The accessibility game changer for 2025... and it's not AI
While all the buzz for 2025 has been about the potential and promise of AI, there is something else on the horizon that is likely to have a bigger and more tangible direct impact on the world of accessibility this year; the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
The European Accessibility Act was officially put into place in 2019, laying out a roadmap for member states to align their own accessibility legislation with the EAA, with one of the key drivers for the legislation being to provide consistency of operation for organisations operating throughout the EU.
This roadmap leads to 2025, when in June, the EAA comes into full effect for any organisation operating within the European Union (EU) – with some exceptions.
The following products and services are within the scope of the European Accessibility act.
- computers and operating systems
- ATMs, ticketing and check-in machines
- telephones and smartphones
- TV equipment related to digital television services
- telephony services and related equipment
- audiovisual media services, such as television broadcast and related consumer equipment
- services related to air, bus, rail and waterborne passenger transport
- banking services
- e-books
- e-commerce
While initially the legislation will cover new products and services only, the act requires existing products and services to meet accessibility requirements after a transition period which ends on June 2030 – 11 years after the act was put into place.
It’s important to note that the EAA does not only apply to businesses within Europe, but any organisation doing business (providing products or services) within Europe – no matter where in the world they are based. Therefore, Australian businesses will also need to be prepared for these initiatives.
It is likely that more regions around the world will eventually adopt similar laws and regulations over time, so whether you currently do business in the European Union or not, there is no better time to start or continue your accessibility journey than right now, in 2025.
Read more about the European Accessibility Act, or reach out to us to learn more about what you need to do in order to meet the requirements of the EAA.
Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash