European Accessibility Act
European Accessibility Act readiness
Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act has applied to many online stores that sell to consumers in the EU. Here is what it covers, who is exempt, and how we help you test, document and fix your store.
What it covers
The European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU) 2019/882, sets accessibility requirements for some products and services. One of those services is e-commerce: services provided at a distance, through a website or an app, at the consumer's request, with a view to a consumer contract (Article 3(30)). It applies to services provided to consumers after 28 June 2025 (Article 2(2) and Article 31(2)).
Each EU country applies the Act through its own law, such as the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) in Germany, and its own authorities check it. Fines and procedures differ from country to country.
Who is exempt
Microenterprises that provide services are exempt from the accessibility requirements (Article 4(5)). The Act defines a microenterprise as a business that:
- employs fewer than 10 people, and
- has an annual turnover or an annual balance sheet total of €2 million or less.
Both conditions apply (Article 3(23)). A store with 12 staff is not a microenterprise, even with a small turnover.
Stores outside the EU
The Act is about services provided to consumers in the EU, not about where the business is based. A store in the United States, the United Kingdom or elsewhere that sells to consumers in the EU can be covered too, unless it is a microenterprise. Ask a lawyer whether the Act applies to your business.
What it asks for
The requirements are in Annex I of the Directive. A website has to be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. For e-commerce, Annex I adds two points:
- share the accessibility information about the products and services you sell, when the responsible business (for example the manufacturer) provides it;
- make identification, security and payment accessible.
For websites, the usual technical reference is the European standard EN 301 549. Its web clauses follow WCAG: version 3.2.1 uses WCAG 2.1 level AA, and version 4.1.1, published in September 2026, uses WCAG 2.2 level AA.
We test against WCAG 2.2 level AA, which in practice also covers WCAG 2.1 AA. Our method page explains what we test and how.
Annex V information
Service providers also have to publish information on how their service meets the accessibility requirements (Article 13(2) and Annex V). It belongs in the general terms and conditions or an equivalent document. It has to be made public in written and oral form, in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities, and kept available for as long as the service runs. Where it applies, it includes:
- a general description of the service in accessible formats;
- the descriptions and explanations needed to understand how the service works;
- a description of how the service meets the accessibility requirements.
Many stores publish this as an accessibility statement and keep it up to date as the store changes.
How Sentinela helps
- Scan: a free scan of three pages shows the most common issues on your store. Monitoring then scans your key pages regularly and keeps a dated record of what changed.
- Human audit: in an audit, a person reviews every finding, tests with a keyboard and screen readers, and gives every WCAG 2.2 A and AA criterion a verdict.
- Fixes: we fix the issues listed in your quote in your own theme on Shopify, WooCommerce, Shopware and PrestaShop, not with an overlay.
- Draft accessibility statement: a draft written from the audit, with the current status, known limitations and a contact route, as a starting point for your Annex V information. You complete it and decide what to publish.
Automated testing finds many common issues; some criteria need human review. This page summarizes the Directive and is not legal advice. We can't tell you whether the Act applies to your business: ask a lawyer.
Reviewed on 23 October 2026.