With the June 28, 2025 deadline of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) approaching, Italian companies need to align with new digital accessibility requirements.

This guide provides a clear overview of the EAA, who it applies to, and the steps required to achieve compliance.

Digital accessibility and the European Accessibility Act (EAA)

Today, web content is often affected by digital barriers that can limit access for users with disabilities. The goal of digital accessibility is to remove these barriers, promoting equal access and greater autonomy for all users.

To support social inclusion and facilitate trade, the European Union introduced the European Accessibility Act, which sets common accessibility requirements for a range of products and services, including websites, mobile applications, e-commerce platforms, banking services, e-books and electronic devices.

Digital accessibility is defined as:

“…the ability of information systems to deliver services and provide information that can be accessed and used without discrimination, including by individuals who, due to disabilities, require assistive technologies or specific configurations.”

Agency for Digital Italy (AgID)

Which organizations need to comply?

All companies offering products and services covered by the EAA within the EU market must comply with accessibility requirements.

The sectors involved include:

  • e-commerce
  • banking services
  • telecommunications
  • transport
  • audiovisual media
  • electronic devices

Micro enterprises are exempt from the directive. These are defined as companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover below €2 million. However, even for these organizations, accessibility remains a valuable consideration—not only from an ethical perspective, but also as a way to improve user experience and reach a broader audience.

 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and our checklist

Complying with the European Accessibility Act is not just about meeting regulatory requirements. It involves a broader digital transformation aimed at ensuring inclusive and accessible online experiences.

For organizations affected by the regulation, the first step is to understand what makes a website accessible and which criteria must be met to remove barriers for users with visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disabilities.

To support this, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has defined the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)—the international standard for web accessibility.

The current version, and the reference for European regulations including the EAA, is WCAG 2.1.

 

Why follow WCAG and make your website accessible?

The goal of WCAG is not limited to enabling access for users with disabilities. It is about creating a clearer, more consistent and more usable experience for all users. This includes improving:

  • readability of text and multimedia content
  • navigation via keyboard or voice commands
  • clarity and understanding of information
  • compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice recognition software and braille devices

Making a website accessible also brings concrete business benefits:

    • Market reach: access to a wider audience, including users with disabilities
    • SEO improvement: accessible websites are better indexed by search engines
    • Legal compliance: reduced risk of penalties and legal action
    • Social responsibility: demonstrating a commitment to inclusion and equality
    • Usability: a more accessible website is easier to use for everyone

 

WCAG compliance levels

WCAG defines three levels of compliance—A, AA and AAA—which indicate the degree of accessibility achieved:

Level A

This level includes the basic requirements that remove the most critical barriers, ensuring fundamental access to content.

Level AA

This is the standard level for public and commercial websites and ensures accessibility for a broader range of users.

Level AAA

This level provides the highest degree of accessibility, although it is not required and may not be achievable for all types of content.

Example A: All website elements must be accessible via keyboard, unless this is not possible using any known method.

Example AA: Cognitive function tests must not be required for authentication, unless they are avoidable, supported by assistance, or based on object recognition or user-provided content.

Example AAA: Multimedia content that includes audio must also provide a sign language video.

The level required by European legislation is WCAG 2.1, Level AA, considered the right balance between broad accessibility coverage and technical feasibility.

But which requirements must be met when the European Accessibility Act comes into force?

 

The 4 WCAG principles and our practical checklist

WCAG is based on four core principles that every website must follow in order to be accessible: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.

Each principle is associated with a set of criteria and practical recommendations to help improve your website's accessibility.

Download our checklist (ITA version)☑️