Website accessibility: what the law requires from 2025

An accessible website can be used with a screen reader, with a keyboard only, with low vision or with enlarged text. Since 28 June 2025, for many businesses in the EU this is no longer just good practice: it is a legal requirement under the European Accessibility Act, the EU directive on accessibility. Each country has written it into its own law; in Italy, for example, through Legislative Decree 82/2022.

Who must comply

The requirement covers certain products and services for consumers. For websites the most common case is e-commerce: online shops, bookings and online purchases. Banking services, transport, electronic communications and e-books are also included.

A business website that presents your company, without selling online to consumers, is usually outside the requirement. Making it accessible is still worthwhile: more people can use it, and search engines understand its structure better.

Who is exempt

Microenterprises providing services are exempt: fewer than 10 people and an annual turnover, or balance sheet total, of up to 2 million euros. For some services already running before 28 June 2025 there are transition periods, at the latest until 28 June 2030.

What you need to meet

The technical reference is the European standard EN 301 549, which for websites draws on the international WCAG 2.1 guidelines at level AA. In practice:

• readable text, with enough contrast against the background;
• images with a text alternative;
• the whole site usable with a keyboard, without a mouse;
• forms with clear labels and understandable error messages;
• headings in order, so screen reader users understand the structure of the page;
• videos with captions;
• pages that stay usable when text is enlarged.

You also need to publish information on how the service meets the accessibility requirements.

Where to start

1. Run the site through an automated tool, such as the Lighthouse accessibility audit built into Chrome. It finds the most obvious problems, not all of them.
2. Try using the site with a keyboard only: find a product, add it to the cart, complete an order.
3. Fix the paths that lead to a purchase or a contact first.
4. Write the page that explains the accessibility status of the site.
5. Make accessibility a requirement of every future change: fixing it later costs more.

If you are thinking of rebuilding the site to comply, also read redesigning your website without losing Google rankings.