Read more about the Accessibility Directive. Your website must be accessible by June 28, 2025, or you risk being fined.
The EU Accessibility Directive will come into force on June 28 and imposes a number of requirements on online stores and their accessibility. The directive requires companies to adapt their digital services and products to make them more accessible to people with disabilities.
You are probably wondering: “Does my online store comply with these directives? What does this mean for me? Am I affected, and if so, should I do anything?”
That is why I am going to go through and summarize what these accessibility directives are about, why it is important to comply with them, and what you can do to secure your online store.
What is the EU Accessibility Directive?
The purpose of the directive is to ensure that more companies operating e-commerce have products and services that do not exclude customers due to disabilities.
Previously, there have been strict accessibility requirements for large public entities, such as government agencies, municipalities, and regions within the EU. The Accessibility Directive 2025 now also imposes these requirements on more private actors.
Examples of measures that make a website more accessible:
Follow accessibility standards (WCAG)
There is already a set of standardised guidelines (WCAG guidelines) that websites should follow for better accessibility. By following these guidelines for your e-commerce, you will also be checking off many points in the Accessibility Directive.
WCAG is divided into three levels:
Level A = Basic accessibility (many users may still have difficulty navigating).
Level AA = Standard requirements in laws, makes websites usable for a wide audience.
Level AAA = Highest level, e.g., extra high contrast and easy-to-read language (difficult to achieve on all pages).
To comply with EU legal requirements, the website must meet the requirements of level AA, which means that the website must have:
- Good text contrast: At least 4.5:1 between normal text and background, and 3:1 for large or bold text (Source: Color Contrast Checker).
- Support for zoom & magnification: The website must function at 200% magnification without losing content.
Keyboard navigation: Everything must be usable without a mouse, using only the keyboard. - Alternatives for images: Important images need ALT texts so that screen readers can read them aloud.
Clear links and buttons: Links should have descriptive text, not just “Click here.” - No color-dependent instructions: Do not use color alone to convey information (e.g., red text for error messages).
Clear form errors: If a user makes a mistake in a form, the error must be clearly displayed and how it can be corrected. - Moving content & flashing: Nothing should flash faster than 3 times per second (to avoid epileptic seizures).
A good text contrast
Texts should be readable without difficulty for any user. Text should be appropriately sized, possible to enlarge without making content difficult to read, and there should be good contrast between text and background.
It is important to test the contrast between two or more colors using digital tools such as Color Contrast Checker.
Keyboard navigation capability
Users who only have access to keyboard functions should be able to use the website. This means that the web page must be navigable using keys that replace the mouse pointer functions (tab, enter, space, backspace, and arrow keys) or similar aids.
When the mouse pointer is not available, it is also particularly important to have clear focus indicators. This corresponds to a small color frame that shows which object is highlighted on the page. It thus replaces the main task of the mouse pointer: navigating the page and clicking on things.
With computer mouse only: positioning a mouse pointer and left-clicking on a button.
With keyboard only: To focus-indicate the button and click enter.
These indicators need to be clearly visible and work.
Alternative images & improved support for screen readers
For users who cannot see product images, alternative texts (alt texts) must be provided. Alt texts allow images to be described by screen readers (software programs that read content on web pages).
For example, an image of a coffee cup could have the alt text “A white coffee cup on a wooden table.” This type of text is also good for a website’s SEO.
As with alt texts for product images, there also needs to be alternative texts describing video clips and audio.
Another support that helps screen readers navigate web pages correctly is Aria attributes. It corresponds to an extra description on the HTML code, which supports the screen reader’s task of interpreting the web page’s functions.
For example, an aria attribute can tell the screen reader that the “Name” field in a contact form means that the visitor should fill in “First name and surname”, “First name only”, or “Surname only”. If the information is not clear enough for the screen reader, the task immediately becomes very difficult for the visitor.
To summarize: without aria attributes, you risk giving out insufficient information to the user.
Clear links and buttons
Buttons and links need to be large enough to be easily clicked, especially on mobiles. Buttons must also be clear about their function. Links need to signal to the user that they are clickable, and must not be hidden in the same style as surrounded body text.
A search function is also a great help for all visitors to have access to.
Clear form errors
Each input field in a form should have a clear label and aria attributes that explain what is expected to be filled in.
When something is filled in incorrectly, clear and specific error messages should be displayed (Example: “Please fill in a valid email address” is much more accessible than the error message “An error has occurred.”)
Fast and efficient loading time
Minimize loading times by optimizing images, using cache and reducing heavy code. Slow pages can be a barrier for many users.
Are ALL online shops affected by the EU Accessibility Directive?
In short: Yes, to varying degrees, all websites are affected by the rules of the Accessibility Directive. This is particularly important for larger companies operating e-commerce websites.
What must businesses affected do?
Businesses that are affected must ensure that:
- Websites and mobile apps comply with accessibility standards (e.g. WCAG 2.1).
- Information about products/services is accessible to persons with disabilities.
- Customers are able to navigate, shop and make payments without barriers.
- If you are unsure whether you are affected by the Directive or if you want to make sure that your online shop complies with the requirements of the Directive, ask us.
What happens if I don’t comply with the Accessibility Directive?
If your business is affected by the Directive, and you do not comply with its requirements, there may be both legal and financial consequences.
In particular, you may receive warnings from authorities about deficiencies in the accessibility of your website, indicating that actions need to be taken within a certain timeframe. The consequence of not taking these actions can then lead to penalties or fines (fees may vary depending on the country, but larger companies generally face higher fines).
It is also open to users to bring a civil action for discrimination if they feel they are excluded because of inaccessibility. Your visitors can therefore also report your company to the supervisory authority. Your company’s reputation and brand could be affected, especially if the issue is highlighted on social media.
Why accessibility matters
Even if the Directive does not apply to your company, it is a good idea to start working on the accessibility of your company’s website now. Not only to avoid potential legal requirements, but also because it leads to more and happier customers and contributes to a more inclusive society.
You can read more about the Accessibility Directive on the website of the Swedish Agency for Participation.
Contact us if you need Dalarna Digital’s help in achieving the requirements of the Accessibility Directive.
