{"id":12195,"date":"2025-06-20T18:44:22","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T18:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=12195"},"modified":"2025-10-24T12:56:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T11:56:40","slug":"european-accessibility-act-ux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/european-accessibility-act-ux\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the European Accessibility Act and what does it mean for UX design?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve heard of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the June 28, 2025, compliance deadline, you may be wondering: What does it mean for me as a designer and for the UX industry as a whole?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re preparing for compliance or simply want to make sure you\u2019re keeping up with best practices and consumer expectations, it\u2019s time to make accessible design a priority.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about the European Accessibility Act. We\u2019ll also share practical steps to help you prioritise accessibility within your own design practice and ultimately create better products and experiences for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h2><strong>What is the European Accessibility Act?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a law created by the European Union to ensure that crucial products and services are easier for people with disabilities to use.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It means that things like websites, smartphones, ATMs, ticket machines, e-books, and public transport apps must be designed in a way that\u2019s accessible to everyone, including people with vision, hearing, or mobility issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main goal of the Act is to create more inclusive products and services across Europe, with all EU member states being held to the same guidelines and standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the European Accessibility Act has actually been around since 2019, so why the sudden interest now?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the Act has been in effect for years, 2025 marks an important compliance deadline. As of 28th June 2025, any new products or services launched within the European Union must fully comply with the EAA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Products and services that already exist have another five years \u2014 until 28th June 2030 \u2014 to meet accessibility standards. Beyond that, failure to comply may result in severe penalties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, who exactly needs to take note of the EAA and prepare for compliance? Let\u2019s take a look.<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-designing-for-accessibilityp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/designing-for-accessibility?utm_campaign=blog_promo&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_text&utm_content=inline\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN ACCESSIBLE DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in Designing for Accessibility<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2><strong>Who needs to comply with the EAA?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The European Accessibility Act applies to a whole host of product and service types, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Computers and operating systems\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ATMs, ticketing, and check-in machines<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartphones<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TV equipment related to digital television services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telephony services and related equipment\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access to audiovisual media services such as TV broadcast and related consumer equipment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Services related to air, bus, rail, and waterborne passenger transport<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Banking services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E-books<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E-commerce<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if you\u2019re a business or designer operating within one of those categories, and you\u2019re based in the EU and\/or have customers in the EU, you need to be compliant with the Act.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, micro-enterprises, which are defined as businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total below \u20ac2 million, may be exempt from certain requirements depending on national implementation.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But even if you\u2019re not required to comply from a legal standpoint, if you\u2019re designing user-facing products and experiences, you should be striving to meet accessibility standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why? Because accessible design is ultimately good design. It\u2019s inclusive, it\u2019s user-friendly, and it ensures your products can be enjoyed by everybody.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also a case of meeting your users\u2019 expectations and staying competitive. If you\u2019re not prioritising accessibility, you risk losing valuable customers who can easily take their business elsewhere.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, whether or not you\u2019re legally impacted by the EAA, we strongly recommend using it as a guideline to improve your products and services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that, let\u2019s take a closer look at the exact requirements set out by the Act.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>The main accessibility requirements set out by the EAA<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ultimate goal of the EAA is to remove accessibility barriers from everyday products and services (both physical and digital), ensuring that everyone can use them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specifically, the EAA stipulates that products and services must be:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Perceivable: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Users must be able to perceive content and interfaces, regardless of their sensory abilities. So, for example, a user with low vision must have a suitable option for perceiving information, say, in audio format or using an assistive device.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Operable: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Users must have multiple options for how they can interact with and navigate an interface, such as keyboard input, voice commands, and assistive technology.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Understandable: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any information and interfaces that the user encounters must be clear, predictable, and comprehensible.\u00a0<\/span><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Robust: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Products and services must work with a wide range of assistive technologies, and they must be robust enough that they can evolve to accommodate future assistive technologies as they develop<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To meet these requirements, products must comply with both the harmonised European standard for IT accessibility, known as EN 301 549, and with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>What are EN 301 549 and WCAG?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EN 301 549 is a technical framework used across the EU to measure whether digital products and services are accessible. As a UX designer, you don\u2019t need to be familiar with every line of it, but you do need to understand its role in accessible and inclusive design.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, EN 301 549 brings various accessibility standards together, including (most importantly for designers) the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. These guidelines focus on the four key principles of accessibility (which we outlined previously), making sure that digital content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To comply with the European Accessibility Act, you\u2019ll need to meet WCAG 2.1 guidelines at the AA level. This includes things like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making sure there\u2019s sufficient contrast between text and background<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensuring all interactive elements can be accessed using a keyboard<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providing clear focus states (i.e. visual indicators that show which element on the page is currently selected) and consistent navigation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing clear, concise instructions and avoiding jargon (these <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/content-design-principles\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fundamental content design principles<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will help you)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making sure screen readers can interpret the content correctly<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, in short: while EN 301 549 is the umbrella standard used to measure compliance with the European Accessibility Act, you\u2019ll mostly use WCAG 2.1 to guide your design decisions. You can <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">learn more about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-are-the-wcag-guidelines\/\">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and their importance here<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that, let\u2019s take a closer look at what the EAA means for UX design in practical terms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What does the European Accessibility Act mean for UX design?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the European Accessibility Act (EAA), accessibility can no longer be considered an add-on or a \u2018nice-to-have\u2019. It\u2019s now a legal imperative for many products and services, which means that it must become an integral part of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-iterative-design-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">design process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what does this mean in practice?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First and foremost, it calls for a shift in mindset. Accessibility can\u2019t just be something you patch on at the end; it has to be considered at every stage of your workflow \u2014 from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/user-research-in-ux-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">user research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ideation, and wireframing, right through to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/prototyping-guide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prototyping<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and testing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That might mean asking more inclusive questions when <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/user-interviews-for-ux-research\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">conducting user interviews<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, testing early design ideas with people who use assistive technology, and using accessibility checklists and colour contrast tools as a standard part of your toolkit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of tools, you\u2019ll also need to ensure that you\u2019ve got the right programs and processes in place to support accessible design. Any <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-a-design-system\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">design systems<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you use should include accessible components by default, such as buttons with proper contrast and focus states, forms with clear labels, and keyboard-friendly navigation systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re using Figma (or similar tools), you can start to build accessibility details directly into your design files. For example, you might add notes to individual components explaining how they should work with screen readers, or what alt text should be used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designing for accessibility also calls for even tighter collaboration among designers and developers. Both teams must ensure that accessibility features are implemented as intended, and accessibility testing must become a regular part of QA testing (not just a one-off audit before launch).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, accessibility should factor into and influence every design decision. Designers will need to be asking the right questions at every step \u2014 like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is this text large and clear enough to read? <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can this form be completed using only a keyboard? How does this interface feel and function for someone using a screen reader?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re already prioritising accessibility within your design practice, the EAA won\u2019t feel like a massive change. But if you\u2019re now only just starting to think about accessible design, it\u2019ll take time to adjust your mindset and your practical approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the long-term implications of the Act are overwhelmingly positive. Ultimately, we all want good design to prevail \u2014 and when you design for accessibility, you\u2019re creating more inclusive, equitable, and enjoyable digital experiences for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-designing-for-accessibilityp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/designing-for-accessibility?utm_campaign=blog_promo&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_text&utm_content=inline\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN ACCESSIBLE DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in Designing for Accessibility<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2><strong>Challenges and opportunities for UX teams<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key to accessible design is making it a core part of your UX process \u2014 but that\u2019s often easier said than done. In practice, things like limited knowledge, time constraints, and unclear ownership can all get in the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All too often, accessibility is seen as a checkbox or an afterthought, especially if you\u2019re grappling with tight deadlines, smaller budgets, and client or stakeholder expectations that don\u2019t align with accessibility requirements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And even if you\u2019ve got the time and resources available \u2014 and the best of intentions \u2014 accessibility can fall by the wayside if designers don\u2019t feel they have the necessary knowledge and skills, or if there\u2019s no one clearly advocating and taking responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the European Accessibility Act is set to change that. Whether or not you\u2019re legally obliged to comply, this is a great opportunity to design better, more inclusive products that can reach more people and set you apart from competitors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>So, how can we reframe those all-too-common obstacles to accessible design and turn them into opportunities instead?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First and foremost, treat accessibility as a team effort, not something that\u2019s left to individual designers or developers. Ideally, everyone who touches the product will be thinking about accessibility. But to get to that point, you\u2019ll probably need someone (or a few people) to lead the charge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/how-to-lead-a-design-team\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">leading a design team<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, take it upon yourself to advocate for accessible design, or designate one or two trusted team members. Then, work together to create resources and guidelines that everybody can refer to \u2014 like an accessible UI checklist, for example, or a guide to inclusive language.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, encourage team-wide learning, knowledge sharing, and skill development. You might organise workshops, create a Slack channel to share helpful resources, or sign up for formal training.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And perhaps most importantly, shift the way that accessibility is framed. It\u2019s not just a box to tick; it\u2019s an integral part of the (good) design process, and it should be positioned as such.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that you don\u2019t need to be leading a UX team to become a more accessible and inclusive designer. Whether you\u2019re working solo, heading up a huge department, or reporting in as a junior designer, anybody can (and should) learn more about accessible design and find ways to prioritise it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to prepare for the EAA (and remain compliant)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a UX designer working in the EU or designing products that are used by people in the EU, you need to make sure you\u2019re compliant with the EAA. And even if the Act doesn\u2019t apply to you legally, this is a great opportunity to design better, more accessible experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some first steps you can take to start aligning your work with the EAA \u2014 and get set up for long-term compliance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Get familiar with WCAG 2.1<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we mentioned earlier, the European Accessibility Act uses EN 301 549 as its benchmark, which draws heavily from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These guidelines set the standard for accessible digital content, so it\u2019s essential that you understand them (especially the Level AA requirements, as that\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to fulfil). You\u2019ll find all official documentation on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/WCAG21\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">W3C website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Conduct an accessibility audit<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audit your existing product(s) to see how they currently fare in terms of accessibility \u2014 and to highlight any major issues that need addressing as a priority.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use automated tools for a first check (like this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audioeye.com\/lp\/wcag-web-compliance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WCAG compliance checker by AudioEye<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), but it\u2019s also worth conducting more in-depth manual checks and, eventually, getting real user feedback.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This should give you an idea of where to focus your efforts in the lead-up to the compliance deadline. Then, you\u2019ll need a more long-term strategy to continuously audit your products and remain compliant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read also: How to optimise your website for accessibility (7 practical tips).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Integrate accessibility tools into your workflow<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, think about upgrading your design toolkit to prioritise and improve accessibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider plugins like Stark, Able, and Contrast \u2014 these can be integrated directly with Figma or Sketch to highlight problems such as low colour contrast, missing alt text, or inaccessible font choices. Some even let you simulate different types of visual impairments, helping you understand how your designs might be experienced by a wider range of users.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do your research and experiment with different options to see which tools work best with your existing stack.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Start creating shared knowledge and resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If accessibility is going to become part of your team\u2019s culture, it needs to be part of your shared resources. And the sooner you start creating these shared resources, the sooner you\u2019ll have everyone on board.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with your design system, ensuring that accessible design patterns, components, and UI elements are readily available. Create reusable templates for things like buttons, forms, and navigation that meet accessibility guidelines \u2014 and document best practices for accessible design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And most importantly, make sure these resources are easy to find, whether through shared drive folders or internal wikis. The goal is to set a universal standard across the product, ensuring consistency in your team\u2019s approach to accessible design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Consider formal training\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accessible design is both a mindset and a skill set, and formal training can set your team up for success. Consider an official course like the UX Design Institute\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/designing-for-accessibility\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professional Certificate in Designing for Accessibility<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which has been created to help design teams comply with accessibility standards and generally improve their design practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll learn not only how to design accessible digital products, but also how to advocate for accessibility and get stakeholder buy-in \u2014 a crucial yet often tricky step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether for yourself or your team, formal training can also help to cement the idea that accessibility is an integral part of the design process, not a nice add-on, but a fundamental prerequisite for achieving <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/good-ux-vs-bad-ux\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">good UX<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>The takeaway\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The European Accessibility Act (EAA) strives to create more accessible and inclusive digital experiences across the board, and it applies not only to companies operating within the European Economic Area, but also to any organisation whose customers are in the EU.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, the Act is built on WCAG 2.1, so that\u2019s your essential starting point for compliance. Beyond that, seek to create an accessibility-first approach within your design culture through education and skill-building, shared resources, day-to-day design practices, and ongoing advocacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re prioritising accessibility for EAA compliance or simply want to level up your design practice, the outcome is the same: better products and experiences for everyone. And that\u2019s something we can all celebrate!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want more practical tips and insights? You can learn more about accessible design in the following guides:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-accessible-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is accessible design, and why does it matter?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/accessible_design-inclusive_design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accessible vs. inclusive vs. universal design \u2014 what\u2019s the difference?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nYH2FcZRrZ0?si=JZUUz88IWa6N5lqu\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover the key requirements of the European Accessibility Act, and follow our tips and best practices to ensure compliance within your design process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":12213,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[271],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12195"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12227,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12195\/revisions\/12227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}