Does the European Accessibility Act apply to my online store?
In short
E-commerce is explicitly named in the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882). If you sell online to consumers in the European Union, you are in scope — unless you are exempt.
- The obligation has applied since 28 June 2025; any new online service must be accessible right away.
- The only exemption is the service micro-enterprise — fewer than 10 staff and under €2M in annual turnover (or balance-sheet total).
- "I have until 2030" is a misreading: the transitional period does not free your website from being accessible now.
It's the first question every online retailer asks about the EAA: "does this actually apply to me?" The short answer is almost always yes — and the rare exemptions are narrower than most people think. Here is how to decide in a few minutes.
E-commerce is named in the directive
The European Accessibility Act leaves no room for doubt on this point: among the services that must be accessible, the directive explicitly lists e-commerce services, alongside consumer banking services, electronic communications, passenger transport, e-books and audiovisual media services.
In practice, an "e-commerce service" within the meaning of the directive is a service provided remotely, through a website or a mobile app, that lets a consumer conclude a contract. In other words: an online store, a marketplace, a booking or subscription site aimed at the general public.
The three-question test
To find out whether your store is in scope, answer these three questions in order:
- Do you sell (or let people book/subscribe) online to consumers? If so, you provide an e-commerce service within the meaning of the EAA.
- Do your customers include consumers based in the European Union? The directive protects EU consumers — where you are established does not put you out of scope if you sell to Europeans.
- Are you above the micro-enterprise threshold? (see below). If so, no exemption applies.
Three "yes" answers = you are fully subject to the accessibility and declaration obligation.
The only way out: the service micro-enterprise
The EAA provides a single exemption for services: the micro-enterprise. Under EU law, that is a business meeting both of the following conditions:
- fewer than 10 employees, and
- an annual turnover or annual balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million.
Both conditions must be met at the same time. As soon as you cross either threshold — 10 staff or €2M — the exemption falls away for your services.
The "I have until 2030" trap
Many business owners remember that a 2030 deadline exists and conclude they have five years ahead of them. That is wrong for almost every online store.
The date that matters is 28 June 2025: since then, e-commerce services must be accessible. The transitional period until 28 June 2030 (Article 32 of the directive) is far narrower than its name suggests: it only lets providers keep using, for a while, certain products/equipment already lawfully in use before 2025 to deliver their service. It does not suspend the obligation to make your website itself accessible.
Common cases: in scope or not?
| Your situation | In scope? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Online store (15 staff, €3M turnover) selling to consumers | Yes | B2C e-commerce service above the micro thresholds |
| E-commerce of 4 people, €600k turnover | Exempt (service) | Micro-enterprise: < 10 staff AND < €2M |
| SaaS / subscription platform sold to businesses (B2B) | Often yes | B2B digital services are widely in scope; check case by case |
| Brochure site with no online sale or booking | Outside EAA scope | No e-commerce service; other obligations may exist |
| Non-EU store selling to European consumers | Yes | The protection targets EU consumers |
If you're in scope, what's the risk?
The EAA is a directive: it is applied through each EU country's own transposition law, which sets the competent authority and the sanctions. The technical standard is the same everywhere (EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 level AA), but the maximum fines differ by country:
| Country | Law | Maximum fine |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | D.Lgs. 82/2022 (art. 24) | €5,000–€40,000 |
| France | Ordonnance 2023-859 | up to €50,000 |
| Germany | BFSG | up to €100,000 |
| Spain | Ley 11/2023 | up to €1,000,000 |
See the detail country by country on our European Accessibility Act guide for e-commerce.
The classic mistake: thinking an overlay is enough
Once in scope, many retailers install a "one-click accessibility" widget (accessiBe, UserWay…) believing it settles the matter. These overlays do not make a site compliant. Their effectiveness is disputed by disabled users' associations, and they do not produce the accessibility statement the law requires. The defensible approach is the opposite: audit the site, fix what can be fixed, and publish an honest statement of the real state of the site.
Check whether your store is exposed
DeclareAccess scans one page of your site against WCAG 2.1 AA, sends you a quantified report of the non-conformities, then generates the ready-to-publish accessibility statement in the applicable template — English, French (RGAA), Italian, Spanish or German (BFSG). Free audit, no credit card.
WCAG report by email within 1 business day.
Got it. Your audit request is recorded — you'll receive your WCAG report by email within 1 business day.
Frequently asked questions
My online store is small — am I really in scope?
If you have 10 or more employees, or more than €2M in annual turnover (or balance-sheet total), yes. The micro-exemption only applies if you are below both thresholds at the same time. Below them, your service is exempt, but a free audit is still useful to know the real state of your site.
I only sell to other businesses (B2B). Am I out of scope?
Not necessarily. Digital services provided to businesses are often in scope too, and many B2B platforms also have end users to protect. B2B is not an automatic exemption — check your case rather than assuming.
Don't I have until 2030 to become compliant?
No, that's a common misunderstanding. The obligation for e-commerce services has applied since 28 June 2025. The transitional period until 28 June 2030 only concerns the continued use of certain products/equipment already in use before 2025; it does not free your website from being accessible today.
Does an accessibility overlay make my store compliant?
No. An overlay adds a widget whose effectiveness is disputed and which does not produce the accessibility statement required by law. The compliant approach is to audit the site, fix the priority non-conformities and publish an honest statement.