Didn’t manage accessibility before June 28?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), in force since June 28, 2025, introduces new mandatory standards for companies offering digital products and services. Although many organizations have spent recent months preparing to implement EAA requirements, not all managed to finish the work before the deadline. Regardless of the reason – delayed decisions, limited resources, or lack of technical knowledge – one thing is worth emphasizing: not being ready doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance. On the contrary – it’s a good moment to act more consciously, thoughtfully, and strategically. 

From this date on, digital accessibility is no longer just a “best practice” – it becomes a legal obligation. The European Accessibility Act introduces specific requirements for companies delivering digital solutions – from e-commerce and mobile apps to financial platforms and educational software. For many organizations, this means a need to redesign and adapt existing products to standards such as WCAG 2.1 (AA) or EN 301 549. In practice, it’s not just about legal compliance – it’s about creating digital environments that are clear, understandable, and usable for everyone, regardless of limitations. 

From our conversations with companies across various sectors, we know that many tech leaders and product managers are only now beginning to understand the scale and complexity of digital accessibility. This shouldn’t be surprising – the topic has long been marginalized, and previous regulations mostly applied to public institutions. 

 The best way is to understand how your app works from the perspective of a person with limitations – not only permanent ones, but also situational: 

• with a hand in a cast,
• in a noisy environment,
• in bright sunlight,
• during a stressful purchase, with permanent impairments. 

As a first step, it’s worth conducting an accessibility audit – even a preliminary, simplified one – to identify the biggest barriers. Lack of keyboard support, low contrast, missing alt text, or unclear navigation are the most common issues. 

Next – instead of trying to fix everything at once – set priorities. Choose the elements that most affect user experience and those that are technically easiest to fix. 

At the same time, it’s good to involve the design, frontend, and QA teams, so that accessibility becomes a natural part of the product development process. 

What do you gain by starting now? 

Firstly – the opportunity to show good faith. In case of inspections, not only the final result matters, but also whether the company has actually started the work and can document it. 

Secondly – improved overall quality of the digital product. What helps people with disabilities also improves UX for all users. Clear language, logical structure, intuitive navigation, accessible forms – these are all traits of a well-designed product. 

Additionally, organizations that actively communicate their commitment to building accessible solutions gain the reputation of responsible and modern business partners.