What accessibility laws apply to websites?

In the EU, the European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) applies to private sector digital services from 28 June 2025, and the Web Accessibility Directive (2016/2102) applies to public sector websites. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 set the requirements. All reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard.

Does the European Accessibility Act apply to UK businesses?

The EAA does not apply in the UK directly. However, UK organisations that sell digital products or provide digital services to EU consumers must comply with the EAA for those products and services. The UK has its own requirements under the Equality Act 2010.

Is WCAG 2.1 AA a legal requirement?

Yes, in practice. Both the EU's European Accessibility Act and the UK's Public Sector Bodies Regulations reference WCAG 2.1 AA via the harmonised standard EN 301 549. Meeting WCAG 2.1 AA is the accepted way to demonstrate compliance.

What are the penalties for an inaccessible website?

Penalties vary by country. In the EU, each member state sets its own enforcement measures, which must be 'effective, proportionate, and dissuasive' (EAA Article 30). These can include corrective orders, fines, and product withdrawal. In the UK, the Equality and Human Rights Commission enforces the requirements. In both cases, accessibility failures can also lead to discrimination complaints and compensation claims.

Which organisations are exempt from accessibility requirements?

Under the EAA, micro-enterprises providing services (fewer than 10 employees and turnover under €2 million) are exempt. The exemption applies only to service providers, not product manufacturers. Under UK law, there is no blanket exemption — the duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to all service providers.

How can I check if my website meets accessibility requirements?

Request a free accessibility report from Askem (askem.com/get-started/). Enter your website URL and email, and you'll receive a WCAG analysis within 24 hours covering the most common issues like missing alt text, contrast failures, and missing form labels.

Website Accessibility Law — EU and UK Guide

What laws require website accessibility?

There is no single "accessibility law." Several overlapping laws cover website accessibility, depending on your sector and where your users are. The good news: the technical requirement is the same everywhere — WCAG 2.1 Level AA via the harmonised European standard EN 301 549.

Here is the full picture:

Law	Scope	Applies to	In force	Standard
European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882)	EU-wide	Private + public sector — e-commerce, banking, telecoms, transport, e-books	28 June 2025	EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA
Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102)	EU-wide	Public sector websites and mobile apps	2016 (phased)	EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA
UK Equality Act 2010	UK	All service providers (reasonable adjustments duty)	2010	WCAG 2.1 AA (via case law)
UK Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2018	UK	Public sector websites and mobile apps	2018	EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA

If you serve customers in both the EU and the UK, both sets of laws can apply to you simultaneously.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA)

The European Accessibility Act is the most significant recent change. It extends accessibility requirements to the private sector for the first time at EU level. The requirements became applicable on 28 June 2025.

Who the EAA covers

The EAA applies to businesses that provide certain digital products or services to consumers in the EU:

E-commerce — online shops and marketplaces
Financial services — online banking, payments, credit agreements
Telecommunications — calls, messaging, internet access
Transport services — online booking, mobile apps, real-time passenger information
E-books — distribution platforms and reading applications

Micro-enterprise exemption: Service providers with fewer than 10 employees and turnover under €2 million are exempt. Product manufacturers must comply regardless of size.

Important for UK businesses: If you sell to EU consumers, the EAA applies to you regardless of where your business is based. Brexit does not exempt you from EU law when serving EU customers.

For the full guide including products covered, technical requirements, and enforcement: European Accessibility Act — complete guide.

The Web Accessibility Directive (EU)

The Web Accessibility Directive (2016/2102) has been in force since 2016 and covers public sector websites and mobile applications across the EU. Every EU member state has transposed it into national law:

Country	National law	Enforcement authority
Finland	Digipalvelulaki (Act 306/2019)	Etelä-Suomen AVI
Sweden	DOS-lagen (Act 2018:1937)	DIGG
Germany	BITV 2.0 / BGG	Federal and state authorities
France	RGAA	ARCOM
Netherlands	Besluit digitale toegankelijkheid overheid	ACM

Public sector organisations must meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement describing their site's compliance status.

UK accessibility law

The UK has its own accessibility framework, separate from EU law since Brexit:

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act places a duty on all service providers to make "reasonable adjustments" for people with disabilities. This applies to websites — though the Act does not specify a technical standard, courts and regulators reference WCAG 2.1 AA as the benchmark for what constitutes a reasonable adjustment.

The duty is anticipatory — you must address barriers before a specific person complains, not after.

Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2018

Public sector bodies in the UK must ensure their websites and mobile apps meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Government Digital Service (GDS) oversee enforcement.

What the law requires in practice

Despite the different legislative frameworks, the practical requirement is the same everywhere: your website must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This means:

Perceivable — Alt text on images, captions on videos, sufficient colour contrast (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text)
Operable — Full keyboard accessibility, no keyboard traps, sufficient time limits, clear navigation
Understandable — Page language declared, consistent navigation, clear error messages
Robust — Valid HTML markup, content works with screen readers and other assistive technologies

Use our WCAG checklist to work through the requirements systematically, and the contrast checker to verify colour requirements.

Penalties and enforcement

EU enforcement

Each EU member state sets its own penalties under the EAA. Article 30 requires them to be "effective, proportionate, and dissuasive." Enforcement measures can include:

Corrective orders requiring issues to be fixed within a deadline
Fines — some member states have set penalties of €50,000–€100,000+ per infringement
Removal of products or services from the market

Market surveillance authorities in each country are responsible for enforcement. Consumer organisations and disability groups can bring legal action in many member states.

UK enforcement

The Equality and Human Rights Commission can investigate organisations and issue compliance notices. Individuals can also bring claims under the Equality Act through employment tribunals or county courts. Discrimination claims can result in compensation awards.

The risk most organisations miss

Penalties don't only come from regulators. In both the EU and the UK, accessibility failures can lead to discrimination complaints from users and compensation claims. Internationally, e-commerce has been one of the most common targets of accessibility lawsuits.

How Askem helps with compliance

Compliance with accessibility law requires three things: understanding your current state, fixing issues, and continuous monitoring. Askem is built for this.

Automated accessibility monitoring

Askem's quality assurance scans your website regularly and reports WCAG issues automatically. You get notified when new problems appear — for example, when someone publishes a page without alt text or with insufficient contrast.

This matters because accessibility is not a one-off project. Every content update, every new page, and every code change can introduce new issues. Without continuous monitoring, they go unnoticed until the next audit — or until an enforcement authority notices.

Organisations like the City of Hämeenlinna and HSY use Askem to stay compliant continuously.

User feedback directly from pages

Askem's feedback tool collects feedback directly from users on your pages. When a user with a disability encounters a barrier, they can report it immediately — so you don't have to wait for a regulator to tell you.

The Web Accessibility Directive requires public sector organisations to provide a feedback mechanism. The EAA requires economic operators to demonstrate conformity. User feedback is the most practical way to find the issues that automated tools miss.

Cookie-free analytics

Askem's web analytics shows which pages are most visited — without cookies and without GDPR complexity. Prioritise accessibility fixes based on actual usage data, not assumptions.

How to get started

1. Assess your current state

Request a free accessibility report from Askem — enter your website URL and email, and we'll send you a WCAG analysis within 24 hours. The report identifies the most critical issues and helps you understand the scope of work needed.

2. Conduct a thorough assessment

Automated checks cover roughly 30–40% of WCAG criteria — the most common and impactful issues. Supplement with manual testing: keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and content understandability. Read more about accessibility auditing.

3. Fix and prioritise

Start with templates and shared components. A single fix in your header or navigation can resolve hundreds of issues across your entire site. Use our WCAG checklist to track progress and the contrast checker to verify colours.

4. Set up continuous monitoring

This is what separates compliant organisations from the rest. An annual audit reveals problems once a year — continuous monitoring reveals them the same day. Askem monitors your site automatically and alerts you when something breaks. You stay compliant without constant manual effort.