Accessibility for all: awaiting the EAA
August 2024 | FEATURE | RISK MANAGEMENT
Financier Worldwide Magazine
August 2024 Issue
In an era where digital transformation is more than just a loaded phrase, the European Union (EU) is helping ensure this transformation is inclusive for everyone with the forthcoming European Accessibility Act (EAA).
Scheduled to come into force on 28 June 2025, the EAA (Directive 2019/882) is a legally-binding piece of accessibility legislation that will impact private-sector companies doing business in EU member states, regardless of where they are headquartered.
The EAA complements and reinforces the 2016 Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) – which came into full effect in June 2021 – but expands it to include companies with digital services operating in the private sector (the WAD only applied to the public sector).
Like its high-profile predecessor the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the EAA applies to any company creating software, digital services or hardware that is sold or used in the EU, meaning its impact will be global.
Moreover, the Act aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible [...]