Making sense of European Accessibility Act, EN 301 549 and WCAG

Making sense of European Accessibility Act, EN 301 549 and WCAG 

Navigating accessibility rules in the EU can be complex. It requires understanding how the European Accessibility Act (EAA), European standards, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) relate to each other.

If you have a website or online shop serving customers in the EU, you are required to make your digital content accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. The EAA sets out these requirements, though translating them into practical actions isn’t always straightforward.

To help address this, tools like Acquia Web Governance evaluate your website against recognized accessibility guidelines. This helps organizations identify gaps and work towards legal and technical expectations.

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1. European Accessibility Act (EAA)

The EAA is an EU directive requiring certain digital products and services, including many websites, to be accessible to all users, regardless of disability. Its main goal is to ensure equal access to digital solutions throughout the EU, benefitting both people with disabilities and businesses operating in the internal market.

Importantly, the EAA doesn’t prescribe exact technical requirements for accessibility. Instead, Article 15 states that compliance can be demonstrated by adhering to harmonized EU standards developed for this purpose.

Read more about EAA from European Commissions website 

2. EN 301 549: The Harmonised Standard

EN 301 549 is the harmonised standard for digital accessibility in the EU. Chapter 9 of EN 301 549 outlines specific requirements for web content, directly referencing WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA as the benchmarks for accessibility.

Read more about  the official harmonised standard EN 301 549 (PDF)

3. WCAG: The Practical Guidelines

WCAG is the internationally recognized framework for web content accessibility.

The guidelines are organized around four core principles:

• Perceivable
• Operable
• Understandable
• Robust

Each principle contains several guidelines, which are further broken down into specific, testable success criteria that define what accessible websites must provide.

For example, one WCAG success criterion requires that all website functionality be operable using only a keyboard, ensuring users who cannot use a mouse can still navigate and interact with your site.

These success criteria form the basis for how Acquia Web Governance evaluates and tests your web content for accessibility compliance.

Read more on the latest W3C recommendation, WCAG 2.2

How to Work on EAA Using Acquia Web Governance

Understand Your Legal Obligations

The EAA sets the overall obligation and compliance is typically demonstrated by following harmonized European standards (like EN 301 549), which in practice align closely with the technical requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

But it is important to understand that EAA considers accessibility for people with disabilities in the “real world,” not just technical criteria. This means that national laws that implement the EAA might set additional standards, for instance by demanding particular documentation, like accessibility statements, or require the inclusion of assistive features and services, like customer support. As a result, fulfilling only WCAG criteria may leave some legal expectations unmet.

Use Acquia Web Governance to Assess Accessibility of Your Web Estate

Acquia Web Governance provides automated testing of your website and digital content against recognized accessibility criteria. 

Here’s how you can use it to address EAA requirements:

1. Run Automated Sans:

Start by scanning your website or app with Acquia Web Governance. The tool will identify a broad range of accessibility issues, referencing the relevant WCAG criteria and highlighting potential barriers for users.

2. Identify Key Pages and User Outcomes to Prioritize

Prioritize the most important pages where users are most likely to interact or complete key tasks. Concentrating your accessibility efforts here ensures greater impact on usability and compliance.

3. Review Issues Manually That Automation Cannot Fully Assess

Many accessibility issues, like meaningful link text or logical page structure, require human judgment. Use Acquia Web Governance’s manual review features to assess these “review” issues. Where needed, involve your accessibility specialist or use Acquia Web Governance’s browser extension to evaluate context.

4. Track Progress, Remediate, and Record Evidence

Use Acquia Web Governance to track progress. This audit trail can serve as evidence of your accessibility efforts if you ever need to demonstrate compliance to regulators.

You can also add notes or documentation for decisions or exceptions, especially for complex issues or where you believe a requirement is not feasible or applicable.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Achieving accessibility compliance isn’t a one-and-done task. Here are a few challenges organizations often face:

1. Relying Only on Automation

Automated tools, including Acquia Web Governance, detect accessibility barriers that are testable in a binary manner. Tools can test if images on your website have a text alternative or not. But they are not able to determine if the alternative text is good enough. For instance for a headshot: who exactly is in the picture may be relevant information.

Manual reviews and user testing (especially when done by people with disabilities) are essential, to determine real world accessibility. 

2. Treating Accessibility Improvements As A One Time Project

Even after initial fixes, as your content and code evolve, new accessibility issues can quickly emerge or reappear. Schedule regular scans and reviews to ensure ongoing compliance and a consistently accessible experience for all users.

3. Lack of Team Training

Without adequate training, your team may inadvertently introduce accessibility barriers during day-to-day tasks. Make sure editors, developers, and other stakeholders are familiar with both the legal accessibility requirements relevant to your organization and the practical skills needed to maintain compliance. Provide training on how to interpret Acquia Web Governance results, remediate common issues, and implement best practices in daily workflows. Investing in education helps ensure consistent accessibility, reduces future problems, and fosters a culture of inclusion across your teams.

Why Accessibility Matters Beyond Compliance

Digital accessibility is the business imperative we can’t ignore. Crafting an accessible website isn’t just about meeting legal standards; it’s about creating a welcoming experience for every user. Inclusive design enhances usability for all visitors, potentially growing your audience and earning the trust of diverse communities.

Additionally, accessibility improvements often benefit SEO, UX, and customer satisfaction. For example, clean navigation structures and consistent layouts make it easier for everyone (including search engine crawlers) to find what they’re looking for.

Take The Next Sep In Your Digital Accessibility Strategy Today

Successfully meeting EU accessibility obligations means understanding how the European Accessibility Act (EAA), the harmonised standard EN 301 549, and WCAG guidelines fit together. Using a tool like Acquia Web Governance helps you test and prioritize web accessibility in line with these requirements, but remember that automated checks alone aren’t enough. Regular reviews, manual assessments, and ongoing training for your team are essential for staying compliant and delivering accessible digital experiences.

Don’t wait to create a welcoming, user friendly experience for all. Get a free website scan with Acquia Web Governance today!