The European Accessibility Act is no longer a future rule. The requirements apply, the complaint channel is open, and authorities can enforce. Good news: most errors on ordinary websites can be found and fixed for free — in one afternoon.
Updated August 2026 · 5 minute read
New services had to comply from 28 June 2026. Existing services follow by 2030 — but the earlier you fix issues, the less risk you carry.
The complaint route to your national authority costs users nothing. An inaccessible checkout or booking step is exactly what the law covers.
Missing alt text, low contrast and unlabeled form fields are found automatically. Fixing them yourself beats receiving a formal notice.
The free EAA scanner reviews any URL for classic WCAG failures: contrast, alt text, labels, language declaration and more. You get a report with concrete findings — no account needed.
| Typical finding | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| Image without alt text | Short descriptive text in the alt attribute; decorative images get empty alt |
| Text contrast below 4.5:1 | Darker text or lighter background — checked with the free contrast checker |
| Form field without label | Connect a <label for> to the field |
| No language declaration | <html lang="en"> on every page |
Your site needs an accessibility statement. The generator produces a correctly structured statement in minutes — including the complaint-channel link.
Scanner, contrast checker and statement generator cost nothing and require no account.
The reports use the same WCAG criteria enforcement measures against.
You scan your own site — results are not sent anywhere.
Yes. New services had to comply with the EAA by 28 June 2026. The requirements are now in force, and national market surveillance authorities across the EU can enforce them against businesses that fall short.
Any user can lodge a complaint with the national supervisory authority — free of charge. An inaccessible checkout flow or booking form is exactly the kind of service the law covers, so any visitor can realistically trigger a review.
It depends on the member state. France can issue fines in the tens of thousands of euros; others start with formal notices and deadlines. The expensive part is rarely the fine itself — it is forced rework under time pressure.
A first pass with a free scanner tool takes minutes. The typical problems — missing alt text, low contrast, form fields without labels — are often fixed in a single afternoon. A full audit takes longer, but automated tools catch around 80% of common complaint points.
Micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees are only partially covered, but most shops sit above that line — and payment providers and marketplaces increasingly require accessibility regardless. Check before assuming you are exempt.
Related: EAA enforcement explained · EAA checklist · EAA deadlines · Dansk version