As a digital agency or freelancer, clients rely on your expertise not just to build functional and visually appealing websites, but also to ensure compliance with necessary regulations that protect consumers and businesses alike. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is one such regulation that, much like GDPR before it, introduces legal obligations that many companies who do business in the EU must address. Agencies that understand how to talk to clients about the European Accessibility Act are positioning themselves as leaders and long-term thinkers who care about their customers’ success.
As with any discussion of legal topics, this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Always consult qualified legal professionals to fully understand how the EAA applies to your specific circumstances.
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European Accessibility Act (EAA) Basic Facts
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a landmark regulation designed to improve accessibility across the EU’s digital and physical markets. The directive was approved in 2019 and will officially take effect on June 28, 2025. This means businesses now have an extraordinarily limited window to ensure their digital offerings meet the required accessibility standards before enforcement begins.
Who the European Accessibility Act Applies To
The directive applies to businesses that provide digital services or products to EU consumers, including but not limited to e-commerce platforms, banking services, transportation booking systems, and websites for public and private entities. If a company that offers digital services to EU consumers has 10+ employees or more than €2 million in annual revenue (sometimes called turnover in the EU), they are explicitly required to meet the accessibility standards as defined in the law, or face a range of legal penalties.
Smaller companies are also strongly encouraged to meet the digital accessibility requirements outlined in the EAA. However, at the time of writing this article, these smaller organizations would not face any penalties for failure to meet requirements (so long as they fall below the thresholds defined in the law).
European Accessibility Act Requirements
The EAA introduces several key requirements that directly impact how websites and digital services are designed and maintained.
The law mandates compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, ensuring that websites and applications are usable by individuals with disabilities. Digital interfaces must:
- support assistive technologies,
- provide alternative text for images,
- maintain proper color contrast,
- offer keyboard navigability,
- and other more granular requirements as outlined in WCAG standards.
Additionally, e-commerce platforms and online services must implement accessible payment systems and customer support channels. Failure to comply could result in fines and more serious legal consequences. Enforcing the regulation and imposing legal consequences is the responsibility of each individual EU member state.
For skimmers, here is a TL;DR on the law
Who’s affected?
Any business offering digital services in the EU, including e-commerce, banking, and transportation platforms, particularly those businesses with 10+ employees or more than €2 million in annual revenue.
Deadline?
June 28, 2025 🚨
How long has this been in motion?
The law was approved in 2019, with a multi-year rollout.
Key requirement for agencies to know?
Websites and apps must follow WCAG 2.1 AA, support assistive technologies, ensure accessible payment systems, and provide inclusive customer support.
Why it matters?
Non-compliance could lead to fines, legal risks, and lost business opportunities. Meeting accessibility standards has been shown to improve search performance, increase user engagement and conversions, and grow revenue.
How To Talk to Clients About the European Accessibility Act
When discussing the EAA with clients, it’s essential to stay grounded in the facts, acknowledge risks openly, be transparent about who’s responsible for what, and provide a clear plan of action for how they can get help.
Don’t Deviate from the Facts
When discussing legal compliance issues like the EAA, it is essential to stick to verifiable facts and official guidelines. Misinterpreting the law—whether by exaggerating its impact or downplaying certain requirements—can mislead clients and result in costly mistakes. Unlike general business advice, compliance discussions carry legal consequences, and inaccuracies can expose agencies or their clients to financial penalties, lawsuits, or severe reputational damage.
The goal isn’t to sound like you know everything. When faced with an in-depth question about any legal topic, it is perfectly fine to say “I don’t know” or “You should talk to your attorney about that.” By relying on official documentation, clearly citing reputable sources, and avoiding speculation, agencies can maintain trust and credibility while ensuring clients fully understand their responsibilities.
Acknowledge Risks
Acknowledging the risks associated with any law or regulation when speaking with clients is a fundamental part of responsible business communication. Laws carry real-world consequences. If agencies fail to address these risks upfront, clients may operate under false assumptions, thinking accessibility is optional or that non-compliance will have minimal impact. By clearly outlining potential risks, agencies are protecting their clients and themselves in the event of a future legal dispute. And talking about these risks doesn’t have to be an awkward conversation. By framing risk management as a proactive step rather than a scare tactic, agencies can encourage clients to take accessibility seriously while reinforcing the value of compliance as a long-term investment.
Define Your Part & Theirs
Clear roles and responsibilities are essential in any legal compliance effort because they prevent confusion and ensure accountability throughout the process. When the expectations for how you and your client will work towards compliance together are vague or poorly defined, each party is likely to assume the other (and not them) is responsible for all (or part) the compliance effort, which results in gaps. And gaps can lead to legal consequences for everyone involved.
Ensuring that each role on your team has total clarity on what parts of the compliance efforts they “own” and providing clients with a list of exceptions (i.e. things you will not be doing related to the compliance effort) makes sure that everyone is on the same page. A structured approach, backed by clear documentation and regular check-ins, ensures that legal obligations are met proactively and avoids costly misunderstandings.
Give Them a Next Step
Providing clients with a clear next step in the EAA compliance process is critical to ensuring they take action, rather than feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain. If you ambush a client or lead with a list of requirements and no clear action to take, that will likely result in a delay, or complete failure to take any action.
Break down the process into manageable stages, outlining specific tasks like conducting an accessibility audit, identifying gaps, assigning responsibility, and setting deadlines for remediation. It may even be a good idea, depending on the type of customer you have, to not tell them what all the steps are up front. Only share what the first step is in the process, and make it something simple.
Getting Client Buy-in for EAA Compliance
Getting clients on board with EAA compliance requires a strategic approach that balances urgency with opportunity. While it’s important to acknowledge legal risks, framing accessibility solely as an obligation can make the conversation feel transactional. Instead, agencies should blend the realities of compliance with the tangible business benefits they are likely to experience through adopting accessibility best practices. By making compliance feel like a smart investment rather than just a legal checkbox, agencies can ensure clients see accessibility as an advantage rather than a burden.
Find Balance Between “Stick” and “Carrot” in Compliance Discussions
Finding the right balance between the stick—the risks of non-compliance—and the carrot—the business advantages of accessibility—is key to securing client buy-in for EAA compliance. If agencies focus solely on legal penalties, fines, and reputational risks, clients may feel pressured, frustrated, or overwhelmed, making them resistant to action. On the other hand, if agencies ignore compliance risks and only highlight accessibility’s benefits, clients may fail to recognize the urgent need to take action before the June deadline. The most effective approach integrates both: demonstrating how EAA compliance protects businesses from legal trouble while also improving conversions, user experience, and growing revenue/impact.
Gather and Share Personalized Examples
Abstract discussions about regulations can feel distant and impersonal, making it harder for clients to connect with the urgency or relevance of accessibility. Personalized data, real-world examples, and case studies are essential in helping clients see how EAA compliance directly impacts their business.
Presenting them with industry-specific case studies, competitor benchmarks, or even internal accessibility audits allows them to visualize exactly where they stand and how they can improve. Even demonstrating what a screen reader sounds like with keyboard navigation has been shown to build buy-in and empathy. These things all make EAA compliance something tangible rather than theoretical. When clients see direct parallels between their business and success stories where accessibility was a key factor, they’re far more likely to invest in compliance efforts quickly.
Free EAA Email Drip Campaign Template for Agencies
Navigating the intricacies of the EAA can be overwhelming, but ensuring your clients have been informed of the regulation and understand their basic obligations doesn’t have to be.
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