A comment on my previous article about websites that are never truly finished pointed to something I had deliberately left out but that fits perfectly into the story: the EU requirement around accessibility for people with disabilities.
He was right. It is a topic that flies completely under the radar for most business owners even though the deadline has already passed.
What has changed?
On 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force. This law requires businesses that offer digital products or services to consumers to make their website accessible for people with disabilities. Think of people who are visually impaired, hard of hearing or have difficulty with fine motor skills.
The technical standard used for assessment is called WCAG 2.1, level AA. That stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, an international standard that describes what an accessible website looks like.
Ireland has implemented this EU directive into national law. For public sector bodies stricter rules have applied for longer. For businesses the obligation came into effect on 28 June 2025.
Are you a small business? There is an exemption for companies with fewer than 10 employees and less than €2 million in turnover. But even if you fall below that threshold: accessibility is not just a legal obligation, it is simply good for your reach.
Who does it apply to?
The EAA targets businesses that offer services or products to consumers through digital channels. Concretely this covers e-commerce, banking, telecom, streaming and similar sectors.
A purely informational website from a small consultancy does not always fall strictly under the obligation. But as soon as you sell something, allow appointment bookings or have a form where people submit requests, you are quickly in grey territory.
My advice: assume it applies to you. The cost of building accessibly is considerably lower than the cost of a legal dispute or reputational damage.
What does WCAG 2.1 AA mean in practice?
These are the most common requirements that WordPress websites run into:
Colour contrast. Text must contrast sufficiently with the background. A light grey text on a white background
