Its purpose is both noble and practical: to remove barriers that prevent people with disabilities (over 87 million in the EU) from fully using digital technologies and services, while supporting a smoother single market for businesses.<\/p>\n
What does \u201caccessibility\u201d mean here? It\u2019s about designing products and services\u2014including e-commerce sites and service websites\u2014so everyone can use and understand them, regardless of their physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities. Think: keyboard navigation, alt text for images, or zoomable text without breaking your site.<\/p>\n
The key word here is harmonisation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Before the EAA, accessibility rules varied from country to country, making things confusing for businesses and frustrating for users. The EAA fixes this with unified functional requirements.<\/p>\n Importantly, the directive focuses on the outcome<\/em> (your product or service must be accessible), without imposing strict technical methods on how<\/em> you achieve compliance. This gives flexibility to use the solutions that work best for you\u2014often in line with internationally recognized standards like the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).<\/p>\n So, no panic needed. The EAA isn\u2019t designed to make your life difficult. It\u2019s a logical move towards a fairer, more inclusive digital world\u2014aligned with ethical and good design practices.<\/p>\n You\u2019re not expected to overhaul your site overnight, but to gradually adopt practices that benefit all users, not just those with disabilities. Here\u2019s some reassurance for small operators: the EAA features specific exemptions. Article 35 of Directive (EU) 2019\/882 states that accessibility rules don\u2019t apply to microbusinesses providing services<\/strong>.<\/p>\n So what counts as a \u201cmicrobusiness\u201d? The EU definition, from Recommendation 2003\/361\/EC<\/a>, is clear:<\/p>\n If you meet both, the services offered through your site (like online sales or info) are exempt from direct accessibility rules.<\/p>\n This means freelancers, pros, artisans, and most small businesses can rest easy: you won\u2019t be immediately hit by EAA compliance requirements.<\/p>\n Note:<\/strong> The exemption covers services<\/em>. If your business sells products<\/em> covered by the EAA (such as tech devices), those products must still meet accessibility requirements.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re exempt, making your website accessible is a smart move. An accessible site reaches more users (including older people, those with temporary impairments, or anyone in challenging browsing conditions), improves SEO, and generally makes your site better for everyone.<\/p>\n More info:<\/em><\/p>\n If \u201caccessibility requirements\u201d sound like major technical headaches, take heart: in most cases, the basics align with good web design<\/strong> you\u2019re probably implementing anyway.<\/p>\n A well-designed site is easy to navigate, uses clear and logical structure, looks good on any device, and offers a smooth experience. These are the same goals as accessibility.<\/p>\n Here are some simple examples:<\/p>\n Modern platforms like WordPress<\/strong> and page builders such as Elementor<\/strong> include tools for accessible, standards-based sites. Plugins like WP Accessibility, and guides from Elementor, make it easier to deliver accessible content without being an expert. For example, Elementor highlights semantic HTML, ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, and focus indicators (What You Need To Know<\/a>; How Do I Test For Web Accessibility?<\/a>).<\/p>\n So review your site with \u201cgood design\u201d in mind: you may already be closer to compliance than you think.<\/p>\n Worried about checking every detail manually? You don\u2019t have to\u2014there are plenty of tools to help you find and fix accessibility issues quickly.<\/p>\n Elementor<\/strong> has built-in accessibility features (semantic widgets, ARIA support, keyboard navigation checks, focus indicators). Ally Web Accessibility<\/a><\/strong>, a free plugin, adds a usability widget (text resizing, contrast, grayscale mode, reading mask) and can auto-generate a customizable Accessibility Statement.<\/p>\n If you use WordPress<\/strong>, try WP Accessibility<\/a><\/strong>, which addresses common setup issues:<\/p>\n Browser extensions, like Accessibility Insight<\/a> for Chrome, WAVE<\/strong>, axe DevTools<\/strong>, or Chrome\u2019s Lighthouse<\/strong> let you scan and flag issues from color contrast to missing ARIA tags.<\/p>\n Regularly using these tools gives you a clear view of your site\u2019s accessibility and helps you focus improvements.<\/p>\n The message? No panic\u2014just practical awareness and action. June 28, 2025 is just around the corner, bringing the start of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). If you run a website, you may have come across alarming headlines about new requirements and possible fines. Take a breath\u2014this article aims to clarify what the EAA really means, explain it in simple terms, and put your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15523,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-compliance-updates"],"acf":{"visibilita_box_autore":true,"autore_associato":10431,"elenco_faq_articolo":[{"domanda":"What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and when does it come into force?","risposta":"The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is Directive (EU) 2019\/882, which introduces common accessibility requirements for digital products and services in the European Union. It comes into force on 28 June 2025. Its goal is to eliminate digital barriers for people with disabilities (over 87 million in the EU) and to harmonise rules across different Member States."},{"domanda":"Are micro-enterprises required to comply with the EAA?","risposta":"No. Article 35 of the directive provides an explicit exemption for micro-enterprises that provide services. To qualify as a micro-enterprise, a business must have fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding 2 million euros. If both criteria are met, online services are exempt from EAA obligations. Please note: the exemption does not apply to physical products subject to the EAA, such as computers or smartphones."},{"domanda":"What does web accessibility actually mean in practice?","risposta":"Web accessibility means designing a website so that it can be used by everyone, regardless of physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities. In practice, this translates into: heading structure (H1, H2\u2026), alternative text for images (alt text), adequate colour contrast, clear and consistent navigation, responsive design, and the ability to navigate using a keyboard or assistive technologies."},{"domanda":"What tools can I use to make my WordPress site more accessible?","risposta":"There are several useful tools available: Elementor has built-in accessibility features (semantic widgets, ARIA support, keyboard focus); the free plugin Ally Web Accessibility adds a widget to adjust text, contrast, and greyscale; the WP Accessibility plugin adds Skip Links, improves focus, fixes common issues, and flags images missing alt text. To assess the level of accessibility, tools such as WAVE, axe DevTools, Google Lighthouse, and Accessibility Insights for Chrome can be used."},{"domanda":"Does web accessibility also improve SEO?","risposta":"Yes. According to the article, many accessibility practices overlap with good SEO practices. For example, a proper heading structure (H1, H2\u2026) and the use of alternative text for images (alt text) are beneficial both for screen readers used by people with disabilities and for search engine optimisation."},{"domanda":"Do I need to update my site to comply with the EAA right away, or is there time?","risposta":"The article emphasises that the process is gradual and does not require an immediate overhaul of the site. The recommendation is to first check whether you are actually obligated to comply (taking into account the micro-enterprise exemption), assess the current level of accessibility of your site, and make improvements step by step using available plugins and tools, without needing to become an expert developer."},{"domanda":"Even if I am exempt from the EAA, is it worth making my site accessible?","risposta":"Yes. The article highlights that an accessible website reaches a wider audience, including elderly people and those with temporary limitations, and improves both SEO and the overall user experience. Accessibility is described as good design rather than a technical obligation, and those who manage a website may already meet many of the requirements without realising it."}],"url_esterno":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10433"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15273,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10433\/revisions\/15273"}],"acf:post":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/autore-articolo\/10431"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myagileprivacy.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/p>\nGood News: Microbusiness Exemption<\/h2>\n
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Web Accessibility: Mostly Good Design (You\u2019re Likely Already On Track)<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nNo-Stress Tools to Check and Improve Accessibility<\/h2>\n
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\nKey Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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\nCheck your status, see accessibility as a way to broaden your reach, boost your brand, and make your site better for everyone.
\nThe EAA is a step toward a more inclusive digital future, and you can handle it using tools and best practices already available.<\/p>\nReferences & Further Reading<\/h2>\n
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