European Accessibility Act: effective from June 28, 2025

But there's always a reason behind these rules. Behind the reasons, there are principles of fairness, justice, and respect.

Today, we’re telling you about the European Accessibility Act (EAA): the European Union directive that guides us in respecting disabilities and discourages opportunists. First, let’s define the scope: regarding our sector, the EAA only impacts e-commerce and NOT general websites.

The EAA: what does it require?

Here are the main points:

1. It applies to a wide range of products and services such as computers, smartphones, e-readers, banking services, e-commerce, transportation, electronic communication services, e-books, and related software.
    
2. Products and services must be designed and provided to be accessible to as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. This includes:
   • Usage information must be accessible through multiple sensory channels
   • Text alternatives for non-text content
   • User interfaces and functionalities must be navigable with different input methods
   • Flexible features for magnification and contrast
      
3. Obbligations for operators:
   • Manufacturers must ensure that their products are designed and manufactured according to accessibility requirements
   • Service providers must ensure that their services meet accessibility requirements
      
4. Timing:
   • Companies have until June 28, 2025 to comply
   • Existing service contracts can continue until June 28, 2030
     
     Therefore, for e-commerce sites existing before June 28, any innovation will need to be compliant. Full compliance is not required until 2030 for these sites.
     New e-commerce sites going live after June 28 must be fully compliant.
      
5. Market surveillance and sanctions:
   • The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) is responsible for enforcement
   • Fines range from €2,500 to €50,000

At Drop, we’re ready for this challenge.
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— 21 February 2025