websites That Comply with the EAA

At TRON Group we build websites and online shops where digital accessibility is the standard. Our developers are trained in WCAG 2.1 AA and build accessibility into every phase of the development process.

• An accessibility audit of your current website or online shop
• WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for new websites and online shops
• Technical optimisation of existing sites for accessibility and SEO
• Secure environments through our cybersecurity services, so accessible data is also secure data

We combine digital accessibility with professional SEO, so your website complies with the law and becomes easier to find.

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Want to know whether your website complies with the European Accessibility Act? Request a free Quick Scan and receive a clear report with points for improvement within 48 hours. Or contact us directly on +31 85 303 5869 or via our contact form. Learn more about our approach and our team on the About Us page. Together we'll make sure your digital services are accessible, easy to find and legally compliant.