Dan Posted December 16, 2024 United Kingdom Posted December 16, 2024 EAA and WCAG accessibility requirements will become much more acute in June 2025. This means all businesses in the UK and Europe must adhere to these new guidelines, and if they don't, they could face penalties and even jail time if they reside in Ireland. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a pivotal legal directive designed to enhance accessibility by establishing common accessibility rules throughout the EU. Luckily, there is more breathing room than this coming June as the requirements have been handed to the member states to enforce countrywide, allowing them until 2030 as the deadline for removing in-accessible products. So, what digital products and services do the EAA cover? You may be wondering. Well, the list is non-exhaustive as it is: Computers and operating systems: Ensuring digital technology is usable for people with various disabilities. ATMs, ticketing, and check-in machines: Making financial transactions and travel processes more accessible. Smartphones: Improving the usability of mobile devices to accommodate different accessibility needs. TV equipment related to digital television services: Enhancing accessibility features for television viewing. Telephony services and related equipment: Ensuring that telephone services and associated hardware are accessible. Access to audio-visual media services: This includes television broadcasts and related consumer equipment, promoting inclusivity in media consumption. Services related to passenger transport: To improve accessibility, air, bus, rail, and waterborne transport services should be covered. Banking services: Ensuring that banking activities are accessible, including online and in-person services. E-books: Making digital reading materials accessible to all users. E-commerce: Ensuring that online shopping platforms are usable for individuals with disabilities. As I said, this list does not cover everything; it only covers a handful of services the new legislation will impact. If you are a business operating in the EU, you may want to examine your digital footprint soon or at least have a plan for adapting. How will EAA 2025 affect Google's algorithm? Google's mystic algorithm isn't all that hard to predict. We already know that Google favours sites with faster load times, image descriptions, and well-structured and indexed wireframes, so we can be 99.9% certain that they will adopt the new legislation in their ranking system. What are the requirements? While the EAA does not include specific technical standards for digital accessibility, the European standard EN 301 549 is the presumptive benchmark for compliance. EN 301 549 currently incorporates the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards and is being updated to adopt WCAG 2.2 AA. As a best practice for EAA compliance, organizations should ensure applicable products and services conform with WCAG 2.2 AA and EN 301 549. However, meeting these technical standards alone won’t guarantee EAA compliance. National laws adopting the EAA outline requirements for managing accessibility within an organization. Common national requirements for product and service providers include implementing accessibility training for employees and monitoring accessibility on an ongoing basis to account for changes in a product or service or accessibility standards. Future-Proof Your Business! What can you do for your business to ensure you don't fall foul of any unexpected surprises? Firstly, determine whether this change is or has the potential to apply to you. Investigate what products or services in your portfolio are subject to EAA compliance. Perform a comprehensive accessibility and inclusivity audit or employ a professional to do it for you. Create a roadmap of changes that will be implemented before the deadline. Secure budget for your accessibility goals, including engaging third-party expertise Who can help That's where we enter the room, and by we, I mean me. I'm Dan from Scopesite. A small but furious (in a working sense) digital marketing business nestled in the beautiful county of Somerset. We work with businesses daily, from complete brand creation to website touch-ups and SEO. We have had the EAA 2025 on our radar for some time now and have implemented principles to ensure our clients meet the regulatory requirements. We would love to speak to you to see if we can help you become EAA 2025-ready! dan@scopesite.co.uk https://www.scopesite.co.uk 1 Quote
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