On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) becomes enforceable law. For companies operating in or serving the European Union, it’s more than a compliance deadline—it’s a call to action to build better, more inclusive digital experiences.
At Big Drop, we’ve long believed that accessibility isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a key component of good design, smart business, and human-first thinking. With the EAA coming into force, that belief is now backed by legal urgency.
What Is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act is an EU directive aimed at increasing the accessibility of member state products and services. It addresses a wide range of digital products and services, including:
- Websites of e-commerce and mobile apps
- Banking
- e-Books and e-readers
- Ticketing and transport
- Smart TVs and related hardware
The intention is to have equal access to digital content and services for people with disabilities as for everyone else.
The EAA harmonizes accessibility requirements across the EU, reducing fragmentation and uncertainty for businesses. It builds on existing standards like EN 301 549 and is strongly based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA—the global standard for web accessibility.
Who Must Comply?
If you’re a business selling digital goods or services in the EU—whether or not you have a presence in Europe—the EAA likely impacts you. That includes:
- Retailers that have EU customers
- SaaS vendors to European consumers
- Banks which offer online portals
- Transport operators which use ticketing platforms
Exceptions exist for microenterprises (those employing fewer than 10 people and turnover below €2 million), but even for small businesses, this should be seen as an opportunity to apply best practice and not to take advantage of a loophole.
What’s at Stake?
Other than potential fines or damage to your reputation, the bigger risk is that you will fall behind. Reachability extends to a huge base: over 87 million EU citizens possess some form of disability. That’s a huge share of the market that you cannot afford not to contact.
Inclusive design is improved design. Accessible design promotes better usability for everyone—faster page loads, easier navigation, and cleaner UI. It has the potential to improve SEO performance, lower bounce rates, and increase more conversions.
What Does Compliance Look Like?
To comply with the EAA, organizations should keep an eye out for the following:
- Audit your digital presence
Identify barriers on your website, apps, PDFs, and media. Use accessibility tools, but use them with expert summaries.
- Enforceable UX/UI design guidelines
Apply WCAG 2.1 guidelines, with focus on color contrast, keyboard-only navigation, screen reader compatibility, and semantic HTML.
- Empathetic design
Consider diverse user needs from day one. Accessibility isn’t technical—it’s people-focused.
- Train your team
Accessibility must be baked into every phase of the project life cycle—strategy through QA.
- Document your work
Capture improvements, policies, and testing processes. It’s not just helpful for compliance—it shows you care.
How Big Drop Can Help
We have assisted global finance, healthcare, SaaS, and e-commerce brands in crafting and deploying inclusive digital experiences. Our approach combines strategy, design, and development to meet accessibility goals without limiting creativity or innovation.
We don’t believe one size has to fit all. Instead, we match your accessibility efforts to your brand voice, tech stack, and audience expectations—so your digital footprint is inclusive, compliant, and future-proofed.
Conclusion
The European Accessibility Act is a game-changer in how we design for digital experience.It’s not about avoiding penalties—it’s about unlocking opportunity. Inclusive design is not a nice-to-have—it’s a competitive advantage.
June 28 is coming. Is your business ready to take the lead on accessibility?
Want to talk strategy? Let’s build something inclusive, together. Get in touch with Big Drop to talk through how we can help you meet the moment—and design for all.