Preparing for the European Accessibility Act: How Acquia Helps Enterprises Stay Compliant in 2025

With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) now in effect, accessibility is no longer a “nice-to-have” - it’s the law. For enterprises operating in the EU or offering digital services to EU-based customers, accessibility is a compliance issue, a business requirement, and a brand differentiator.

Major organisations need to deliver inclusive, compliant digital experiences at scale, and technology can help make this process easier. Now that the EAA is active, enterprises must prioritise accessibility not just for legal protection, but to better serve every user.

What the European Accessibility Act Means for Digital Leaders

The EAA, which came into force on June 28, 2025, requires that digital products and services across sectors, which include commerce, banking, technology, telecoms and media, meet defined accessibility standards. This includes websites, mobile apps, self-service kiosks, and digital documents.

For enterprise businesses, this means ensuring that all digital touchpoints comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) and other technical criteria. It also requires rethinking how digital teams design, develop, and maintain experiences to serve a broader range of users.

The legislation is especially impactful for large companies selling into the EU, even if their headquarters are based elsewhere.

The Cost of Non-Compliance

Now that enforcement has begun, the risks of non-compliance are no longer theoretical. Enterprises that have not met EAA standards may face:

• Fines ranging from €5,000 to €250,000
• Ongoing daily penalties for unresolved violations
• Legal action from individuals or advocacy groups
• Reputational damage from public accessibility complaints

Even businesses that took early steps may now need to audit their platforms for lingering gaps. Accessibility compliance is not a one-time event, it requires ongoing attention, testing, and governance.

Accessibility Improvements = Customer Experience Improvements

While the EAA creates a regulatory deadline, accessibility is ultimately a growth opportunity. More than 135 million people in the EU live with a disability, representing a significant and often underserved customer base.

While the recent legislation and discussions often focus on meeting requirements, it’s important to remember that these changes are not just an expense or a regulatory exercise. Creating accessible experiences is an extension of what we are doing every day, creating experiences for our customers, meeting them where they need to be, and making sure we’re communicating clearly. Accessible experiences are not only inclusive, but they are also higher-performing:

• Clear navigation and structured content often improves SEO and page speed
• Keyboard support, colour contrast, and readable layouts enhance UX for everyone
• Inclusive design strengthens trust across diverse demographics
• Compliance signals brand maturity and social responsibility

Digital leaders who invest in accessibility now are setting their organisations up for broader reach, better performance, and stronger customer relationships.

Accessibility at Scale

Ideally, accessibility is included from the beginning of a project, scoped appropriately, and championed by both client and vendors on the project. Too often, accessibility is an afterthought or needs to be addressed long after the original project is complete.

We help enterprises build and optimise accessible digital platforms, whether launching a new experience or remediating an existing one. This means incorporating accessibility across the entire process, from content strategy to front-end engineering.

As you’re considering accessibility in your enterprise projects, consider the following necessities to make sure you’re addressing both the customer experience and the legal requirements:

• Accessibility and issue remediation
• WCAG 2.2 compliance consulting
• Inclusive UX and UI design practices
• Continuous accessibility testing and governance support

Rather than treating accessibility as a checklist, we embed it into digital operations. This approach helps our clients not only meet evolving requirements - but create a better experience for everyone.

Where to Start: Immediate Priorities

If you're unsure whether your site meets EAA standards, now is the time to act. Here are five foundational actions digital teams should prioritise:

• Add alt text to all meaningful images
• Ensure full keyboard navigability, especially for forms and menus
• Apply sufficient colour contrast between text and backgrounds
• Provide transcripts and captions for all video or audio content
• Eliminate elements that flash or blink, which may trigger seizures

Does your current digital platform make this process easier? As companies look to mitigate these challenges, tools can help make the process easier. Often, the biggest time-consuming processes can be automated or improved by a platform that is built to assist with accessibility goals. Look for tools that offer scanning and auditing of existing content, provides recommendations and AI recommendations for content improvements, and more.

In a recent project with a leading, global provider of technology and service solutions, we helped PerkinElmer migrate over 1,600 pages to a new website using the Acquia Digital Experience Platform, improving both the experience and the accessibility in the process.

These are starting points, not endpoints. Full accessibility requires strategic planning, cross-functional alignment, and expert guidance. Now that the EAA is in effect, accessibility must be a permanent part of your digital roadmap. Addressing it proactively not only reduces compliance risk - it also builds a more usable, equitable web.