Digital Accessibility: What will change with the new European law?

Nowadays, accessibility is no longer a choice; it has become a legal obligation and an essential strategic element. With the entry into force of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) on 23 September 2025, companies providing digital services to the public in the European Union, such as websites, online shops, and mobile applications, will have to meet new requirements.

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The EAA is a European Union directive aimed at making the digital world more accessible to everyone, including people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments. Its main goal is to ensure that anyone can use essential online products and services without barriers. This legislation applies both to the public sector and to private companies operating online within the European area.

Although it covers various types of services, such as payment terminals, banking apps, and media platforms, here we focus on the core elements of most digital businesses: websites and mobile applications.

What changes in practice?

All websites and mobile applications will have to comply with the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, a set of guidelines defined by the W3C that serve as the international benchmark for ensuring digital content accessibility. These standards are based on four key principles:

• Perceivable: content must be accessible through different senses, e.g., alternative text for images, captions for videos, and adequate colour contrast.
• Operable: navigation must be functional via keyboard and assistive technologies, including accessible menus and adequate response times.
• Understandable: language must be clear, with a predictable structure and helpful error messages.
• Robust: content must be compatible with different browsers, devices, and screen readers.

Among the most common requirements are the use of alternative text for images with visual descriptions for screen readers; the inclusion of captions and transcripts for video or audio content, essential for users with hearing difficulties; ensuring keyboard-accessible navigation for those who do not use a mouse; using well-structured, semantically correct code to facilitate assistive technology reading; and maintaining sufficient contrast between text and background to improve readability.

Why does accessibility matter?

Beyond being a legal obligation, investing in digital accessibility brings clear benefits:

• Reaching a wider audience: your website or app becomes accessible to many more people, including countless citizens with disabilities.
• Improved user experience (UX): an accessible site is more intuitive and easier for everyone to use.
• Better SEO performance: many good accessibility practices also contribute to stronger search engine optimisation.
• Enhanced reputation and brand value: organisations that demonstrate a commitment to inclusion gain public trust and are more highly regarded socially.

At Multisnet, accessibility has always been a priority. We develop websites focused on user experience (UX) and search engine optimisation (SEO), integrating digital accessibility principles from the very start. Our aim is to create functional solutions for all people, regardless of their abilities or how they navigate online.

How to ensure compliance?

Adapting to the new requirements takes time, analysis, and a well-structured plan. The process involves several key steps:

• A thorough assessment of your website or app’s current accessibility level, based on WCAG 2.1 guidelines and applicable legal requirements.
• Setting priorities by identifying the most critical issues to fix.
• Implementing the necessary improvements, which may include adjustments to design, content, and technical structure.
• Establishing a continuous monitoring strategy to ensure accessibility is maintained after each update.

Having expert support can make this entire process simpler, more efficient, and aligned with international best practices.

Digital accessibility is now entering a new phase, not only as a legal requirement but as a fundamental step towards building a more inclusive, fair, and sustainable digital environment. This is the ideal time to rethink how online products and services welcome all users, regardless of their abilities. By investing in accessibility, you are also improving user experience, expanding your audience, and positioning your brand as innovative and socially conscious. The digital future starts now, and it’s accessible to everyone.