With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) enforcement deadline of June 2025 fast approaching, it’s crucial for any website operating from within the EU to ensure it complies with the new regulations. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps needed to make your website accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, and fully compliant with the EAA. By following these steps, you can avoid legal issues and open your website to a broader audience, enhancing user experience and customer satisfaction.
Step 1: Understand the Requirements of the EAA
What You Need to Know:
- Scope: The EAA applies to a wide range of products and services, with a strong focus on digital accessibility, including websites, mobile apps, and eCommerce platforms.
- Key Requirements: Your website must be navigable, readable, and usable by all, including those using assistive technologies such as screen readers.
- Legal Implications: Non-compliance can result in fines, legal actions, and exclusion from public procurement processes.
Action:
- Familiarise yourself with the specific accessibility standards outlined by the EAA, such as ensuring that your website is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR principles).
Step 2: Conduct an Accessibility Audit
What You Need to Know:
- An accessibility audit is a comprehensive review of your website to identify areas that do not meet the EAA standards. This involves both automated testing tools and manual evaluations by experts.
Action:
- Use Automated Tools: Start with tools like WAVE, Axe, or Lighthouse to scan your website for common accessibility issues such as missing alt text, improper heading structures, and colour contrast problems.
- Manual Testing: Engage accessibility experts to conduct manual testing. They will simulate the experience of users with various disabilities, identifying issues that automated tools might miss.
Step 3: Prioritise Issues Based on Severity
What You Need to Know:
- Not all accessibility issues are equal. Some may significantly impede access for users with disabilities, while others might be less critical.
Action:
- Categorise Issues: After your audit, categorise the issues into high, medium, and low priority based on their impact on user experience.
- Create a Remediation Plan: Develop a timeline for addressing each issue, starting with the most critical ones.
Step 4: Implement Remediation
What You Need to Know:
- Remediation involves fixing the accessibility issues identified in the audit. This can range from simple content updates to more complex design and development changes.
Action:
- Fix Content Issues: Start by addressing easily fixable content issues, such as adding alt text to images, ensuring proper use of headings, and providing transcripts for videos.
- Update Design and Navigation: Ensure your website’s design is accessible. This includes ensuring that buttons are easily clickable, navigation is intuitive, and the website is fully usable with a keyboard.
- Test with Assistive Technologies: After making changes, test your website using screen readers, voice recognition software, and other assistive technologies to ensure it is fully accessible.
Step 5: Ensure Continuous Monitoring and Maintenance
What You Need to Know:
- Accessibility is not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment. Regular updates to your website may introduce new accessibility issues, so continuous monitoring is essential.
Action:
- Set Up Regular Audits: Schedule periodic accessibility audits to catch and fix any issues that arise from content updates or design changes.
- Train Your Team: Ensure that your content creators, designers, and developers are trained in accessibility best practices so that future updates don’t inadvertently introduce new issues.
- Use Analytics: Implement analytics tools that track how users interact with your website. This data can help identify any accessibility barriers in real time.
Step 6: Document and Communicate Your Accessibility Efforts
What You Need to Know:
- Transparency about your accessibility efforts not only helps users but can also protect you legally if challenges arise.
Action:
- Create an Accessibility Statement: Publish a statement on your website outlining your commitment to accessibility, what steps you’ve taken, and how users can report any issues they encounter.
- Feedback Mechanism: Provide a clear and accessible way for users to report accessibility issues. This could be through a dedicated email address or a feedback form.
- Update Documentation: Keep detailed records of your accessibility audits, remediation efforts, and ongoing monitoring activities. This documentation will be valuable if you need to demonstrate your compliance efforts.
Step 7: Stay Informed About Regulatory Changes
What You Need to Know:
- Accessibility regulations and standards can evolve. Staying informed ensures that your website remains compliant in the future.
Action:
- Follow Industry News: Regularly check for updates on EU regulations and best practices in accessibility.
- Engage with Accessibility Communities: Join accessibility-focused groups and forums to stay connected with the latest developments and share knowledge with peers.
How Sweans Can Help?
At Sweans, we specialise in helping businesses like yours navigate the complexities of accessibility compliance. Here’s how we can assist:
- Comprehensive Audits: We offer in-depth accessibility audits that cover automated and manual testing, providing a clear roadmap for remediation.
- Expert Remediation: Our team of developers and designers are accessibility experts. We’ll work closely with you to fix issues and ensure your website is fully compliant.
- Ongoing Support: We provide continuous monitoring and support, ensuring your website remains accessible as regulations and standards evolve.
- Training and Consulting: We can train your team on accessibility best practices, ensuring that your website remains compliant long after the initial remediation.
Ensuring your website is compliant with the European Accessibility Act is not just about avoiding penalties—it’s about making your digital space inclusive and welcoming to everyone. By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll meet the EAA’s requirements and improve the user experience for all visitors to your site.
Ready to start your journey towards accessibility compliance? Contact Sweans today to schedule an audit and let us help you make your website accessible to everyone while ensuring full compliance with the European Accessibility Act.
