If You have a Business Website, you need to Know about the New EU Accessibility Laws!
Article by Sheila Gallogly
5 Minute Read
After reading this heading, it’s likely the first two questions on your mind are ‘What does accessibility mean?’ and ‘What does this mean for my website?’.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into effect on June 28th this year, and requires that your website be fully usable by individuals of all abilities, including those with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive challenges. Currently, an estimated half of Irish businesses are unprepared to meet EAA requirements. Click here to read the legislation in more detail.
What does this new law mean for your website? If your business falls into any of the categories below, your website is required, by law, to be fully accessible:
- All Public sector bodies
- All E-commerce websites
- All Providers of banking or Financial products or advice
- All Transportation Businesses (with online ticketing systems)
- All business involved in Telecoms
- Digital Media Services
- Any business providing digital products or services (such as apps)
To Understand the Legislation in More Detail, Read Below:
1. The Legislation in More Detail
The EU legislation comes into effect on 28th June 2025. It stipulates that all websites (within the defined categories) follow strict criteria for usability, design, and content structure. While it is unlikely that enforcement will be immediate, non-compliance may lead to fines, legal action or damage to your business reputation. While there are some exceptions to the EU legislation, if you have a business website, now is the time to address non-accessibility issues before you are forced to do so!
2. Does My Business Fall under the Legislation?
The legislation applies to all public sector entities, and a wide range of private sector organisations. Those businesses selling any goods online, all banking and financial institutions, transport, telecoms and media services are also within the scope of the legislation.
If you’re in any of the following sectors, the new rules likely apply to you:
- Public sector bodies (already covered under earlier legislation)
- E-commerce
- Banking and Financial
- Transport
- Telecoms
- Media Services
- Any business providing digital products or services across the EU
Even if you do not fall under one of sectors which are legally required to do so, the push toward inclusive digital design is becoming best practice, and customers are starting to expect it. This legislation is also likely to be updated over time to include other sectors.
3. Why Accessibility Matters
While meeting the new legislative requirements is essential, the case for digital accessibility goes far deeper than avoiding fines. An accessible website opens your business to a broader and more diverse audience, including the estimated 1 in 5 people in Ireland who have some form of disability. By creating inclusive digital experiences, your brand also demonstrates social responsibility, strengthens its reputation and builds trust with all users.
In practical terms, accessibility also improves the overall usability of a website for everyone, including features such as:
• Intuitive navigation
• Readable text
• Clear structure
• Fast-loading pages
Accessible websites often rank better on search engines, perform more effectively across devices and lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
4. What Makes a Website Accessible?
At its core, digital accessibility means that people with a wide range of abilities can easily navigate, understand, and interact with your online content. This includes individuals who may have visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments or challenges. To achieve this, websites must adhere to international standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
This involves a combination of technical and design practices, including:
• Using colour contrast and readable fonts
• Providing alt text on images
• Ensuring keyboard navigation is possible
• Structuring content with clear headings and semantic HTML
• Offering captions or transcripts for video/audio content
• Avoiding flashing elements or animations that may trigger seizures
5. How Márla Communications Can Help
At Márla Communications, we specialise in creating websites that are not only visually appealing, but also functional, user friendly and accessible. Our team of web developers, designers and digital strategists fully understand and apply the latest EU accessibility standards to all websites. We also offer ongoing support and maintenance services to ensure your website remains compliant and functional as technologies and legislation evolves.
Want to Talk Accessibility?
Don’t wait for Accessibility to become a problem before doing something about it! The sooner you act, the better positioned your organisation will be when the new EU rules come into force. Get in touch with our web team at info@marlacommunications.ie or (051) 853 650 and we can talk you through the requirements.
