The European Accessibility Act improves accessibility in the European market
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) aims to improve accessibility across the EU by removing barriers created by differing national rules. It requires companies to make key products and services accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
In force since 28 June, the European Accessibility Act directive represents a major step forward for accessibility in the EU. It instructs companies to make their products and services—such as websites, apps, e-commerce platforms, and ticketing systems—accessible to all users, including people with disabilities.
This directive represents a major step forward for accessibility in the EU. While primarily designed to support people with disabilities, accessible design benefits all users. In fact, harmonising requirements across Member States helps businesses reduce compliance costs, simplifies cross-border trade, and opens new market opportunities for accessible products and services.
People with disabilities and elderly people will benefit from a wider range of accessible and competitively priced products and services. They will also face fewer barriers in areas such as transport, education, and employment, particularly in sectors where accessibility expertise is in demand.
More accessible products and services for all, even in transport
The EEA aims to ensure equal access to a range of products and services. The directive applies to both public and private sectors, affecting industries like technology, e-commerce, banking, transport, and broadcasting.
The European Commission has consulted stakeholders and experts on accessibility. It has consequently identified the products and services that are most important for persons with disabilities and where inconsistent national rules have created barriers.
For what pertains to transport, the directive does not cover the physical infrastructure of transport systems, such as vehicles, stations, and platforms. It does, however, apply to certain digital services related to transport, such as websites and mobile apps of transport service providers, electronic ticketing and check-in machines, real-time travel information services, and self-service terminals (e.g. ticket vending machines, information kiosks): these must meet the accessibility requirements outlined in the directive, making them usable for persons with disabilities, including persons with visual, hearing, physical, or cognitive impairments.
This means that the EEA provides a vital legal basis for ensuring truly inclusive and accessible mobility, as it can be used to tackle certain invisible barriers of transport, such as digital exclusion in transport services.
Towards an inclusive single market
Accessibility is needed for people with disabilities, but it is beneficial to all. For businesses, this is a chance to meet a clear demand, fostering innovation and boosting competitiveness. However, to truly deliver on its promise, accessibility must be built into the design process, with input from users and accessibility experts.
As a directive, the EAA sets binding goals but allows each Member State to decide how to achieve them through national legislation. Governments are encouraged to go further by extending accessibility requirements to more products and services, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring that organisations representing disabled people are involved in both implementation and monitoring.
