1. Overview

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 "on the accessibility requirements for products and services". It is not, on its face, a disability rights law. Article 1 says its purpose is "to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market by approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States as regards accessibility requirements for certain products and services". It does this by "eliminating and preventing barriers to the free movement of products and services" that arise from differing national rules.

That framing explains the shape of the whole text. The Directive lists specific products and services. It sets common requirements for them. Then it tells Member States how to police the result. If you make or provide something on the list, the requirements apply. If you do not, they do not, however useful accessibility would be.

Because it is a Directive, the EAA binds Member States rather than businesses directly. Each country has transposed it into national law. That national law is what a court or authority will apply to you. The lists, definitions and dates are the same everywhere. So this lesson teaches them from the Directive itself. It cites the Article each time, so that you can find the matching provision in your own country's law.

Standards covered: Directive (EU) 2019/882 Articles 1, 2, 3, 31, 32 and 33, with recitals 42, 43, 101 and 102 · EN 301 549 V4.1.1 Annex ZB, which repeats the Article 2 lists when it maps the Directive to the standard · WCAG 2.2 enters only indirectly here, through Annex I Section III(c), which later lessons cover.

Three things to hold on to as you read. First, the Directive separates products, which are "placed on the market", from services, which are "provided to consumers". Second, "consumer" has a precise meaning that most scoping questions turn on. Third, 28 June 2025 is the date everything hangs from. The transitional provisions in Article 32 run to 2030 and beyond.

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Free with no account: the first lesson, Why accessibility, and who it is for, the European Accessibility Act flashcards and the overview of every lesson.

Sources

  • Directive (EU) 2019/882 (the European Accessibility Act), Articles 1 to 3, 31 to 34, and recitals 42, 43, 101 and 102.
  • ETSI, CEN and CENELEC, EN 301 549 V4.1.1 (2026-09), Annex ZB (clauses ZB.1 and ZB.4, which restate the Article 2 lists), available from the ETSI standards server.
  • W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, referenced by Annex I Section III(c) through EN 301 549.
  • Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which recital 53 of the Directive says enterprises "must genuinely fulfil" to benefit from the microenterprise and SME provisions.