Starting in June 2025, all online businesses in the European Union must comply with new web accessibility requirements mandated by the European Accessibility Act (EAA). This legislation aims to make key products and services accessible to people with disabilities, including visually impaired users. This change is crucial for all online businesses looking to stay competitive and meet the needs of all users.
What is WCAG?
Imagine you own an online store. Your goal is to ensure convenience and accessibility for all your customers, regardless of their abilities. This is precisely the aim of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines ensure that websites are easy to use for people with various disabilities. WCAG 2.1 is based on four main principles:
- Perceivable: Your site should present information in ways that all users can perceive. This includes text alternatives for images and good contrast between text and background.
- Operable: All elements of your site, like menus and buttons, should be easily usable. Navigation should be intuitive.
- Understandable: The information and functionality of the site should be easy to understand. This means using clear and simple language.
- Robust: Your site content should be stable and compatible with different user agents and technologies, including screen readers.
Requirements and Challenges
Companies with more than 10 employees or revenues over 2 million euros must ensure their websites and mobile apps comply with WCAG standards. Non-compliance can lead to fines and legal actions.
Many existing online stores do not meet these standards, meaning significant changes will be necessary. Smaller businesses may achieve compliance within a few months, while larger platforms might require over a year.
Technologies and Methods
How can companies improve their website accessibility? Here are a few ideas:
- Screen Readers: Programs that read text on the screen aloud are essential for visually impaired users.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Tools for continuously tracking site accessibility can help quickly identify and fix issues.
- Staff Training: Specialized training for developers and designers on best practices for web accessibility ensures your team understands the requirements and knows how to implement them.
Implementing the European Accessibility Act and mandatory WCAG standards will significantly improve the accessibility of websites and mobile applications. This will open new opportunities for businesses adhering to these standards, requiring careful planning and integration of new technologies and methods to ensure accessibility.
If your business is already online, now is the time to start preparing for these changes to ensure you are ready to meet all the new requirements by 2025.
