The European Accessibility Act is now law: what Irish businesses need to know
The European Accessibility Act commenced in Ireland on 28 June 2025. Its reach, exemptions and practical implications require more nuance than a generic accessibility checklist.
Accessibility has moved from a design recommendation to an explicit regulatory issue for a range of private-sector products and services. Irish businesses should understand whether they are in scope, what the microenterprise exemption actually says and why accessible design remains commercially sensible even when an exemption applies.
What changed on 28 June 2025
Directive (EU) 2019/882—the European Accessibility Act—was transposed into Irish law through S.I. No. 636 of 2023 and commenced on 28 June 2025. It covers specified products and services, including e-commerce services, consumer banking services, e-books, electronic communications and parts of passenger transport.
For online sellers, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is the relevant market-surveillance authority for e-commerce services. Other sectors have different authorities, including the Central Bank, ComReg and Coimisiún na Meán. This is now operating law, not a future deadline.
The microenterprise exemption is specific
The CCPC says the Act’s service obligations do not apply to a microenterprise providing services. A microenterprise employs fewer than 10 people and has annual turnover not exceeding €2 million or an annual balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million. Businesses should verify their status rather than assume that ‘small’ automatically means exempt.
The service exemption should not be confused with the rules for covered products. A microenterprise manufacturing, importing or distributing a product covered by the Act may still have obligations. Businesses near a threshold or operating in a regulated category should obtain appropriate professional advice.
Accessibility addresses a large audience
Census 2022 data reported by the National Disability Authority shows that 21.5% of people in Ireland had a disability to some or a great extent. That makes inaccessible digital journeys a material customer issue as well as a compliance concern.
Barriers vary. Missing keyboard support can block someone who cannot use a mouse. Poor contrast affects people with low vision. Unlabelled form controls create problems for screen-reader users. Captions assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also anyone watching video in a noisy or quiet environment.
What accessible implementation looks like
The practical work reaches design, content and code. Pages need a meaningful heading structure, visible keyboard focus, sufficient contrast and descriptive controls. Images that communicate information require useful alternative text. Forms need persistent labels and understandable errors. Interactive components must work without precise pointer movement.
The European standard EN 301 549 is a key technical reference and draws on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Automated testing can identify some failures, but it cannot establish that an entire experience is accessible. Keyboard testing, screen-reader checks and human review remain essential.
A practical starting point for owners
First, identify what the website allows customers to do: browse, book, pay, sign documents or access support. Then establish whether the service and business are in scope. Audit the most important journeys first, particularly navigation, checkout, authentication and customer-service contact.
Document decisions and improvements. Accessibility is not a one-off overlay or plugin; new content, third-party booking tools and later redesigns can introduce fresh barriers. Even exempt microenterprises benefit from treating it as a continuing quality standard.
Sources and further reading
Facts were checked against the following official or named institutional sources. Links open the original material.